Apprenticeship Program

The Alliance for California Traditional Arts (ACTA) Apprenticeship Program encourages the continuity of the state’s traditional arts and cultures by contracting mentor artists to offer intensive, one-on-one training* to eligible apprentices.**

Each contract will support a period of concentrated learning for apprentices who demonstrate a committed engagement with, and a talent for, a specific traditional art form or practice.

If selected, ACTA enters into a contract with the mentor artist and apprentice to implement the work plan proposed in the application. The apprenticeship program period may last between six months to one year, in which ACTA staff will work closely with the apprenticeship pair to gauge and document progress and offer assistance and support.

Upon agreeing to the contract the apprenticeship pair will be required to go through an orientation. Near the mid-point of the apprenticeship period, a site visit will be scheduled in which ACTA staff documents the apprenticeship sharing through video recording and photography. The resulting materials become part of ACTA’s permanent archival collections, which is open to the public for educational purposes. Each apprenticeship team will be required to organize a public presentation (performance, exhibit, lecture demonstration, online sharing, etc.) in consultation with ACTA staff in order to share the results of their intensive learning cycle. We ask that each apprenticeship pair implement a survey at their public sharing, which ACTA will provide. Finally, submitting written evaluations of the mentor and apprentice’s experiences completes the requirements of the Apprenticeship Program contract.

* In some artistic traditions, a one-on-one mentor-apprentice partnership may not fit the framework of the tradition. In specific cases, such as ensemble traditions, other models may be more effective. Please contact us to discuss proposals involving such alternatives before applying.

**Apprentices applying for this program should already have a background in the artistic tradition as a practitioner.

Contracts of $5,000 will be made with California-based mentor artists to cover mentor artist’s fees, supplies, and travel.

The apprenticeship must total at least six months from the beginning of the contract period, but may last up to one year, depending on the conditions of the particular mentorship.

The 2024 online application period has closed.

Due to changes in federal policy with the new administration, our NEA grant supporting the Apprenticeship Program has been delayed. We are working on funding alternatives for this program. Please check back and/or sign up for the ACTA newsletter for updates.

A mentor artist is someone who is recognized as an exemplary practitioner of a traditional art form by their community and peers. An apprentice is someone who learns from a mentor artist. Prospective apprentices should demonstrate an intention to enhance their established skills and cultural understanding of the art form by working with a mentor artist. The mentor artist and apprentice must apply together with a mutual desire to work with each other.

Traditional arts are those art forms that are transmitted and engaged as part of the cultural life of a group of people whose members share a common heritage, language, religion, occupation, or region. These expressions are deeply rooted in and reflective of a community’s shared standards of beauty, values, or life experiences. Traditional arts are often passed on from one generation to the next and express a collective wisdom, rather than an exclusively unique personal aesthetic.

Some traditional art forms have been brought to California from other countries or regions and have taken root here to become interwoven with the state’s cultural landscape and identity, while others have prospered on the more than 130 tribal reservations and rancherias in this state. Cowboy poetry; Hmong reverse appliqué embroidery; Mexican corridos (ballads) and mariachi music; African American quilts; Japanese bonsai; Native American basketry, ceremonial regalia construction and ritual music/dance; South Indian Bharata Natyam dance; Western saddle making; Chinese qin instrumental music; Portuguese fado singing; Native Hawaiian kahiko hula chant and dance; and Pilipino rondalla music ensembles are but a few of the many hundreds of distinctive forms found in this tremendously diverse and culturally rich state.

L to R: Apprentice Nadia Taylor and mentor artist in Kalenda stick dance, Dennis Newsome, San Diego, 2020. Photo by Ife Babatunde Breland-Newsome; Mentor Artist Peter de Guzman performs with apprentice Jasmine Orpilla in traditional Pangalay dance from the Philippines. Los Angeles, 2018.

A panel of traditional artists and traditional arts specialists will review applications and make recommendations for approval by the ACTA Board of Directors, according to the below criteria.  In addition, the selection panel will also be considering representation in the grantee cohort with regard to cultural, artistic, and geographic diversity and expressed urgency of the art form.

Traditionality of the art form
Traditional arts are those art forms that are transmitted and engaged as part of the cultural life of a group of people whose members share a common heritage, language, religion, occupation, or region. Traditionality expresses these values in the art form.

Shared membership of the mentor artist and apprentice in a cultural community
This may be shared membership through family, heritage, occupation, tribe, religion, region, etc.

Artistic quality of the mentor artist’s work
The Mentor is recognized as an exemplary practitioner of a traditional art form by their community and peers.

Demonstrated commitment and developed skill of the apprentice
The Apprentice demonstrates established skills and cultural understanding of the art form prior to applying

Urgency
If relevant, applicants should articulate the urgency of the art form or practice. This may relate to endangered or marginalized expressions, languages, age of culture bearers, or the timeliness related to social or political context, etc.

