The American Folklife Center (AFC) documents and shares the many expressions of human experience, including music, dance, foodways, storytelling, and more, to inspire, revitalize, and perpetuate living cultural traditions. Designated by the U.S. Congress as the national center for folklife documentation and research, the Center meets its mission by stewarding archival collections, creating public programs, and exchanging knowledge and expertise. The Center's vision is to encourage diversity of expression and foster community participation in the collective creation of cultural memory.