The Frank and Jane Gabor West Virginia Folklife Center

Housed in an award-winning repurposed historic barn building on the Fairmont State University campus, the Frank & Jane Gabor West Virginia Folklife Center is home to the Ruth Ann Musick folklore archives, the Phyllis W. Moore West Virginia Authors archives, and the Patty Looman collection. These collections and additional archival materials can be made available for scholars and student researchers. The Center is part of the College of Liberal Arts and houses the University’s undergraduate programs in folklore and museum studies. The Center serves the University and the broader community through scholarship, publications, workshops, exhibitions, and outreach events.

All events are free and open to the public

• December 5 at 7 p.m. - Storytelling Guild Holiday Concert
• December 6 at 7 p.m. - Artist in Residence Holiday Square Dance
• December 26 at 6:30 p.m. - Acoustic Old Time Music Jam

Register for the Artist in Residence Spring 2026 Masterclass!

In this hands-on course, students will create crankies (hand-cranked illustrated scrolls) and shadow puppets accompanied by music and/or narration, based on oral histories gathered from local community members and archives at Fairmont State. Guidance will be provided by the instructor, Morgantown native and Artist-in-Residence Annick Odom, whose work blends traditional ballads, visual storytelling, and experimental music composition.