Heritage & Traditional Arts

Use the links below to find more detailed information regarding Heritage & Traditional Arts.

Traditional art forms are those art forms, passed informally from generation to generation through demonstration, conversation and practice that reflect the culture of a particular community defined by ethnic heritage, occupational, religious, geographic, way of life, language or familial groups.

To achieve the current NHSCA Strategic Plan (2019-2021) Goal 3 - “Identify, Preserve, and Promote New Hampshire’s Heritage, Cultural Diversity and Traditional Arts,” NHSCA will:

  • Honor excellence in the traditional arts
  • Assist in the perpetuation of traditional arts by supporting artists who teach others
  • Identify and document traditional arts and artists in order to provide an accurate foundation for arts and cultural programming in NH
  • Create and support educational opportunities, presentations and materials for the public that promote deeper understanding of the aesthetics, techniques, and cultural significance of traditional arts
  • Assist non-profit organizations and educators in NH to develop or sustain programming that features the traditional arts that are important to NH communities
  • Promote increased public and private support for the traditional arts and artists
  • Create an archival collection of resource information on traditions in NH that is available for future generations

The New Hampshire Folklife website is an online educational resource full of information on the diversity of traditional arts and folklife in New Hampshire.