New York Folklore Society Mentoring Program

Mentoring
and
Professional Development Program
for Folklife
and the
Traditional Arts

Mary Adams of Akwesasne Reservation on the New York/Canadian border received a New York Folklore Society mentorship to teach Iroquois basketry to Midge Stock of the Seneca-Iroquois National Museum in Salamanca.

Read Midge Stock’s Report on a NYFS Mentoring Project
"Iroquois Basketry Thrives"

Mohawk splint and sweetgrass basket from Akwesasne. Photograph courtesy of Traditional Arts of New York.

APPLY NOW NOTE: The Mentoring Application Form is available in three formats for your convenience. When you click on the link for the PDF form below, Adobe Acrobat Reader should open to display the form. You can print directly from the page, complete, and either mail or fax to NYFS. If you do not have Acrobat Reader, you can download it free from the Adobe web site:

Mentoring Application - PDF

Alternatively, you can view and print an

HTML Mentoring Application.

If you prefer, you can download the application form as a Microsoft Word document that can be completed, saved and submitted electronically by attaching it to e-mail to NYFS

MS Word Mentoring Application

DOWNLOAD the Mentoring Program Brochure (PDF)

SPANISH version of Mentoring Program Guidelines (PDF).

Check out a partial list of mentorships provided by the New York Folklore Society’s Mentoring and Professional Development Program since 1993

This program is made possible with public funds from the Folk Arts Program of the New York State Council on the Arts

New York Folklore Society
P.O. Box 764
Schenectady, NY 12301
518/346-7008
Fax 518/346-6617
nyfs@nyfolklore.org

Mentoring and Professional Development Program
for Folklife and the Traditional Arts

Program | Who is Eligible | How to Apply | Implementation and Reporting | Mentorships

The New York Folklore Society, in partnership with the Folk Arts Program of the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA), offers technical assistance and professional growth services to the folk arts field through its Mentoring and Professional Development Program.

Folklife and traditional arts programming requires professional knowledge and technical skills in many areas, including fieldwork, artist self-management, marketing and publicity, concert production, interpretation and presenting, editing, graphic design, exhibit design, documentation, archives, and organizational management. People involved in this work need to keep current with developments in the field.

The Mentoring and Professional Development Program provides opportunities for organizations and individuals engaged in or planning folklife and traditional arts programs in New York State to work with consultants who offer expertise in the needed area. In this way, folklorists and other professional staff, folk artists, and leaders of community-based cultural organizations give or receive knowledge and develop their own or others’ professional and technical skills, helping everyone in the field become more successful in their work.

Program Components

SHORT-TERM CONSULTANCIES—Short-term consultancies support mentors’ providing technical or other professional assistance to individuals or organizations engaged in or planning folk arts programming. The standard compensation rate for the mentor is $300/day plus travel (total award not to exceed 3 days or $1,200, including consulting and travel). All applications are received on a rolling basis throughout the year; the ordinary turnaround after review is within six weeks. Applicants hoping for a quicker response should check or otherwise indicate “quick response” on their application.

ONGOING CONSULTANCIES support mentors’ providing multiple visits over time to provide continuing technical assistance for ongoing processes and projects in folklife and folk arts programming. Standard compensation for the mentor is $300/day plus travel; generally, the ongoing consultancy will not exceed 5 days or $1,800, including consulting and travel.

FOLK ARTIST MENTORING—Opportunities for master folk artists to mentor or advise other folk artists in their traditions through short-term consultancies. These mentorships are designed to provide for initial or short-term contacts only, and can include time with the mentor as well as travel for both mentor and apprentice. For longer term apprenticeships, contact the New York State Council on the Arts, Folk Arts Program.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT EXCHANGES—An additional category of Mentoring and Professional Development application supports travel within the state or region to attend conferences and meetings, observe exemplary programs, and interact with colleagues/mentors in a more general way. (Travel and/or registration expenses only; generally does not exceed $400.00; one application per year allowed in this category.)

Eligibility

Individuals and organizations engaged in or planning folklife and traditional arts programs in New York State are eligible to apply. This includes, but is not limited to, folk artists, community organizations, folk cultural specialists, arts councils, museums, historical societies, and public libraries.

Highest priority will be given to consultancies that directly benefit: 1) folk artists, or 2) community-based organizations in African-American, Asian, Latino, Native American, European ethnic, rural or other underserved communities of the state.

Consultancies that benefit several people or organizations at once are encouraged; for example, a folklorist might apply to have a consultant work with a group of four or five folk artists on self-management. You may choose a mentor, or we can help you find someone. The mentor may be from any field or discipline as long as the consultancy will directly benefit your folklife or traditional arts programming. Appropriate mentors must be experienced in the skills to be imparted through the mentorship and should be qualified for the tasks requested of them. Evidence of skill or education will be required through the submission of a short biography or résumé.

This program is designed to serve organizations and individuals within New York State. Priority will be given to New York-based travel, but mentors from outside the state are permitted. Please contact the New York Folklore Society if out-of-state travel will be required.

Mentoring requests must not duplicate support applied for or received from the New York State Council on the Arts.

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How to Apply

If you think this program can help you, please contact us at 518.346.7008 or by e-mail at nyfs@nyfolklore.org so we can discuss it before you begin an application. You can download an application from this website:
Mentoring Application - PDF
(Note: The form is in Adobe .pdf format. If you do not have Acrobat Reader necessary to view this form, you may download it free from the Adobe website.)

Alternatively, you may print the form in HTML format:

Mentoring Application - HTML

If you prefer, you can download the application form as a Microsoft Word document that can be completed, saved and submitted electronically by attaching to e-mail to NYFS

Mentoring Application - MS Word form
We are available to help you think through your plan, determine the appropriate program component, and identify a suitable consultant if you do not already have someone in mind.
Contact the person you would like to consult with and gain his/her agreement to be your mentor. The mentor may be from any field or discipline so long as the consultancy will directly benefit your folklife or traditional arts programming. However, the chosen consultant must have the training and skills necessary to best advise the applicant.
Submit your application to the New York Folklore Society. The two-page application form includes the purpose of the consultancy, its expected impact on the applicant, the plan of work, and a budget. Each of these application elements must be included. Please make outline the plan of work in as much detail as possible.
Attach a résumé or brief biographical statement about the consultant or partner in the professional exchange. For folk artists, evidence of artistic merit will be required.

We encourage you to apply early so we can get back to you if we have any questions or problems with your application.

The short-term and ongoing consultancies and folk artist mentoring applications will be accepted at any time throughout the year for review. Decisions will be announced within six weeks after receipt of applications.

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Implementation and Reporting

You and your mentor or exchange partner carry out the project as described in your application. Consultancies and exchanges should begin within three months after they have been approved.
Mentor and client each submit a brief report on the consultancy, including receipts for reimbursable travel expenses. The reports should detail the assistance received and how it was or was not beneficial. Detail any long-term plans or strategies developed as part of the technical assistance. Be specific.
Download report forms from this site as PDF forms (to be completed, mailed or faxxed to NYFS):
Mentor’s Consultancy Report - PDF

Applicant’s Consultancy Report - PDF

If you prefer, you can download report forms as Microsoft Word documents that can be completed, saved and attached to e-mail to NYFS
Mentor’s Consultancy Report - MS Word Form

Applicant’s Consultancy Report - MS Word Form
Upon receipt of both reports, NYFS will pay the mentor’s fee and reimburse travel expenses.
Approximately six months after the consultancy, we will contact the client by phone or in person to discuss the long-term impact of the consultancy.

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