Apprenticeship Program

Apprenticeship Program

Organization: Alliance for California Traditional Arts (ACTA)

Geographic Scope: California statewide

Program Overview:
Since 1999, the Apprenticeship Program has supported California's cultural traditions with intensive training contracts. Now in its annual cycle, ACTA's Apprenticeship Program encourages the continuation of the state's living cultural heritage by contracting exemplary master artists to offer intensive training to qualified apprentices.

Award Structure:

Contracts: $3,000 per master artist contract

Duration: 6 to 12 months of concentrated mentorship

Frequency: Annual cohorts

Number Supported: 223 contracts awarded since program inception in 1999; 17 master artist-apprentice pairs in 2012 cohort (34 total artists)

Eligible Participants:

Master Artists: California-based exemplary folk and traditional artists

Apprentices: Individuals demonstrating commitment to and talent for a specific artistic tradition

Age Range: Varies from 15-year-old apprentices to septuagenarian master artists

What Funds Cover:

Master artist fees

Supplies

Travel

Cultural Traditions Supported:
The program supports a broad range of California's cultural diversity including:

Indigenous California practices (Mono tumpline weaving, Kawaiisu traditions)

African-American Gospel and Spiritual singing

Asian traditions (Hmong qeej, Hindustani classical music, Carnatic music, Tibetan practices)

European traditions (Bulgarian folk singing, Balkan Romani music, Kurdish Alevi folk music)

Latin American traditions (Mexican mole preparation, Mixtec herbal practices, Oaxacan traditions)

Caribbean traditions (Haitian dance, music and song)

And traditions from Philippines, Laos, and other regions

Program Activities:

Participants work closely with ACTA staff to develop and document the apprenticeships

Opportunities to publicly share results of apprenticeships

Intergenerational learning and cultural transmission

Funding Support:
Supported by:

James Irvine Foundation

Walter & Elise Haas Fund

National Endowment for the Arts

California Arts Council

California Community Foundation

San Francisco Foundation

Surdna Foundation

Contact: ACTA offices in Fresno, San Francisco, and Los Angeles