Folk Arts Resources: Read, Look and Listen

Check out our publications, videos and DVDs, as well as samples of work by musicians. Select from the links below to find out more, or sample some of the resources listed to the right. All items except the music samples are available from our store.

Read PFP Publications
Read more about Philadelphia vernacular traditions here. We have been publishing a magazine, books and other resources since 1987. Many issues of our magazine, Works in Progress, are available here for free download in PDF Adobe Acrobat Reader format. Also included here is a full list of the 270+ articles that we have published in 37 issues of our magazine, along with lists of our books, working papers and videos. Order form note: Members receive a 25% discount when ordering. See the membership form for pricing details, if you want to own your own copy of materials.)

• Articles in our magazine Works in Progress (Dowload a sampling from 37 issues; view the full list of 270+ articles)
• Readings in African American folklore
• Readings on hot issues
• Readings on the state of folk arts
• Reading on equity in folk arts education
• Reading: "Cultural barriers to justice in greater Philadelphia: background, bias, and the law." By William Westerman (View PDF/492 KB)
• A list of PFP Books and working papers

Viewing PFP Media Projects
We have produced documentary DVDs/Videos, both long and short-form, and a series of video collages. Samples available online (more than 100 minutes). Most are also available for purchase. Click here to sample PFP documentaries (listed below).

• Thank you, West Africa: Zaye Tete (2008) 5 minutes
• Women Play Klezmer (2007) 3 minutes
• I choose to stay here (2004) 23 minutes
• Plenty of Good Women Dancers (2004) 53 minutes
• Look forward and carry on the past (2002) 26 minutes
• Your drum is the one you will make (1997) 8:15 minutes
• Stories you remember (1997) 8:32 minutes
• Paintings of my neighborhood (1997) 9:17 minutes
• A song for every occasion (1997) 8:27 minutes
• Normal to me (1996) 9:12 minutes
• Welcome to America (1990) 12 minutes
• Blanche Epps in the Garden of Gethsemane (1990) 8 minutes
• Everything has to sparkle: the art of fancy costume-making (1990) 14 minutes
• The Palm Weavers (1990) 10 minutes