Our mission is to enhance the vitality of American life through the experience, understanding, and appreciation of the diverse cultural heritage of the American West. This mission is implemented through the annual National Cowboy Poetry Gathering, and through performances, exhibitions, educational programs, media productions (radio and television), research, documentation, and preservation projects that celebrate the wisdom, artistry, and ingenuity of western folkways.
In pursuing our work, we are sensitive to the rich, varied, and layered identities of the peoples of the American West. Although the Center has historically focused on the stories, poetry, music, and crafts of ranching culture, our broader mission is to honor and preserve the expressive life of diverse occupational, tribal, ethnic, generational, and spiritual traditions.
The Western Folklife Center: “A Place of Personal Meaning”For our most engaged participants, the Western Folklife Center and its programs create a place of deep personal meaning.
* We connect people to the authentic cultures of the West, and all aspects of our work, from programming to board development to marketing to fundraising, must be grounded in authenticity.* Our programs help articulate a sense of place for the West.
* Our work nourishes the soul and challenges the intellect. It engages the emotions and the mind.
* Our work is a touchstone for the past, yet grounded in the present with a vision for the future of the West.
* We provide a sense of belonging and connection for both a local and a far-flung audience, and we bring together people with a similar sense of personal meaning and interests.
* Our efforts to research, document, present and preserve the expressive culture of the people of the West are vital to the region and the nation.
* Our programs entertain and engage. The experiences we provide are both intimate/private as well as expansive/public. Inclusive and egalitarian values are an important element in our work.
* Our work helps communities in the rural West realize and appreciate their cultural assets.
