Traditional Arts Apprenticeship

The Traditional Arts Apprenticeship program, administered by the Ohio Arts Council (OAC), supports the preservation and transmission of cultural heritage by funding apprenticeship relationships between skilled traditional artists and dedicated learners. The program focuses on folk and traditional art forms that are deeply rooted in the cultural, ethnic, occupational, or regional identities of communities across Ohio. By empowering mentor artists to pass on their knowledge, the program sustains important art forms such as traditional music, craft, dance, and verbal arts, ensuring their survival for future generations. Eligible applicants must apply as a team, with the mentor artist submitting the application. Mentor artists must be at least 18 years old and can reside outside Ohio if no suitable mentor exists in-state. Apprentices must live in Ohio and demonstrate a prior interest and competency in the art form. Both participants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents. If the apprentice is a minor, parents or guardians may request background checks on mentor artists. Notably, contemporary art disciplines and several expense types such as apprentice stipends, tools retained by apprentices, and travel costs are ineligible for funding. Each mentor artist may request up to $4,000 to support one or two apprentices. At least half of the grant amount must go toward mentor honoraria. Applications are reviewed through a competitive panel process consisting of folklorists, artists, and community members. Panelists assess applications based on artistic quality, community engagement, clarity and effectiveness of the proposed work plan, and resource management. Final award determinations are made by the OAC Board based on panel recommendations. Apprenticeships must span a year and include a minimum of 50 hours of one-on-one instruction, delivered either in-person or virtually. Learning should be grounded in cultural immersion and traditional practice rather than academic formats. The apprenticeship should culminate in a public presentation within Ohio, such as a performance, exhibit, or workshop. Additionally, a site visit may be conducted during the grant period to document the apprenticeship process. Applications must be submitted via the ARTIE portal. Required components include a detailed work plan, digital work samples from both mentor and apprentice, and up to three letters of support for each participant. Applications lacking these support materials are not accepted. The application portal for FY 2026 opens in November 2024 and closes at 5:00 p.m. ET on April 1, 2025. Award announcements follow in July 2025, with grant agreements due by August 30, 2025. Grantees receive 50% of their award upon acceptance, with final payment contingent on an approved final report submitted within 30 days after the project end date. The grant cycle is annual, with the next cycle opening in November 2025 and closing April 1, 2026. For more information, applicants may contact Chaz O’Neil, Individual Artist/Percent for Art Program Coordinator, at 614-728-4421 or by email. Detailed guidance, including funding restrictions and application steps, can be found in the program's appendices and guidelines on the OAC website.

Mentors must show traditional expertise and cultural immersion; work plans should include clear, culturally grounded benchmarks.