Mission:
Appalshop is a nonprofit arts, media, and cultural center dedicated to preserving the culture of Appalachia and working for better and more just communities throughout the region.

Background:
The Appalachian Film Workshop was established in 1969 as part of President Lyndon Johnson's War on Poverty to train Appalachian youth in film production. The young filmmakers eventually transformed the program into a nonprofit media company to produce films about the culture and social issues of Appalachia. Over the years, Appalshop has grown to include a radio station, a recording label, and a theater. Its Community Media Initiative provides media expertise to local grassroots groups and to regional and national organizations working on social and economic justice issues. And its Appalachian Media Institute still trains local youth in filmmaking and other media production techniques.

Outstanding Feature:
Made possible by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Appalshop Web site features a broad sampling of the organization's artistic work. The Film area of the site links to the individual Web pages of Appalshop films, which include video trailers, audio interviews, music, and photos. Web users can click on the Radio link to listen to Appalshop's 88.7 WMMT, which broadcasts a wide range of music — from bluegrass to rock. The Records link leads to profiles of the records produced by JuneAppal Recordings, Appalshop's label for Appalachian musicians. The Appalshop site also links to the group's Roadside Theater, a touring theater company, and the Appalachian Media Institute, the group's media training program for youth.