National Council for Traditional Arts

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Arts Organizations • Public Service & Government

8757 Georgia Ave
#450
Silver Spring, MD 20910
(301) 565-0654

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The National Council for the Traditional Arts (NCTA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to the presentation and documentation of folk and traditional arts in the United States. Founded in 1933, it stands as the nation’s oldest producing and presenting organization focused on these art forms. Its programs celebrate and honor deeply rooted cultural expressions—music, dance, crafts, rituals, and stories—passed down through time in families, communities, and tribal, ethnic, regional, and occupational groups. These traditional arts have proven to be a force for cultural cohesion and social understanding within the nation's complex and diverse communities. In the 21st century, this force is seen as essential to a healthy democratic society, representing vibrant, living cultural treasures of the American people that play a central role in the future of American communities.

The NCTA continually works to expand awareness and appreciation of the richness of America’s multicultural, living heritage. It achieves this through engaging and thoughtfully curated live programs that create dynamic cultural encounters between artists and the public. These programs celebrate shared commonalities, rather than focusing on differences, providing healing and exhilarating experiences that promote a deeper understanding of America’s collective identity. They offer an antidote to messages of distrust and fear. Emphasizing excellence and traditionality, the NCTA presents the nation’s finest traditional artists in a variety of settings. These include festivals, tours, international cultural exchange programs, workshops, demonstrations, exhibitions, media productions, school programs, and other activities. The NCTA partners with communities across America to establish new, sustainable traditional arts events that deliver lasting social, cultural, and economic benefits. Furthermore, the organization champions the interests of folk and traditional artists and organizations in the realm of public policy.