Explore our index of nearly 600 artists and organizations funded through ACTA’s Apprenticeship and Living Cultures programs. Read about their work, view photos, video, and more.
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Uzbek doira
The music and drumming of the Mandinka dates back to the 13th century in the Mali Empire. These century old traditions, songs and rhythms are related to various life cycles such as infant naming, agriculture and marriage ceremonies, as well as pertaining to specific social and religious societies. Central to…
West African Dance is the cultural, social, spiritual, and moral expression of African people. It is how values are expressedfor various life events including birth (naming ceremonies), growth and maturity (rites of passage), love and family (marriage rituals), social events, and death. African dance holds these traditions that are near…
Kathak is among the eight major classical dancds of India and one of the most dynamic theatre arts in the world. The word Kathak is derived from “katha,” meaning the art of storytelling. Highly improvised, the traditional solo is considered the highest level of mastery in Kathak. The solo is…
California-style saddlemaking
Hindustani or North Indian classical music, a tradition that originated in the Vedic ritual chants, has been evolving since the 12th century. The sarod (or sarode) is a 25-stringed fretless instrument, used mainly in Indian classical music. Along with the sitar, it is among the most popular and prominent instruments…
African American quilting
Joti Singh studied Guinean dance with master artist Alseny Soumah as part of ACTA’s Apprenticeship Program in 2007. Soumah’s family taught him to dance when he was a small child in Conakry, Guinea, and he performed with a neighborhood group before dancing professionally with Ballets Merveilles and Les…
Tibetan Vajrayana Buddhist thangka paintings
South Indian Classical Carnatic music is one of the oldest systems of music in the world. The violin found position in the Carnatic form within the last 300 years. The Lalgudi system of playing the violin is very advanced and is popular for its ability to mimic vocal music. Largely…
Thuluth, the most important script in traditional Arabic calligraphy (Islamic calligraphy), was developed in the 11th century. It is a large and elegant, cursive script, used in medieval times as architectural adornment, as well as for inscribing various texts and manuscripts. The unique capacity of the Thuluth style in creating…
North Indian tabla
