About Traditional Arts Today
Our Mission
The mission of Traditional Arts Today is to increase appreciation for unique and practical hand-crafted items by connecting artists and their creations with the community. Without appreciation for these techniques in our fast-paced, mass-production world, and a space for the members of the community to learn and develop traditional arts skills, this integral part of our history will be lost.
We operate our nonprofit out of a historic home in the rural community of Ferdinand where we offer classes in the traditional arts and provide a venue for regional artists to sell their quality hand-crafted creations. Traditional Arts Today promotes, teaches, and preserves the traditional art practices of Southern Indiana and introduces the traditional arts of other cultures to the community. We provide opportunities for people of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds to learn and practice traditional arts.
Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion
Inclusion, diversity, equity, and access (IDEA) are central to the mission of Traditional Arts Today. The increasing diversity of the community affords Traditional Arts Today the opportunity to engage with people from different cultures and ethnicities. Our IDEA efforts have strengthened our organization.
Each piece of handcrafted art is unique, making the piece interesting and beautiful. Traditional Arts Today believes this is true for people too. Regardless of age, ethnicity, religion, disability, or sexual orientation people are unique and bring diverse perspectives that enrich our work. People who come to our shop and attend our programs often comment about what a warm and welcoming environment we provide. This is intentional as the Board and staff engage, listen, and learn from the people we serve, and we encourage their involvement in promoting and preserving the traditional arts.
It is only by actively seeking the diverse perspectives of the community that we can tailor our work to their needs. We believe that great minds think differently, and we leverage these differences to make our work relevant to all in the community.
Our History
Traditional Arts Today was born out of a shared vision and a passion to create connections and share our love of traditional arts. We are located in a beautiful historic home in Ferdinand, Indiana. We offer local artists the opportunity to sell their creations on consignment, and the community to learn traditional arts techniques and skills in our classes.
More than 100 artists work with us and their handmade goods and classes include a wide range of traditional arts skills including painting, ceramics, fiber arts, woodworking and many others.
