South Arts' longest-tenured team member, Teresa Hollingsworth, will be moving on from South Arts at the end of this week. As South Arts' Director of Traditional Arts, Teresa has overseen a tremendous portfolio of programming that simultaneously preserves the histories of previous generations while making space for growth and adaptation as the field moves forward.
Since joining South Arts in 1999, Teresa served as key to a number of major milestone, including the co-curation of the Sum of Many Parts (25 Quiltmakers in 21st Century America) exhibit that toured through China; the planning and execution of countless Folklife in the South (formerly Folklorists in the South) field gatherings, building our widespread In These Mountains initiative, and distributing millions of dollars to artists, organizations, and communities through grantmaking programs. In addition to her work in the folk and traditional arts, Teresa was also the longtime director of South Arts' film programming, leading the Southern Circuit Tour of Independent Filmmakers and curating the national Caravanserai: A Place Where Cultures Meet Islamic filmmaker project. As a prolific mentor, the interns and junior colleagues who worked with Teresa now serve as a "who's who" across the country in many different industries. Her work has touched and benefited countless people across our region, and we wish her the best of success in her next adventure.
Please direct any questions or comments about South Arts' folk and traditional arts programming to Taylor Burden, Assistant Director of Traditional Arts.