Cowan Community Action Group
Recipient Information
Location
Whitesburg, Kentucky
Year of Award
2026
Grant or Fellowship
In These Mountins Folk Art Education Partners
Grant Amount
$48,000
Cowan Community Center / Cowan Community Action Group (KY)
Through In These Mountains: Central Appalachian Folk Arts & Culture, Cowan Community Center, in partnership with Cowan Community Action Group (CCAG), is preserving and advancing the living traditions of Central Appalachia. Rooted in Letcher County and aligned with Appalachian Regional Commission communities, the initiative creates intergenerational opportunities to share, learn, document, and carry forward regional folk arts.
South Arts funding supports weekly music instruction and instrument access for students in grades 4–12, alongside guest-led workshops exploring traditional forms such as banjo, dulcimer, fiddle, guitar, and mandolin. Core support includes teaching artist fees, guest speaker honorariums, student scholarships, replacement instruments and supplies, and administrative costs.
Additional funding expands the project’s long-term impact through the development of the Cowan Creek Mountain Music School Archive and Documentary Project, support for the Cowan Creek Mountain Music School, strategic planning for CCAG, and operational support. These efforts strengthen both program delivery and the preservation of cultural knowledge through documentation and future planning.
Together, these investments support artists, engage young learners, and ensure that the sounds, stories, and cultural practices of Central Appalachia are actively sustained and carried forward across generations.