Dance to the Lester Lanin Orchestra at the 150th Anniversary Gala of the Luzerne County Historical Society at the Luzerne County Courthouse. Black-tie.

Saturday, June 21; 7:00 pm - 12:00 am

$75.00 per person

Contact the Luzerne County Historical Society at 570-823-6244 or lchs@epix.net

A free grant workshop for folk and traditional artists will be held from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, June 12 at the Electric City Trolley Station and Museum, 300 Cliff Street in Scranton on the campus of Steamtown National Historic Site.

The workshop is for artists practicing a living, traditional art in their community. Examples include embroidery or lace making, traditional dances, wood carving, herbal remedies, songs sung in church or temple -- the kinds of arts that are passed on from one generation to the next and reflect the values of the community.

Lisa Rathje of the Institute for Cultural Partnerships will lead the workshop about the various grant programs for individual traditional artists that are offered by the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts.

These include the 2009 Fellowships in Traditional Arts ($5,000) and 2009 Apprenticeships in Traditional Arts (up to $4,000). The application deadline for these grant programs is August 1, 2008.

Come learn about the grant process, ask questions about your ideas, and get hands-on help with your grant application. To make the most of this technical assistance workshop, download the application and bring your questions to the workshop. Guidelines and application forms will be available in early June at www.culturalpartnerships.org or www.pacouncilonthearts.org.

Folk and traditional arts are alive and well in Northeastern Pennsylvania, and this is a great opportunity for these artists.

The workship is hosted by the Lackawanna Heritage Valley Authority and the Lackawanna County Office of Arts and Culture. To register, call the Electric City Trolley Station and Museum at (570) 963-6590.