Instrument Loan Program

Vermont Folklife has a variety of acoustic, mostly stringed, instruments available for loan, at no cost, for youth (those 25 and under).   

Youth interested in learning an instrument, who do not have access to one, or are recommended by a teacher can have an instrument on loan for up to a year at no cost, renewable yearly as requested. They are encouraged to join group lessons (e.g. Fiddleheads, Trad Camp) and/or are referred to private teachers. Opportunities to perform what is learned are often available to participants.

The collection holds a variety of fiddles in a variety of sizes, as well as other instruments (guitars, ukuleles, sarangi, accordions, banjos, dranyens, mandolins, keyboards, etc.). Let us know what you’re interested in and we’ll try to match you up. Email Ian Drury for more information.

Users sign an agreement with Vermont Folklife (if 18 years or younger, the parent or primary caregiver of the user signs). The instrument can be kept for up to one year at no cost. After 1 year, the instrument is returned to Vermont Folklife or the agreement is renewed for an additional year. If the instrument is damaged or destroyed, lost or stolen, or otherwise not returned, the signer agrees to pay repair and/or replacement costs.

Program History

The instrument loan program originated as a program of Young Tradition Vermont. Learn more about YTV here.

The program was started when a variety of instruments were donated from the Leslie A. and Harold E. Greene Fiddle Loan Program to Vermont Folklife. That program was initiated by Judith G. Allan of Rutland, Vermont in the fall of 2009 as a way to honor the memory of her fiddle-maker/player father and grandfather. The collection includes instruments they created or acquired during a lifetime interest in playing, building and restoring fiddles. Other instruments have been added to the collection since its creation, including about a dozen violins from the late master Vermont fiddler, Harold Luce.