Cityfolk Collection (MS-508)

The Cityfolk Collection has been divided into six series and seventeen subseries according to its subject matter. Arranged first chronologically then alphabetically. Some material within the Cityfolk Collection has been assigned an E-number because of the electronic nature of the material. The researcher should be aware of the shift between file number and E-number when using the finding aid.

Series I, Administration (boxes 1-5), covers a wide range of structural, logistical, and financial documents relating to Cityfolk and their outreach programs. Subseries IA, Foundational Documents, contains materials that illustrate the history of Cityfolk, the governing laws and purpose of the organization, plus the establishment of Cityfolk’s Trademark and Non-Profit status. Subseries IB Financial Documents, includes grants ranging from 1986 to 2002, which includes the Tiger Woods Foundation Grant. There are also ticket sales analysis per event, tax information and job codes. Subseries IC, Board Members and Minutes, contains board member profiles from 1986-1988 and minutes, which are arranged by the fiscal calendar kept by Cityfolk (July to June), spanning form 1986 to 1994. Subseries ID, Business Development, includes materials related to marketing strategies, business planning and analysis and pertinent contractual information. Subseries IE, Membership, contains documents such as, membership applications, financial contributions, appeal letters, and thankyou letters. Subseries IF, Events, contains materials related to the planning, development, implementation and evaluations for the various cultural programs that Cityfolk designed. Subseries IG, Molly Conrecode, contains research materials produced by the folklorist and is organized into individual subjects which including: individual artist, team sports, and local schools.

In Series II, Programming, the researcher will find materials relating to programming contracts with individual artists and organizations during each fiscal year. It is further divided into three subseries: IIA. Concert Series, IIB. Festival Main Stage Performers, and IIC. Festival Street Performers. Subseries IIA, Concert Series, contains information related to performances or events organized by Cityfolk throughout the year. This generally includes the contract, budgeting and cost information, location details, internal marketing materials, stage setup, and personal correspondence. The subseries is arranged chronologically. Some artists performed for Cityfolk numerous times throughout the years. Each of those performances is arranged in a folder pertaining to the particular date of execution. In Subseries IIB, Festival Main Stage Performers, the researcher will find contracts, internal marketing materials, stage set up and location information, and budgeting materials for the festival’s Main Stage performers. Because the festival occurred once per year over three days, the folders are arranged chronologically, then alphabetically. In Subseries IIC, Festival Street Performers, the researcher can find information on performers, folk artists, and educators that also participated in the festival. Each folder in this section contains all contracts created for that festival year and are arranged chronologically.

Series III, Photographs: Here, researchers will find photographs and slides that correspond to different Cityfolk events including festivals and other programing events. Subseries IIIA, Slides includes 35mm slides of photographs taken during the1997 and 1998 National Folk Festivals, slides pertaining to 1997 and 1998 fieldwork for the National Folk Festival, slides of the 1999, 2000, and 2001 Cityfolk festivals, season events, and community outreach programs. These include musical events as well as arts and crafts sessions. Subseries IIIB, Photographs and Negatives, includes photos taken by Cityfolk photographers as well as professional photographers of events and artists. If available, negatives are housed alongside their respective positives. Photos predominantly pertain to the fieldwork done for the 1997 and 1998 National Folk Festivals, season and community events from 1998 to 2001, Cityfolk Festival pictures from 2000 to 2001, performer photos, and staff and committee photos. Both Subseries have several folders that contain original slide and photograph indexes, which have been processed and left in their original order, as well as, undated and unnamed media

Series IV, Audiovisual, contains a large amount of audio material belonging to various artist, and video of the Dayton Stories Project and the National Folk Festival. The subseries are arranged according to media type, while the material is described alphabetically at the item level. Subseries IVA, Audio Cassette Tapes, researchers will find the interviews conducted for the Dayton Stories Project, submitted audition tapes, along with many other recordings all pertaining to either the festival or other programming. Subseries IVB, Digital Audio Tapes, contains all the audio for the 2001 festival at the different mainstages researchers will note that the files in this subseries will be found in the electron archive. Subseries IVC, Compact Disc, contains a sampler produced by Cityfolk in preparation for the 2013 Festival, researchers will note that the contents of this subseries will be found in the electronic archive. Subseries IVD, U-matic Video Tapes, researchers will find videos submitted by artist like the Chieftans, and video taken at the National Folk Festival in 1997-1998. Subseries IVE, VHS Tapes, contents within this subseries include videos of the Dayton Stories Project, Cityfolk Festival from 1999-2004, the 1998 National Folk Festival, various artist submission, and new reports relating to Cityfolk. Subseries IVF: DV CAM, contains items relating to the 2003 Cityfolk Festival.

Series V, Promotional Materials, contains materials produced by and published by Cityfolk in regards to their programing. The researcher will also find a large amount of newspaper articles that highlight Cityfolk. The series is arranged in chronological order. Subseries VA, Publications, contains material originally published by Cityfolk, which includes: pamphlets, brochures, and the annual backstage booklet. Subseries VB, Newspaper Clippings, contains copies of stories and articles published by newspapers in the City of Dayton as well as abroad. This includes, but is not limited to, the Dayton Daily News, Dayton Journal Herald, Dayton Jewish Chronicle, Dayton Black Press, and the Dayton Voice.

Series V1, Electronic Media, contains materials that are stored on different forms of multimedia platforms such as: External Hard Drives, Digital Audio Tapes, Compact Disc, and Digital Video Tapes. The content found in this series includes; audio and video performances, festival pictures, festival samplers and much more.