Program Guidelines - FY 2007

Program Overview
Apprenticeships are a long-standing method by which individuals learn skills, techniques, and artistry under the guidance of recognized masters.

Master artists have achieved a high level of skill in a particular traditional art form, are regarded as masters by their peers, and have learned and developed their skills within a traditional context. Apprentices demonstrate interest and competency in the art form prior to the apprenticeship, have a serious commitment to learning the nuances of the tradition, and are committed to carrying the tradition on into the future.

Traditional arts are part of the cultural heritage of a group of people whose members share a common ethnic heritage, language, religion, occupation, or geographic region. These artistic traditions are passed down through generations and reflect the values of their shared culture. Skills are typically learned directly through observation and imitation from someone steeped in the tradition, rather than through classes, books, or other means of institutional instruction.

The master artist/apprentice relationship plays an important role in preserving the state's traditional arts. The Traditional Arts Apprenticeship Program is designed to stimulate this teaching/learning relationship between craftspeople, musicians, dancers, and other traditional artists, and the qualified apprentices who want to study with them. The MCC welcomes applications for apprenticeships in all forms of traditional arts — traditional music and instrument making, sacred and secular crafts, occupational traditions, folk and ethnic dance, and traditional arts associated with annual celebrations.

One of the goals of the program is to help communities preserve their own cultural heritage. The strongest applications tend to be those that include the pairing of masters and apprentices who are members of the same ethnic, religious, or occupational group. A master artist and an apprentice must apply together.

Apprenticeships will be awarded every other year, to a limited number of master artists, to support the teaching of traditional arts specific to a particular folk group or ethnic community. Priority will be given to rare or endangered traditions (one practiced by an ever-decreasing number of people). Funds (ranging up to $6,000 per apprenticeship) are intended to compensate the master artist for teaching time. However, supplies, materials, and travel expenses may also be included in the application.

Application Deadline
Applications must be postmarked or hand-delivered by 5:00 p.m. on December 8, 2006.

Eligibility Requirements
To apply as a master artist, an individual must be 18 years or older. Please note that both the master artist and the apprentice must be legal residents of Massachusetts. MCC board members, staff, and their immediate family members are ineligible.

Grant recipients are eligible to reapply after skipping one application cycle (i.e., once every four years).

Training Period
The apprenticeship will be conducted for 12 months and must take place between July 1, 2007 and June 30, 2008. The master artist is responsible for monitoring the apprentice's progress as outlined in the application work plan. During the apprenticeship period, a site visit will be made by the Folk Arts & Heritage Program Manager or another folklorist to document the teaching/learning process. Photographs of the session may be taken and tape-recorded interviews may be conducted.

Public Event Requirement
The master artist and apprentice are expected to give a joint community presentation near the end of the apprenticeship period. Examples include performing at a public event, offering a master class, holding an open studio, or exhibiting at a local library or gallery. If you have questions about this requirement, contact Program Manager Maggie Holtzberg.

Review Criteria
A panel of experts in traditional arts and folk apprenticeships will use the following criteria to evaluate applications on a 100-point scale:

• Artistic quality of the master's work according to the standards of the traditional community (Is the master artist recognized within the traditional community as an exemplary practitioner? Does he/she have sufficient stature within the community to merit passing on this art form?) 30 points

• Skill and commitment of the apprentice (Does the apprentice have sufficient skill to benefit from working with the master and commitment to practicing the art form? Is the apprentice dedicated to continuing and disseminating the tradition?) 20 points

• Work plan (Does the plan provide sufficient and well thought-out interaction to achieve meaningful results?) 20 points

• Appropriateness of match between master/apprentice (Are the individuals well-matched for successful transference of the art form?) 15 points

• Rarity of art form (Is the art form endangered within the traditional culture?) 15 points

Legal and Other Requirements

ACCESS POLICY
The MCC is committed to access not only as a matter of law, but also as a policy designed to encourage the participation of all segments of the Commonwealth's population in MCC-funded programs. The Massachusetts Office of Diversity and Equal Opportunity currently designates the following as underserved: African Americans, Asian Americans, Latin Americans, Native Americans, people with disabilities, Vietnam-era veterans, and women. The MCC also considers low-income communities, rural populations, and citizens over 65 years old as underserved. The MCC does not discriminate on the basis of gender, sexual orientation, religion, color, or disability. Minorities and other affirmative action populations are encouraged to apply.

CONFLICT OF INTEREST
To ensure that all MCC review panels are free from conflicts of interest and the appearance of such conflicts, panelists are required to disclose any current or prospective affiliations they or their immediate family members have with an actual or potential applicant. "Affiliations" applies to employment, board memberships, independent contractual relationships, advisory or policy relationships, substantial contributor relationships, or other financial relationships. In addition, panelists are required to disclose any past or current adversarial relationships with actual or potential applicants. MCC board members are not permitted to participate in discussions or votes relating to any applicant with whom they have an affiliation or relating to any applicants competing with that applicant.

RECONSIDERATION POLICY
An applicant may request reconsideration of an MCC decision on an application if the applicant can demonstrate that the MCC failed to follow published application and review procedures. Dissatisfaction with the results of a review is not sufficient reason for an appeal. The first step in the process is to consult with the appropriate program staff member to review the considerations that went into the MCC's decision. If the applicant wishes to pursue an appeal, a written request must be sent to the MCC's Executive Director within 30 days of the date of notification of the decision. Such requests will be reviewed by the board no earlier than its next scheduled meeting.

Questions?
Contact Maggie Holtzberg, Folk Arts & Heritage Program Manager, at 617-727-3668 x254.

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