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Independent folklorists provide professional consulting services ranging from fieldwork to strategic planning and are increasingly important to arts, cultural, educational, academic, and tourism organizations.
To see some of the varied work our members do, visit the Roster of Independent Folklorists who Maintain Private Consulting Practices.   Left: Georgia Wier has documented the Dutch Hop polka tradition practiced by
Germans from Russia in CO, WY, and NE. Members of a church in
Torrington, WY, prepare cabbage burgers before their annual Dutch Hop
dance. Photo courtesy Wyoming Folklife Collection and Wyoming Arts
Council. Right: Mark Apsassin and Tommy Attachie document oral histories in northern BC, Canada, for their 2007 "Dane Wajich" virtual exhibition. The collaborative multimedia project was co-curated and facilitated by independent folklorist Amber Ridington and media anthropologist Kate Hennessy. Photo courtesy of the Doig River First Nation, Catalog #DZVMCKHDP-7-06-05-E008. History Since 1985, independent folklorists have been presenting panels and forums on contract folklore work at AFS meetings. In 1998 independent folklorists began to meet annually as an interest group of the AFS Public Programs Section. It soon became clear that the field of independent consulting folklorists was growing, and that independent folklorists' issues and concerns are particular to self-employed contractors and small businesses. For this reason, at the 2000 AFS meeting in Columbus, Ohio, the interest group sought section status. The first official meeting of the Independent Folklorists’ Section was held at the 2001 AFS meeting in Anchorage, Alaska. Since its official launch in 2001, the Section has sponsored organized panels and paper sessions on aspects of independent folklore at the annual AFS meetings as well as at state and regional folklore meetings. In addition to this, the Section sponsors professional development workshops on special interest topics and the business aspects of contract folklore for current and prospective independent folklorists. Become a member of this section through the AFS Online Store. Dues are $10/year. You must already be a member of AFS, or be registered (for free) as a "Web Only" member, in order to join the section. For more information visit the AFS FAQ page. Membership Benefits The AFS Independent Folklorists’ Section provides a professional cohort to independent folklorists. Access to these support services is reserved for section members. Members must "sign in" to the AFS website using their AFS username and password, then go to the Independent Folklorists' group home page, which is the central hub for accessing all our member services.
Need help signing in and accessing our member benefits? Find a navigation guide and watch video tutorials on our open access Help Page. Indi-Folk Discussion Forum We host a members-only discussion group, the Indi-Folk Discussion Forum, for networking, discussing issues and concerns of mutual interest, and posting information about upcoming jobs and contracts. Resource Archive The Section also maintains a growing resource archive which includes a series of web pages devoted to topics such as funding sources, grant writing tips, and dialogue facilitation. Position Statement on Compensation for Self-Employed Folklorists Expertise as well as expectations and remuneration for independent folklorists vary greatly. As such, independent folklorists have a vested interest in discipline-wide discussions about standards and practices in work, pay and fieldwork ethics. The Independent Folklorists’ Section takes an active role in these discussions within AFS as well as with state and federal agencies. See the AFS position statement on Compensation for Self-Employed Folklorists. Travel Stipend for Independent Folklorists
Current Co-Conveners
2011-2013 Senior Co-Convener: Sue Eleuterio
2012-2014 Junior Co-Convener: Andrea Graham
Past Conveners Amber Ridington 2010-2012 Dyann Arthur 2009-2011 Georgia Weir 2008-2010 Karen Miller 2007-2009 Sue Eleuterio 2006-2008
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5/20/2013 » 6/22/2013
AFC/GMU Field School for Cultural Documentation
5/27/2013 » 7/3/2013
Cultural Heritage Informatics Field School
6/10/2013 » 7/13/2013
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee 2013 Summer Field School in Buildings, Landscapes and Cultures
6/16/2013 » 6/21/2013
Listening for a Change: Oral History and Appalachian Heritage