Wondering what to do with all that folklore theory and all those cultural traditions your other classes have covered? Interested in community arts and looking to broaden your scope to folk and traditional arts? This class, taught by Riki Saltzman, Director of the Oregon Folklife Network, incorporates a history of the field, contemporary practice, and applications including fieldwork, grant writing, project development, and presentation. “Folklore in the Public Sector” will explore the earliest examples of Federal public folklore projects during the 1930s and the impact of Zora Neale Hurston, the Lomaxes, and others; the Folk Song Revival and its influence on the field; the development of Federal programs (NEA, Smithsonian, American Folklife Center) and their impact on state programs; the role of not-for-profits and foundations; and how the Oregon Folklife Network model fits into the rest. Topics will include fieldwork and archival issues, public programming (festivals, exhibits, media productions), advocacy, ethics and responsibilities, and the day-to-day business of budgets, grants, and project management. We will also discuss and evaluate public folklore products (films, radio programs, CDs, web pages). The class will include visits from other public folklorists, archivists, and museum professionals as well as participation in folklore-related events. Students should finish this class with a grasp of the complex and ever-changing world of public folklore, and an ability to look critically at public folklore issues.

This class is offered winter term of 2015 on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2:00 to 3:20 pm.