Building on 2015 success, Marketplace will be expanded for
2016 Festival, in downtown Greensboro Sept. 9-11, 2016
To be considered by the Marketplace jury, prospective vendors’ applications must be received by April 11, 2016
"Greensboro, N.C., March 10, 2016 — Artisans and craftspeople who can provide a unique shopping experience for thousands of National Folk Festival attendees are invited to submit applications to participate in the North Carolina Arts Marketplace, presented by PNC, at the 2016 Festival. In 2015, the 75th National Folk Festival attracted more than 102,000 attendees to downtown Greensboro for the FREE, three-day weekend. Organizers expect attendance to increase by as much as 30% or more in 2016.
Based on the success of the North Carolina Arts Marketplace at the 2015 National Folk Festival, organizers plan to expand the marketplace in 2016.
In keeping with the National Folk Festival’s overarching focus on the traditional arts, culture, and heritage of North Carolinians and all Americans, the Arts Marketplace will feature the juried, handmade creations of the finest artists and craftspeople from the North Carolina region. Local Festival Director Amy Grossmann said, “The Arts Marketplace has two goals: 1) to provide our region’s most talented artists with an outlet to exhibit and sell their creations; and, 2) to provide festival-goers with an opportunity to take home truly unique, hand-crafted mementos.”
Online applications are preferred and must be submitted by 11:59 pm on Monday, April 11, 2016. Hard-copy applications will be accepted if postmarked by April 11, 2016. A panel comprised of North Carolina artists and arts leaders will evaluate all applications.
Applications and Marketplace Vendor Guidelines are available at nationalfolkfestival.com/marketplace. Application packages should include the completed application, four to six images of the work the vendor intends to sell, a booth image (if available), and a non-refundable $30 application fee.
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About the 2016 National Folk Festival: Co-produced by the National Council for the Traditional Arts (NCTA) and ArtsGreensboro, the National Folk Festival is celebrating the second year of its three-year residency in downtown Greensboro in 2016. The FREE, three-day event is America’s longest-running festival of traditional arts. nationalfolkfestival.com
About the National Folk Festival: Since it was first presented in St. Louis in 1934, the National Folk Festival has celebrated the roots, richness, and variety of American culture. Championed in its early years by Eleanor Roosevelt, it was the first event of national stature to present the arts of many nations, races, and languages on equal footing. An exuberant traveling festival that embraces the diverse cultural expressions of the American people in the 21st century, the National Folk Festival is FREE to the public, and is produced by the National Council for the Traditional Arts (NCTA) in partnership with communities around the country.
About the National Council for the Traditional Arts (NCTA): The National Council for the Traditional Arts (NCTA) is one of the nation’s premier non-profit cultural organizations dedicated to the presentation and documentation of folk, tribal, and ethnic arts in the United States. Founded in 1933, it is the nation’s oldest producing and presenting organization with such a focus. Its programs celebrate and honor deeply rooted cultural expressions—music, crafts, stories, and dance passed on through time by families and communities as well as by tribal, ethnic, and occupational groups. The NCTA stresses excellence and authenticity in presenting artists to the public in festivals, tours, concerts, media programs, exhibitions, recordings, and other activities, and works in partnership with communities across American to establish new, sustainable traditional arts events that bring lasting social, cultural, and economic benefits. www.ncta-usa.org
About ArtsGreensboro: With an annual budget of approximately $4 million, ArtsGreensboro is a catalyst for innovation to build recognition and support for the arts. Through its ArtsFund-supported grant programs, the 17DAYS Arts & Culture Festival, the Levitt AMP Greensboro Music Series, I HEART ARTS Month, and other opportunities including the National Folk Festival, ArtsGreensboro is driving the health and vitality of our community by supporting arts education, celebrating the diversity of Greensboro, and driving economic impact through excellence in arts programming. artsgreensboro.org"
- A Press Release
