PFP is widely regarded as a beacon for socially conscious and anti-racist work in the fields of public folklore, applied ethnomusicology, and anthropology. One of a few independent folk and traditional arts nonprofits nationwide, PFP remains a model for how to sustain vital and diverse living cultural heritage. 

Founded in 1987, the Philadelphia Folklore Project documents, supports, and presents Philadelphia-area folk arts and culture, including the arts of people who have been here for generations and those who have just arrived. In collaboration with local artists and community groups, we seek to preserve and strengthen our city’s folk cultural life because we recognize that diversity, equity, and inclusion are central elements of thriving communities.