Nordic Folk Arts & Cultural Traditions Competition

Nordic Folk Arts & Cultural Traditions Competition is sponsored by American-Scandinavian Foundation. This is an annual competition for Nordic Folk Arts & Cultural Traditions in the Upper Midwest.

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Nordic Folk Arts & Cultural Traditions in the Upper Midwest The American-Scandinavian Foundation (ASF) provides support for living Nordic folk arts and cultural traditions in the Upper Midwest (North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan). Broadly defined, folk arts are expressions of community identity and values.

They are cultivated informally among individuals by word of mouth or example. Whether practicing a traditional craft, art, technical or occupational skill; performing music or dance; or marking important moments of life or the year with special foods or customs, folk arts are deeply rooted in community life. They foster human creativity and transmit cultural values that affirm community ties.

ASF is committed to celebrating and preserving Nordic (Denmark, Greenland, Faroe Islands, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sápmi, Sweden) cultures throughout the United States.

By supporting folk arts and traditional cultures in the Upper Midwest, in particular, ASF recognizes and celebrates the mastery of individual artists or practitioners, facilitates the cultivation of skills and understanding among younger generations, brings greater visibility to living Nordic arts and traditions, and highlights the centrality of cultural expression to all of our lives.

Two kinds of awards are available – fellowships for artists/practitioners of traditional skills and grants for public programs and community projects. All of our grants encourage both the practice of folk arts and cultures and the presentation of these arts to public audiences. Deadline : September 15, 2026 Fellowships for artists will deepen the skills of master artists and/or foster relationships among masters and their apprentices.

As a result, these grants will encourage the development of traditional skills and help transmit the skills from generation to generation. They will also heighten the public awareness of Nordic cultural traditions. Apply for Artist Fellowships Current List of Grantees and Fellows 2017-25 Folk Artist Fellows To be completed by Artist Fellows no later than 60 days after the end of the fellowship period.

Previous award winners must submit their final reports before submitting another application. Alternative Funding Sources A list of other organizations that may have grants for folk artists in the Upper Midwest.

Grants for Public Programs & Community Projects Grants for public programs and community projects will shore up and encourage the preservation of and/or innovation within living Nordic cultural traditions through the support of community festivals, celebrations, and heritage events as well as workshops, performances, classes, and demonstrations. Applicants for public programs grants must be nonprofit 501(c)3 organizations.

Apply for Public Programs Current List of Grantees and Fellows 2017-25 Public Program Grantees To be completed by Public Program Grantees no later than 60 days after the end of the grant period. Previous award winners must submit their final reports before submitting another application. Join our email list to receive all news about upcoming fellowship and grants opportunities!