Apply Now for the 2026 Arkansas Folklife Festival Internship

The Arkansas Folklife Festival is a vibrant, three-day gathering that honors the diverse traditions, talents, and stories of communities across Arkansas. The festival brings together artists, tradition-bearers, foodways experts, musicians, dancers, and outdoor enthusiasts from across the state’s six distinct culturesheds. The 2026 Festival will be held in North Little Rock, June 26–28.

The organizers are currently seeking multiple interns before and during the festival. Interns will support the planning, execution, and documentation of the event. You will gain hands-on experience in cultural programming, community engagement, event logistics, and content creation while contributing to a major statewide cultural celebration. Each intern will be assigned specific duties based on their skillset and interests. Duties are broken into different categories, each listed below with examples of job duties for each category.

Cultural & Program Support

• Assist with research and content development about Arkansas folk traditions, artists, and community cultures.
• Help coordinate workshop and performance schedules, ensuring smooth logistics for tradition-bearers and participants.
• Support community engagement initiatives leading up to the festival, including outreach and cultural surveys.

  Event Operations

• Aid in on-site festival operations, such as check-in, volunteer coordination, artist support, and visitor services.
• Work with staff to prepare materials, signage, and supplies for public programming spaces.

Documentation & Media

• Capture photos, video, and interview content during festival events for archival and promotional use.
• Contribute to social media posts, blogs, or newsletters that highlight festival activities and behind-the-scenes insights (with mentorship).
• Assist with basic graphic or web production as needed.

Communications & Outreach

• Help with writing press releases, event descriptions, and artist bios for print or digital use.
• Participate in public relations and marketing efforts to share festival stories and attract diverse audiences.

Students, recent graduates, or emerging professionals in fields such as anthropology, folklore, heritage or cultural studies, communications, event management, arts administration, or related disciplines are welcome to apply.

Interested parties should prepare a cover letter that includes the following: information about their interest in Arkansas folklife and culture; why they would like to be part of a folklife festival team, and which type of work they are most interested in doing for the festival. Support stipends are available. Send cover letter and resume or CV to Dr. Lauren Willette at laurenadamswillette@gmail.com by March 27, 2026.