:: 1998 NEA National Heritage Fellows

Apsara Ensemble Cambodian traditional dancers and musicians Reston, VA Fort Washington, VA	Eddie Blazonczyk Polish-American musician/bandleader Bridgeview, IL	Dale Calhoun Anglo-American boat builder Tiptonville, TN
Bruce Caesar Sac and Fox-Pawnee German silversmith Anadarko, OK	Antonio De La Rosa Tejano conjunto accordionist Riviera, TX	Epstein Brothers Jewish Klezmer musicians Tamarac, FL
Sophia George Yakama-Colville beadworker Gresham, OR	Nadjeschda Overgaard Danish-American Hardanger needleworker Kimballton, IA	Harilaos Papapostolou Greek Byzantine chanter Potomac, MD
Claude "Fiddler" Williams African-American jazz/swing fiddler Kansas City, MO	Roebuck "Pops" Staples African-American Gospel/Blues musician Dolton, IL

In 1982 the National Endowment for the Arts established the NEA National Heritage Awards as a way of honoring American folk artists for their contributions to our national cultural mosaic. Modelled after the Japanese "National Living Treasures" concept, the idea began with Bess Lomax Hawes, then director of the Folk Arts Program.

Profile materials for 1982-2007 courtesy of Documentary Arts. Use of some photographs courtesy of the Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives & Collections

Contact Liz Auclair in the NEA’s Public Affairs office at auclaire@arts.gov for high-resolution images of the 2013 Fellows for press purposes.

NEA Heritage Fellows
1982-Present: 
BY YEAR | ALPHA

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