"Through the Archive Challenge, the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress encourages musicians, singers, and other artists to explore our archive and get creative with what they find. Since 2015, FAC has helped artists find a song or piece of music they love so they can put their own stamp on it with a new arrangement or interpretation—and then perform it in a live setting or on a recording. The Archive of Folk Culture, located within the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress, is the largest ethnographic archive in the world, containing treasures for everyone to explore.

This event will happen in-person, live on the National Mall, during the Smithsonian Folklife Festival on July 2-7, 2025. It will be livestreamed for online audiences and remain archived on our YouTube channel and website.