Tremont Receives Funding for Community Artisans

(Great Smoky Mountains National Park) –  Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont is grateful for a $1,300 grant for its community artisan fund from the Tennessee Arts Commission through the Knoxville Arts & Culture Alliance.  
 
According to Jeremy Lloyd, Tremont’s special programs coordinator, “These funds allow us to contract with local artisans to share Appalachian culture through art, dance, music and storytelling with Tennessee schools taking part in our 3- or 5-day in-depth residential educational programs.”
 
Community artisans, or locals with specific artistic skills, interests and talents that deserve to be shared with others, have a special place at Tremont.  
 
Lloyd states, “We believe it is important for students to see and hear how the people of these mountains sustained their livelihood.”
 
Both students and artisans benefit from this program.  Students learn that there is more to life in the mountains than the wildlife, and begin to see a full picture of what days were like in the past; while artists benefit from exposing their craft to a new generation, attracting new listeners, and teaching students new skills to carry on these traditions into the future.
 
Tremont will award these funds to Tennessee schools on a first come, first serve basis, with all monies to be spent by June 15, 2009.  Schools interested in applying for these funds should call 865-448-6709, e-mail mail@gsmit.org or visit Tremont’s web site at www.gsmit.org.

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Editors: Click here to download photo for use with release.
 
Photo byline should read:  Storyteller Elizabeth Rose is one of the many artisans available for Tennessee teachers.