Rachel Reynolds
Bringing people together through music, art, and culture to create stronger, more connected rural communities.
Rachel Reynolds grew up in Mountain View, AR, the “folk music capital of the world,” where she developed a passion for storytelling, music, and preserving the unique traditions of the Ozarks. With an MA in Heritage Studies and an MA in History from Arkansas State University, she leads projects that redefine how rural communities approach art and social issues—from public art installations and grassroots festivals to resource hubs like The People’s Library, a community-fueled book lender. In 2023, Reynolds co-founded the Arkansas Country Blues & Stringband Festival to explore the intertwined nature of African-American and Anglo folk traditions. She co-curated the Smithsonian Folklife Festival to elevate the Ozarks’ diverse voices.
Collaborating with artists, cultural organizations, and grassroots initiatives, Reynolds has seen the challenges rural communities face in funding and sustaining projects, and founded Cultural Continuum Consulting to help bridge this gap. Her firm provides strategic planning, fundraising, and program development support to community-led arts initiatives.
In Arkansas, cultural traditions are deeply rooted, yet often remain divided along racial, socioeconomic, and regional lines. As an Emerson Collective Fellow, Reynolds will launch the first annual Arkansas Folklife Festival, a statewide celebration of music, food, and crafts from Arkansas’s six cultural regions. Co-curated with members of communities throughout the state, the event will be a draw across the region, celebrating diverging traditions while emphasizing shared histories.
At the same time, Reynolds will establish a women-led funding initiative to support grassroots arts and culture projects, and will expand the Arkansas Country Blues & Stringband Festival as it heads into its third year, emphasizing its musical exploration of connectedness. Through these initiatives, Reynolds aims to build a more tight-knit cultural landscape in her state.