C. Brian Williams is named a 2022 NEA National Heritage Fellow

The National Endowment for the Arts continued its long history of honoring America’s rich, artistic heritage with its announcement of the 2022 NEA National Heritage Fellowship recipients. 2022 marked the 40th anniversary of the program, our nation’s highest honor in the folk and traditional arts.

“In their artistic practices, the NEA National Heritage Fellows tell their own stories on their own terms. They pass their skills and knowledge to others through mentorship and teaching,” said National Endowment for the Arts Chair Maria Rosario Jackson, PhD. “These honorees are not only sustaining the cultural history of their art form and of their community, they are also enriching our nation as a whole.”

Each fellowship included a $25,000 award and all of the recipients were featured in the film Roots of American Culture: A Cross-Country Visit with Living Treasures of the Folk and Traditional Arts! Through the film, viewers have the opportunity to visit the homes and communities where the fellows live and work, providing a connection to the distinct art forms and traditions these artists practice. As a 2022 National Heritage Fellow, Step Afrika’s Founder and Executive Producer C. Brian Williams is one of ten exceptional artists featured in this film.

Roots of American Culture premiered on arts.gov/heritage on THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17TH at 8:00pm ET. Read the full announcement here.

To view the 2022 National Heritage Fellowship Program Book, click here.