Amazon Back to Sponsor the Arts in Education Program at the 83rd National Folk Festival

The National Folk Festival and Amazon also to partner on a donation to Jackson Public Schools

Jackson, MS, July 24, 2026 — The 83rd National Folk Festival is pleased to announce that Amazon is returning as the sponsor of the festival’s Arts in Education program. This program is a cornerstone of the festival’s community engagement efforts, bringing world-class traditional artists into local schools and exposing students to new cultures, communities, and artistic traditions, expanding their horizons with cultural enrichment opportunities. 

The announcement was made today by Jackson Mayor John Horhn, with Terreta Rodgers, Head of Community Affairs for Amazon in Mississippi, Local Festival Manager Thabi Moyo, and other members of festival leadership on hand. In addition to the $25,000 sponsorship of the 83rd National Folk Festival’s Arts in Education program, Amazon and the National Folk Festival are partnering to donate an additional $35,000 to Jackson Public Schools to provide each of the district’s six high schools with an arts grant.

“Amazon has been a strong partner to Jackson, and we’re grateful for their continued support of the National Folk Festival’s Arts in Education program,” said Mayor John Horhn. “Their investment in our students and in arts programming across Jackson Public Schools helps young people see what’s possible and keeps creativity alive in our classrooms.”

"Every student deserves exposure to opportunities that spark curiosity, creativity, and confidence," said Terreta Rodgers, Head of Community Affairs for Amazon in Mississippi. "Amazon is proud to partner with the National Folk Festival and Jackson Public Schools to bring enriching arts experiences to students across the community."

Last year, six performing groups, representing musical traditions like West African balafon, zydeco, Chicago blues, flamenco, and more, visited nine schools in the Jackson Public School District on the Friday of the festival, offering interactive performances that included cultural and historical context, storytelling, and hands-on participation. 

This year, these programs will take place across two days, Thursday, November 12, and Friday, November 13, and will include a mix of performances in a traditional school setting, and some special programs put on at other locations, including the Mississippi Children’s Museum. This is an exciting opportunity to expand the reach of the program and breadth of its offerings.

To learn more about the festival, please visit nationalfolkfestival.com. Stay up to date with the latest news from the National Folk Festival on Facebook (facebook.com/NFFJackson) and Instagram (instagram.com/NFFJackson).

This year marks the second year of the festival’s three-year residency in Jackson, Mississippi, held November 13-15, 2026, in Downtown Jackson. It will prominently feature National Endowment for the Arts National Heritage Fellowship recipients, our nation’s highest honor for the traditional arts, in a special program celebrating America’s 250th anniversary. The 83rd National Folk Festival is also participating this year in Of the People: The Smithsonian Festival of Festivals, a series of programs and exchanges marking the U.S. Semiquincentennial and showcasing the country’s remarkable cultural landscape. 

The National Folk Festival is a partnership of the National Council for the Traditional Arts, the City of Jackson, Jackson Redevelopment Authority, Visit Jackson, Downtown Jackson Partners, the Greater Jackson Chamber Partnership, the Mississippi Arts Commission, the Mississippi Humanities Council, Visit Mississippi, the Community Foundation for Mississippi, and the National Park Service. The festival is FREE to the public.

The 83rd National Folk Festival, presented by Ergon / Alliant, is also sponsored by Amazon, AT&T, Atmos, Barbour Hurst, Cadence Bank, Capital Area Tourism Association, City of Flowood, Comcast, C Spire, Entergy, Explore Ridgeland, the Foundation for Mississippi History, Hinds County Economic Development Authority, Hope Credit Union, Jackson Municipal Airport Authority, Kellogg Foundation, Levitt Foundation, Phil Hardin Foundation, Regions Bank, Renasant Bank, South Arts, Southern Beverage, StateStreet Group, Trustmark Bank, and Visit Vicksburg.

This project is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts.

This project received funding from the Smithsonian’s “Our Shared Future: 250,” a Smithsonian-wide initiative supported by private philanthropy and created to commemorate the nation’s 250th anniversary and advance the Smithsonian vision for the next 250 years.