Vermont Folklife Center

When we talk about folklife we’re talking about the vital cultural practices—activities, beliefs, and values—that shape who we are, inform how we make sense of the world, and influence our decisions going forward. For over thirty years the VFC has conducted research into the folklife of our state—documenting the experiences and perspectives of Vermonters from all walks of life, preserving these stories in our archive, and using them as the building blocks for public programs aimed at encouraging greater understanding between people. The realization of the VFC’s organizational mission begins with fieldwork. Our team of folklorists conduct as many as 100 interviews per year, using ethnographic research methodologies that yield content for Web-based audio, radio broadcast, public presentations, documentary exhibits, and education programs and curricula, as well as building our archival collection with firsthand accounts that capture living memory and document both present and past experience.