Folk artists from around the Upper Midwest and the Nordic region converged in Madison from May 2–4 for Show of Hands: Art in Education. In partnership with Wisconsin teachers of Local Culture and the Society for the Advancement of Scandinavian Study, we hosted artist demonstrations of paper cutting, fiber arts, woodcarving, rosemaling, Sámi drum making, as well as presentations covering topics such as apprenticeships, sustaining traditions, and folk arts in education. We toured the Wisconsin Historical Society’s new archive and got up close to their amazing material cultures collection. We listened to music by Foot-Notes and the Oak Street Ramblers. We met with K–12 teachers from around the state and scholars rom around the world. By the time Saturday night rolled around, we’d met and made new friends, learned about the power of folk arts in education, and brainstormed new ways of incorporating folk art in classroom curriculums as well as in museums and other cultural institutions. We’re grateful to everyone who made their way to Madison for a wonderful weekend of folk art and education.
