A team from Arlington and Alexandria has been named one of six from across Virginia selected by the Virginia Folklife Program as folklife apprentices for the coming year.
Hayrunisa Yenilmes and Amar Kilich (Alexandria) and Ajinur Setiwaldi and Subhinur Elemin (Arlington) were selected for their efforts studying and performing Uyghur traditional music.
In addition to financial support – each team receives $5,000 for 12 months of self-designed learning – the initiative helps connect these cultural ambassadors with new audiences.
Since 2002, the Virginia Folklife Program has funded 154 apprenticeships in cultural traditions, serving 346 individual artists to date. The program is supported by the Virginia Commission for the Arts and National Endowment for the Arts.
For information on the program and those selected, see the Website at https://tinyurl.com/nax2hvph.
