Our Programs

Stories From Deep In The Heart

“Stories from Deep in the Heart” is Texas Folklife’s award-winning folklife and audio storytelling training program for students, teachers, and community members. Participants create short, broadcast quality audio stories on the folklore, arts and traditions of their families and communities.

Stories for Creative Forces

Stories for Creative Forces is a Military Veterans Program. Workshops are designed to help current and prior service members express their stories and folklore (customs and traditions) through audio production training.

Apprenticeships

The Apprenticeship Program provides awards of up to $4,500 for artist mentors to offer intensive training in a specific traditional art form or cultural practice to dedicated apprentices for six to eight months.

Accordion Kings and Queens

An annual accordion showcase featuring legends of conjunto, polka, country-western, zydeco, cajun and many more styles.

Front Porch Talks: A Convening of Creoles on Culture

Supporting folk and traditional artists, cultural elders, and grassroots partners within the Black and Creole communities of Texas and Louisiana’s Gulf Coast, this project will facilitate the connection between leaders who share a goal of growing youth and community participation in Creole and Zydeco music, language, dance, and related cultural practices.

Big Squeeze

The Big Squeeze is a statewide contest for youth accordion players to showcase their performance abilities in any Texas genre: polka, zydeco, conjunto, Tejano, Cajun, and more!

Hechos, No Miedo PSA Series

Texas Folklife’s Hechos, No Miedo | Facts, Not Fear PSA Series is created by and for our community. This project seeks to engage Austin-area community members in conversations that respect community knowledge, embrace lived.