Oregon Folklife Network awarded Culture Connects awards to libraries in the Willamette Valley to complete self-directed programming that aligns with their library’s goals and needs for their broader community. Selected libraries received up to $3,000 to produce Culture Connects public programming during summer of 2026. 

OFN is committed to helping librarians move beyond transactional relationships, into sustaining partnerships with culture bearers so that both parties benefit. By providing cross-cultural communication and artist hospitality training to libraries, cultural bearers discover and affirm that libraries honor their communities, are ready to learn from them and uplift their efforts. Libraries, in turn, receive mentorship on building these sustaining partnerships, as well as technical assistance for program administration and planning.