The Wisconsin Arts Board Congratulates Its FY27 Folk Arts Apprenticeship Grantees

​​​​This year, the Wisconsin Arts Board invested in the work of 8 mentor artists and their apprentices through the Folk Arts Apprenticeships grant program.​​​​


​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Folk & Traditional Arts Apprenticeships are designed to strengthen and encourage the continuity of Wisconsin's diverse cultural traditions by supporting exemplary traditional artists and culture bearers in passing their skills and knowledge on to committed and talented apprentices.

Explore the list of grant recipients below and their art forms. ​


Mentor Artist: Eliza Skenandore (Green Bay)

Apprentice: Shelby Siebers (De Pere)

Haudenosaunee Raised Beadwork


Mentor Artist: Joseph Gokee (Ashland)

Apprentice: Devon DeVerney (Lac du Flambeau)

Baaga’adowewin (Lacrosse) Sticks


Mentor Artist: Koffi Zoe Degbevi (Madison)

Appprentice: Sewa Mensah (Madison)

Bobobo (West Africa) Drumming


Mentor Artist: Kripa Baskaran (Brookfield)

Apprentices: Ananya Asokan (Brookfield), Shaanvi Konda (Lannon)

Bharatanatyam (South Indian Classical Dance)


Mentor Artist: Lavanyaa Surendar (Brookfield)

Apprentices: Saanvi Srinivas (Appleton), Tanisi Chandra (Middleton), Sahasra Kandagatla​ (Middleton)

Bharatanatyam (South Indian Classical Dance)


Mentor Artist: Nancy Odalen (Stoughton)

Apprentice: Angie Hjortland (Stoughton)

Norwegian Rosemaling


Mentor Artist: Vanitha Suresh (Middleton)

Apprentices: Aadya Milankumar (Verona), Arundhati Koyickal (Verona), Arunya Vishnusekhar (Verona), Niranjana Nambisan (Middleton)

Carnatic Music (South Indian Classical)


Mentor Artist: Wade Fernandez (Keshena)

Apprentice: Quintin Fernandez (Appleton)

Menominee Music Composing and Performing​

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