Feasibility of the proposed work plan and timetable
As evident in a clear plan for the apprenticeship goals, supporting materials, and budget.

• Contemporary studio crafts or the reproduction of antiques
• Recreations of historic or village folk traditions that attempt to reenact lifestyles from the distant past
• 2024 Apprenticeship Program participants — current participants in the Apprenticeship Program must take 1 year off from applying to the Program again.

Please Note: Current employees at ACTA classified as “Temporary” (i.e., teaching artists in prisons) may apply and receive the Apprenticeship, however, those with ongoing employment classified as “Regular” employees are not eligible. Further, immediate family members of full-time “Regular” employees are also not eligible to apply.

• Mentor artist and apprentice must apply together on one application. We recommend 1 person (either Mentor or Apprentice) takes the lead on submitting application materials on behalf of their team. 
• Mentor artist must be authorized to work in the United States and be able to receive payments directly.
• Both applicants must be California residents.
• Only one application is allowed per mentor artist and/or apprentice (e.g., mentor artist is not allowed to submit multiple applications, each with a different apprentice, nor can a person apply as an apprentice in one application and then as a mentor artist in another).
• Applications must include work samples from both mentor artist and apprentice to demonstrate quality and traditionality.
• A Statement of Support is required for both the mentor artist and apprentice from experts on the art form or from people who know about the applicant’s understanding of the cultural community and commitment to the traditional art form. Alternatively, you may submit a video of support with a maximum run time of 2 minutes. A maximum of 2 Statements of Support per artist are permitted.

Work samples that give evidence of the mentor artist’s and the apprentice’s artistic ability must accompany the application. Please prepare to submit digital files or links (including descriptions) for the following:

For Craft, Material/Visual Arts (quilting, woodcarving, beadwork, etc.)

• 8-12 images from Mentor
• 8-12 images from Apprentice
• Each artist may also submit 1 video sample (Optional)

For Performing Artists (musicians, dancers, storytellers, etc.)

• Up to 2 audio or video samples from Mentor (dancers must submit video)
• Up to 2 audio or video samples from Apprentice (dancers must submit video)
• Each artist may also submit up to 5 images (Optional)

A Statement of Support (in either a letter or video format) is required of both the mentor artist and the apprentice from community members with cultural expertise who know about your commitment to the art form and the cultural community. Please submit 1-2 Statements of Support for each applicant. A maximum of two statements for each artist is allowed. The online application will allow you to directly upload your letter(s) or video(s) of support. Videos cannot exceed 2 minutes.

PART I: APPRENTICESHIP DESCRIPTION

• Describe in detail the goals, techniques, skills, and subject mater to be covered during the apprenticeship. If you will complete a specific project, please describe it.
• Please address any urgency to sustaining or practicing this tradition within your local community.
• Describe the ways that you both share the same cultural community.
• Where and when will your lessons take place and how frequently? Please provide start and end dates. 
• Where and when will your lessons take place and how frequently? Please provide start and end dates.
• What are your plans for sharing your project publicly?

PART II: MENTOR ARTIST

• From whom did you learn your traditional art form? Where and when did you start learning it?
• In what ways is this artistic tradition, as practiced by you, useful or important to your cultural community? What role does this traditional art form play in your life?
• Why did you select this Apprentice? Have you worked together previously in this tradition? If so, for how long? How would you describe the level of the Apprentice’s ability in this art form? 

PART III: APPRENTICE ARTIST

• Describe your experience learning this art form. Please include who you’ve learned from and how long you have been practicing. Also, please describe your skills in this tradition—at what level do you see yourself?
• What role does this traditional art form play in your life?
• Why do you want to work with this mentor artist? What do you expect to accomplish?
• What are your plans for continuing your practice in this traditional art form after the apprenticeship is completed?

Who can I talk to about my proposal ideas?
We encourage prosepective applicants to speak with ACTA Program Manager, Aliah Najmabadi before applying.

If my application is not selected, is it possible to receive feedback?
Yes, you may request panelist feedback reharding your application.

How much of the $5,000 budget should go toward the mentor artist’s teaching fee?

Contracts are made to cover Mentor Artist’s fees, supplies, and travel.  Please note that the majority of the funds should cover the Mentor Artist’s teaching fee.

Are you able to help me if I need assistance with Submittable?
Yes, during the hours of 9 am -5 pm ACTA staff is available to help you with Submittable questions. For questions in English please email: [email protected]. 

How can I get technical help from Submittable?
You can email Submittable for technical assistance with your application. Please not,e Submittable may take up to 24 hours to respond. [email protected]

Is it possible for me to apply with a paper/hard copy application?

Please first consider applying online via Submittable. If you need technical assistance, please reach out to Program Manager, Aliah Najmabadi by phone (310) 210-7963 or email at aliah@actaonline.org.

If you feel more comfortable applying by mail with a downloadable print application, please email Aliah to request a hard copy application.