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Past Events

The PACF has developed many different kinds of public programs over the course of its history. These include:

Pennsylvania Folklore Symposium

The Pennsylvania Folklore Symposium brought together academic and public sector folklorists and students from across the state and region in order to highlight the achievements and issues in the field of folklore, and open a discussion on how to better collaborate and coordinate between institutions and with artists, participants, and creators.

This meeting was sponsored by the Pennsylvania Center for Folklore, Folk Art PA/Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, and the Middle Atlantic Folklife Association.

Other Conferences

Special conferences relating to cultural heritage issues; past conferences have included “Cultural Diversity and Folk Traditions in Education” and “The Legacy of Thaddeus Stevens.” The Center has also hosted an international institute on American Studies for Teachers of English as a Second Language and Curriculum Developers.

Lectures

American Studies Lecture Series presents distinguished speakers on timely subjects of interest to Pennsylvania citizens. Past speakers have included Dr. Don Yoder on “Pennsylvania-German Folk Art,” Dr. Peter Stearns on “Culture Wars and Innovative History,” Dr. Paul Oliver on “Vernacular Architecture and Preservation,” and Dr. Kenneth Thigpen on “Folk Healing in Pennsylvania.”

Exhibitions and Performances

Special exhibitions have included “Women at Work” appearing at the Penn State Downtown Center. Performance series has included Ethnic Heritage Artist Series presenting representatives of Pennsylvania’s ethnic communities in demonstrations/performances of ethnic music, dance, and crafts.