Missouri State University

Skip to content Skip to navigation
a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z

Bear Bulletin

A blog for Missouri State University alumni.

  • Alumni Association
  • Resources
  • Update Info
  • Volunteer
  • Homecoming
  • Contact Us
You are here: Home / Headlines / MSU Libraries to develop Ozarks programming at the 2023 Smithsonian Folklife Festival

MSU Libraries to develop Ozarks programming at the 2023 Smithsonian Folklife Festival

Event takes place on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.

October 21, 2021 by Strategic Communication

Share:

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)

A new agreement between Missouri State University and the Smithsonian Institution’s Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage will feature the Ozarks region on the national stage in 2023.

The MSU Libraries, in close collaboration with partners and advisors from across the multi-state region, will develop programming for the 2023 Smithsonian Folklife Festival.

“Through the Ozarks Studies Institute, the MSU Libraries has positioned itself as a regional expert on Ozarks’ history and heritage,” said Tom Peters, dean of library services at MSU. “Now, thanks to our partnership with the Smithsonian and regional collaborations to come, we can share the Ozarks’ story with the world.”

In the coming months, the Smithsonian will form key advisory and leaderships teams comprised of Ozarks leaders, folklorists, culture bearers, historians and others. These groups will provide input on festival content, participants and funding.

“Expansive collaboration is key in these early stages of research and outreach,” said Richard Kurin, interim director of the Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage, which produces the festival. “Together, these advisory groups and curatorial teams will determine what Ozarks’ themes and stories are shared on the National Mall with festival audiences.”

About the 2023 Smithsonian Folklore Festival

The 2023 Smithsonian Folklife Festival will bring Ozarks-based musicians, artisans, cooks, performers and others to the National Mall in Washington, D.C., to celebrate and share their culture. Presented through 10 days of performances, workshops, demonstrations and other participatory experiences, the event will highlight diverse populations from across the region, encompassing parts of Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Illinois.

The 2023 festival is scheduled June 27-July 8 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day, with special events at 6:30 p.m. Free and open to the public, the event draws hundreds of thousands of visitors on site and millions more online.

Check out Ozarks at the Smithsonian

A special opportunity

Missouri State President Clif Smart said this partnership gives the university the privilege to participate in a high-profile cultural event in the nation’s capital.

“It’s also a great opportunity to showcase our public affairs mission. By engaging with community partners and promoting culture and heritage, we’ll introduce Missouri State and the Ozarks region to a large audience in D.C.,” Smart added.

The agreement between the MSU Libraries and the Smithsonian was announced Oct. 20 (today) in a grand opening celebration of the university libraries’ new Ozarks Room, located in the Duane G. Meyer Library on the MSU Springfield campus.

The event featured remarks from MSU and Smithsonian officials, as well as performances by renowned Ozarks artists, Marideth Sisco and Emalee Flatness.

Filed Under: Headlines Tagged With: Clif Smart, Headlines, Meyer Library, Ozarks Studies Institute, Thomas Peters

Share:

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)

Related

About

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

MarooNation Events

  • MarooNation Events

Follow us on Twitter

My Tweets

Connect with Alumni Association

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn

Make your Missouri statementMake your Missouri statement
  • Last Modified: October 21, 2021
  • Accessibility
  • Disclaimer
  • Disclosures
  • EO/AA/M/F/Veterans/Disability/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity
  • © 2013 Board of Governors, Missouri State University
  • Contact Information