Two River Towns artists will receive a $10,000 grant to pursue an apprenticeship in Andean folk music.
Amy Chalán Vacacela of Tarrytown and César Vele of Peekskill will receive a Folk Arts Apprenticeship Grant through funding from the New York State Council on the Arts. The grant is part of $150,000 in state grants for artists in Westchester, Rockland, and New York counties.
The grant will allow Chalán Vacacela, a Kichwa Saraguro youth leader and recent Harvard graduate, to study under master musician Vele, who is currently a member of multiple Andean ensembles across the region including Reencuentro Andino, Grupo Amauta, and Grupo Inkhay.
“Apprenticeship grants are one of the foundational tools in the field of folk and traditional arts. Through this program, master artists take on an apprentice to whom they pass on their skills and knowledge,” said Aaron Paige, ArtsWestchester’s Director of Folk & Traditional Arts. “Apprentices must belong to the same community of practice as the master artist and can even be a member of a master’s family. The 2025 apprenticeships will support a wide range of traditions, including Paraguayan harp, Korean haegeum, Afghan harmonium playing, Iraqi Maqam singing, and costume making for vogue performance.”
Another River Towns artist—Gabriel Ce of Hastings—will share a $10,000 grant with Philip Galinsky of Yonkers for an apprenticeship in Brazilian roda de samba percussion, with a focus on tantan and pandeiro performance.
For nearly three decades, ArtsWestchester has remained committed to supporting folk & traditional arts and artists. The ArtsWestchester Folk Arts Program produces festivals, concerts, and educational programs through grassroots partnership and collaboration.
Also core to the program are the support services provided to traditional artists in the form of professional development, technical assistance, as well as training in public folklore and community documentation. While the program touches many, its services and resources are directed to cultural groups who face the greatest structural inequities in Westchester County.
