Erie Art Museum - Folk Art

Folk Art

The Erie Art Museum was designated a Regional Folk Art Support Center by the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts in 2003. As a part of this designation the museum works to recognize and support local folk artists and raises awareness for the traditional arts in northwestern Pennsylvania. The museum also hosts the Old Songs New Opportunities project, a program run in conjunction with local agencies and daycare centers that provides job training and internships for women in the city's refugee communities and prepares them for childcare jobs in the United States. With assistance from the Better Kid Care Penn State Co-op Extension Office the women receive training in child development theory, are instructed on the responsibilities of childcare workers,and learn how the arts can augment physical and mental development. They also exchange children's songs from their native countries, create singable English versions of them, and incorporate these songs into their childcare jobs. The program supports women from various countries and cultures including Bhutan, Sudan, Somalia, Russia, and Iraq and has successfully trained and placed many women into childcare positions.