State Budget Cuts

Friends of Virginia Folklife, if you have been touched by our program, whether through an Apprenticeship, a festival presentation, a recording, an exhibit, or through the countless other ways that we support the traditional arts of Virginia, we ask that you please do what you can to contact your legislators and local media outlets and let them know the devastating consequences of the proposed State budget cuts.

For more information, see the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities page on the budget cuts and what you can do about it.

John Cephas

John Cephas, master Piedmont Blues guitarist, National Heritage Fellowship recipient and VA Folklife Master artist in 2005-2006, was interviewed by Greg Kimball at the Library of Virginia for the African American Tralblazers award in 2009, the year he passed away. John's collaborations with harmonica master Phil Wiggins have delighted audiences throughout the world for decades. We celebrate his life and his fine musicianship.      

• John Cephas demonstrates his technique for playing "Freight Train", written by North Carolina musician and songwriter Elizabeth Cotten (1895-1987).
• John Cephas's interview for African American Trailblazers

Featured Video

Flory Jagoda

In this 2008 clip, Flory Jagoda  performs "Las Tiyas", or "The Aunts", a song about celebrating holidays with her family in pre-WWII Bosnia. 

Known as the "Keeper of the Flame" of Sephardic music, Flory sings in Ladino, or Judeo-Spanish.  She is joined in performance by Susan Gaeta (seated to right of Flory), her Virginia Folklife Program apprentice in 2002-2003.  

• Watch Video
• More on Flory & Susan

Sponsor Spotlight

Richmond CenterStage

The Virginia Folklife Program is grateful to Richmond CenterStage for its generous sponsorship of the CenterStage Virginia Folklife Area at the Richmond Folk Festival, October 9-11, 2009.

Produced by Venture Richmond, the Richmond Folk Festival draws an audience of 160,000 annually to enjoy traditional arts and performance from Virginia and the nation, adding depth and diversity to Virginia's cultural landscape.

Richmond CenterStage, the beautiful new performing arts complex which opened on September 12, enhances Richmond's position as a cultural hub with three performance venues, a visual arts gallery and an innovative education facility.

Through its support for Venture Richmond and the Virginia Folklife Program, the CenterStage Foundation provides invaluable support to Virginia artists and audiences. We look forward to a continuing partnership as we work together to strengthen the traditional arts of our shared Commonwealth.