Texas Folklife invites you to join us for the exhibit opening of “The Master & The Apprentice: Highlights from the Texas Folklife Apprenticeship Program”. Select artists featured in the exhibit will be on hand for demonstrations of their work and performances. We hope to see you there!

This exhibit features tools, instruments, finished works, photographs, audio, video and other documentation from Texas Folklife’s Apprenticeships in the Folk & Traditional Arts Program. The program encourages the preservation and continuation of Texas traditions by providing support for master artists to train qualified apprentices in any folk or traditional arts discipline.

The exhibit includes historical information about the importance of the Apprenticeship Program, as well as materials from recent Apprenticeship Program participants, including Austin-based legendary cowboy boot maker Lee Miller, 2017 NEA Heritage Fellow and conjunto accordionist Eva Ybarra, certified Hohner accordion tuner by Bradley Williams and master artist Gus Escobar, West African djembe and balafon master Abou Sylla, Native American healer Marika Alvarado, and more.

Texas Folklife’s Apprenticeships in the Folk & Traditional Arts Program encourages the preservation and continuation of the traditional arts in Texas by providing support for master artists to train qualified apprentices. Awardees participate in one public presentation of their traditional art form in consultation with Texas Folklife. Teaching an apprentice gives the master artist the opportunity to refine his or her craft and gives the apprentice a chance to learn an art form that they, in turn, can teach others. The apprenticeship program supports the traditional art forms studied under the program, and their continuation towards future generations. Texas Folklife was recently able to revive this longstanding foundational folk arts program thanks to a National Endowment for the Arts state arts partnership award in conjunction with the Texas Commission on the Arts.

Parking Information:
Parking for the event is available in Texas Folklife’s gravel driveway, on street immediately in front of building, and Asterra Properties (located next door). Overflow parking available at Recycled Reads (5335 Burnet Rd). Please use spaces in the back or on the south side of the Recycled Reads building.

This exhibit was made possible in part by support from the board and members of Texas Folklife, Texas Commission on the Arts with an award from the National Endowment for the Arts, which believes that a great nation deserves great art, and the City of Austin Cultural Arts Division of the Economic Development Department. Exhibit collection curated by Rebecca Bingman, Charlie Lockwood and Ian Hallagan.

Exhibit will be on display at the Texas Folklife gallery 10/26/2017–1/12/2018

Texas Folklife Gallery hours are Mon-Fri 10am-6pm, and by appointment. Contact Texas Folklife at 512-441-9255 or email info@texasfolklife.org for more information.