The Labor Heritage Foundation was founded in 1983 by labor cultural activists Joe Glazer, Joe Uehlein and Saul Schniderman, building on the Great Labor Arts Exchange they launched in 1979.
Over the years, LHF has brought labor artists together, presented festivals and awards, published cultural resources and helped keep workers’ songs, stories and history alive.
Today, LHF produces the Labor Heritage Power Hour and Labor History Today, presents the Great Labor Arts Exchange, DC LaborFest & FilmFest and maintains an expanding collection of labor arts and history resources while connecting a national network of activists, artists and labor leaders.
Mission Statement:
The Labor Heritage Foundation works to preserve, promote, and strengthen the culture, history, and arts of the American labor movement through education, media, and creative expression.
LHF maintains a network of activists, artists, and leaders, who perform, speak on relevant issues, provide trainings, and/or produce materials useful for the promotion of the history, culture, and importance of the American Labor movement and its current progressive activities and historical accomplishments.
How LHF Promotes Labor Art:
The Labor Heritage Foundation utilizes a range of platforms to promote films, books, theater, music, visual art, poetry, and other work exploring labor and working-class life and connect artists with audiences.
We provide exposure to artists and their work through our newsletter and social media channels as well as media production such as the Labor Heritage Power Hour radio show and Labor History Today podcast. LHF also shares labor and working class related art in festivals, performances, exhibitions, and other events that we host or co-sponsor such as the annual DC LaborFest and the Great Labor Arts Exchange. The Foundation is a driving force in the Global Labor Film Festival Network and the Labor Radio Podcast Network, and encourages members of those networks to promote labor arts through their programming as well.
Artists, authors, filmmakers, performers, publishers, and producers are invited to send us relevant work, press materials, upcoming event information, and ideas for interviews or collaborations.