In Spring 2021, the Center for Appalachian Studies at Appalachian State University hosted the Cornbread & Tortillas Virtual Residency, a weeklong celebration of art, music, dance, and storytelling that brought Appalachian and Latino traditions together in dialogue and performance.
Cornbread & Tortillas is a collective of Appalachian and Latino artists whose mission is to build community through cultural exchange. By weaving together outreach events, educational shows, workshops, and performances, the group highlights both shared roots and distinct traditions—fostering unity in a diverse world.
The residency’s centerpiece was the Cornbread & Tortillas Folk Opera, a vibrant bilingual production of stories, music, and dance. Audiences were invited on a journey from the mountains of Eastern Kentucky to Mexico, Nicaragua, Ecuador, and beyond, discovering deep connections across geography and heritage.
Throughout the residency, participants engaged in a variety of interactive events offered in both English and Spanish. These included:
- Workshops exploring Appalachian and Latino music, dance, and storytelling traditions.
- Educational programs designed to connect students and community members with the cultural themes of the residency.
- Performances that brought together multiple art forms in celebration of resilience, creativity, and shared humanity.
By creating a space for exchange and collaboration, the residency underscored the power of the arts to connect communities across borders, even during a global pandemic.
For more information about the collective and their ongoing work, visit cornbreadandtortillas.com.
Highlights from Cornbread and Tortillas
Cornbread & Tortillas is a collective of Appalachian and Latino artists whose mission is to build community through cultural exchange. By weaving together outreach events, educational shows, workshops, and performances, the group highlights both shared roots and distinct traditions—fostering unity in a diverse world.