The Pennsylvania Center for Folklore (formerly the Center for Pennsylvania Culture Studies) was founded in 1990. In 2017, the Center relaunched under its new name to celebrate its achievements in the documentation and appreciation of Pennsylvania’s significant cultural heritage, and to mark its expanded mission to study and educate about folklore across the state, region, and nation.
As part of its activities, the center sponsored the Pennsylvania Folklore Symposium, May 17–19, 2018. This professional conference brought together academic and public sector folklorists and students from across the country. Approximately 50 participants attended, representing 20 universities and arts and cultural organizations, including the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage, the New York Folklore Society, Maryland Traditions, the Mid-Atlantic Arts Foundation, the University of California-Berkeley, and Livelihoods Knowledge Exchange Network.
The center also recently supported the development of a documentary titled; Pennsylvania Folklore: Woven Together. This documentary explores some of the many textile arts that can be found throughout the state, examining the traditions behind them and the motivations of the craftspeople creating them.
From School of Humanities Newsletter, May 2018