Texas Folklife Announces Major Award from the Grammy Museum
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MEDIA CONTACT:
Sheree Scarborough
(512) 922-5483, sheree.scarborough@gmail.com
TEXAS FOLKLIFE ANNOUNCES MAJOR AWARD FROM THE GRAMMY MUSEUM®
One of Fourteen Recipients Nationwide and only Texas Recipient
Grant will be used for Archival Preservation
Austin, Texas – May 16, 2017 – Texas Folklife has received a $20,000 award from the GRAMMY Museum® Grant Program. The grant is part of a $200,000 award package announced last week that benefits 14 recipients nationwide and will provide support for archiving and preservation programs and research efforts that examine the impact of music on human development.
Generously funded by The Recording Academy, the Grant Program provides funding annually to organizations and individuals to support efforts that advance the archiving and preservation of the recorded sound heritage of the Americas for future generations, in addition to research projects related to the impact of music on the human condition. In 2008 the Grant Program expanded its categories to include assistance grants for individuals and small to mid-sized organizations to aid collections held by individuals and organizations that may not have access to the expertise needed to create a preservation plan. The assistance planning process, which may include inventorying and stabilizing a collection, articulates the steps to be taken to ultimately archive recorded sound materials for future generations. More information about the program and this year’s grant awardees can be found at www.grammymuseum.org.
Texas Folklife received one of the largest awards from the Museum in this grant cycle. The funds will be used to continue a project begun in 2012 to identify, organize, digitize, and disseminate its rich audio recording collection of Texas folk and traditional arts performances, field recordings and interviews with artists. A particular focus of this grant will be to digitize and catalog a large portion of the audio collection in partnership with the University of Texas at Austin’s Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, the UT iSchool, and other partners.
The priority materials selected for this particular project represent a selection of Texas Folklife’s overall archival audio holdings. For this project, priority will be given to digitization of 500 of Texas Folklife’s 900 audio cassettes, given the delicate nature of this format. Many of the priority recordings for digitization are field interviews and live event recordings from Texas Folklife’s public programs, including the apprenticeship program, community residencies, workshops, concerts, festivals and performances.
“Our archival holdings illustrate a slice of Texas history and culture heard through the performances and traditions of diverse communities across the state,” said Executive Director Charlie Lockwood. “We are very grateful to the GRAMMY Museum® for this vote of confidence and support. This vibrant collection has been kept in good condition in our climate-controlled office building. However, these analog recordings need to be digitized and preserved due to the short lifespan of the original recording formats. The dissemination of our archival holdings through a discoverable catalog and digital streaming is a linchpin in our strategic vision to become the leading resource center for the folk and traditional arts in Texas. With the support of the GRAMMY Museum®, we are well on our way to making these digitized recordings and corresponding program material available to the public, folk and traditional arts enthusiasts, researchers, and the communities from which they come.”
Texas Folklife’s archival preservation project is supported by the members and board of Texas Folklife, and by grants from the GRAMMY Museum® and the Cultural Arts Division of the City of Austin Economic Development Department.
About Texas Folklife
Texas Folklife is a statewide non-profit organization dedicated to presenting and preserving the diverse cultures and living heritage of the Lone Star State. Since 1984, Texas Folklife has honored cultural traditions passed down within communities, explored their importance in contemporary society, and celebrated them by providing accessible and joyful arts experiences.
1708 Houston St.
Austin, Texas 78756
T (512) 441-9255
F (844) 386-2091
Media inquiries: Sheree Scarborough (512) 922-5483 / sheree.scarborough@gmail.com
