Music and dance from across America
The Festival strives to present the nation’s very finest traditional artists. Music and dance traditions from every part of the country are represented – authentic blues, rockabilly, gospel, jazz, polka, tamburitza, cowboy, bluegrass, klezmer, R&B, old-time, Cajun, rhythm and blues, mariachi, beat-box, breakin’, western swing, honky-tonk and zydeco, as well as traditional music and dance from Native American, Celtic, Acadian, Middle Eastern, Caribbean, Asian, Appalachian, Latino, Eastern European, African, and Pacific Island cultures, among others.
In making its selections, the Festival is guided by the following definition from the National Endowment for the Arts:
FOLK & TRADITIONAL ARTS – a definition
The folk and traditional arts are rooted in and reflective of the cultural life of a community. Community members may share a common ethnic heritage, language, religion, occupation, or geographic region. These vital and constantly reinvigorated artistic traditions are shaped by values and standards of excellence that are passed from generation to generation, most often within family and community, through demonstration, conversation, and practice. Genres of artistic activity include, but are not limited to, music, dance, crafts, and oral expression.
– National Endowment for the Arts
Interested in performing at the Maryland Folk Festival in Salisbury, MD?
Programming discussions take place from November to May with most programming decisions made by June 1st for that year’s festival. All artists must follow the same process. If you’re interested in applying, check out “Apply to perform at the Maryland Folk Festival”
