Western Folklife Center

About one-fifth of the U.S. population lives in rural areas, which support diverse populations with rich artistic traditions. The Western Folklife Center is one of relatively few museums focused on rural life. Headquartered in Elko, Nevada, the center serves its widely dispersed local audience with world-class programming and exhibits, most notably with its annual National Cowboy Poetry Gathering. With its 23-year history of fieldwork, unique archival collections, annual Gathering event, and collaborations with the Library of Congress's American Folklife Center and other national partners, the center's regional and local impact may be easy to overlook. The center's educational programs reach approximately 5,000 Elko County schoolchildren annually with programs that include writing workshops and cowboy poetry presentations in the schools, hands-on activities at the center, and tours of exhibits.