Florida Secretary of State Ken Detzner recently announced that the Florida Department of State is seeking nominations for the 2019 Florida Folk Heritage Awards — annual awards that recognize individuals who have made exemplary contributions to Florida’s traditional culture.
“Each year, the Florida Folk Heritage Awards seek to honor and recognize excellence in folk and traditional arts and the community impact of Florida’s tradition bearers,” Detzner said. “The Florida Heritage Awards reaffirm our state’s unique cultural heritage by acknowledging distinguished Floridians for their skills and accomplishments in the traditional arts.”
Folklife includes a wide range of creative forms such as art, crafts, dance, language, music and ritual. These cultural traditions are transmitted by word of mouth and demonstration, and are shared within community, ethnic, occupational, religious and regional groups. Nominees should be individuals whose art or advocacy has embodied the best of traditional culture in their communities.
Nominations should describe the accomplishments and background of the nominee and explain why he or she deserves statewide recognition for preserving a significant facet of the state’s cultural heritage. Supporting materials such as photographs, slides, audio-visual samples and letters will assist the state’s Florida Folklife Council in evaluating nominees. Each nomination also requires at least two letters of support from community members, colleagues, peers, cultural specialists or any other individuals who can confirm the details of the nomination and attest to the nominee's qualifications. Award recipients will be announced in January 2019.
Nominations must be postmarked no later than Oct. 1, 2018, and mailed to Florida Folklife Program, Bureau of Historic Preservation, 500 South Bronough St., Tallahassee, FL 32399-0250. Nominations can also be emailed to folklife@dos.myflorida.com.
For more information about the Florida Folk Heritage Awards or the Florida Folklife Program, contact State Folklorist Amanda Hardeman at (850) 245-6427. For guidelines, award policies and previous winners, visit www.flheritage.com/preservation/florida-folklife-program/folk-heritage-awards/.