Elegba Folklore Society has been awarded a $50,000 grant through “Walking Together: Investing in Folklife in Communities of Color,” a national pilot program supporting traditional artists and cultural organizations rooted in communities of color.

Elegba Folklore Society is the only Virginia-based organization selected for the award. 

The program is administered by Mid Atlantic Arts in partnership with the U.S. Regional Arts Organizations and provides nonmatching grants to traditional artists, nonprofits, local and Tribal governments, community organizations and culture keepers demonstrating a commitment to sustaining folklife. 

The grant will support the society’s ongoing work and facilitate networking between traditional culture bearers and regional arts organizations, with the goal of advancing systemic change in arts funding. 

Elegba Folklore Society provides educational opportunities through the arts, offering performances and classes, cultural history tours, festivals and exhibitions of art and artifacts. Its programming centers traditions of the African Diaspora and emphasizes experiential learning rooted in cultural history and community practice, according to a news release from the group. 

Funding from “Walking Together” will allow the organization to invest in long-term sustainability and expand mission-based programming, strengthening its role as a cultural anchor in Metro Richmond and across Virginia. 

“Our organization merited this important award in recognition of the value of our work, its impact, its preservation and its growth,” said Janine Bell, president and artistic director of Elegba Folklore Society. 

Nationwide, $3.34 million was awarded to 96 grantees. Fifty-six organizations received grants of $50,000, while 36 individuals received $15,000 awards.