The Center was founded at Texas Tech in the Fall of 2000 under Executive Director Dr Christopher J Smith.

The VMC offers a range of programs, partnerships, scholarships, certificates and activities and events for students, educators and the public.

The Vernacular Music Center was founded at Texas Tech University in the winter of 2000 under Executive Director Dr Christopher J Smith.

The VMC is a center for in-depth and comparative research, study, teaching and advocacy on behalf of the world's vernacular musics and dance.

[17] The VMC also offers certificates in Early Music, World Music and Community Arts Entrepreneurship [18] The VMC provides a range of presentations, consultation, in-service professional development resources for Fine Arts specialists: locally, regionally, and across the country.

[23] The VMC depends for funding (for guest artists, scholarships, young-professional training, event-production costs, ensemble travel, and all other programming) upon a network of supporters.