National Native Artist Exchange Grant

Native Arts grant recipient Emily Johnson (Yup'ik, right) | Photo: Courtesy of Vermont Performance Lab

Grants support teaching, learning, and collaborating of traditional and/or contemporary Native art forms between two Native artists from two different regions. Grants up to $1,500 are available per exchange.

Eligibility

Native American artist applicants must:

Be Native American, Alaska Native, or Native Hawaiian.
Reside in any of the 50 United States.

Note: Applicants may receive one National Native Artist Exchange grant per cycle (June 1 through May 31).

Funding may be used for travel expenses for Native artists to exchange with artists from other tribes/nations outside their own region to share, teach, and learn skills, do research, and/or to develop collaborative projects. Acceptable expenses include lodging, meals, ground and air travel, and other direct costs of the artist exchange.

Funding Criteria

This application process is competitive. Awards will be based on submission of a thorough application according to the following priorities:

Proposed project must name a collaborating exchange artist in another region and a specific project as part of the exchange.
Project must be beneficial to both artists.
Project budget must be appropriate to the scope of the exchange. Acceptable expenses include lodging, meals, economy class travel, materials, and other direct costs of the artist exchange.

If awarded, grant funds are paid to the applicant artist. When the exchange is complete, NEFA requires documentation of expenses (copies of receipts). Complete documentation of expenses will qualify the applicant for future awards. Unused funds must be returned.

Process & Deadline

Process
Applicants may receive one National Native Artist Exchange grant per NEFA fiscal year (June 1 through May 31). If awarded, grant funds are paid to the applicant artist. When the exchange is complete, NEFA requires documentation of expenses (copies of receipts). Failure to supply complete documentation of expenses will disqualify applicant from future awards and unused funds must be returned. Requests are processed on a first-come, first-served basis. Funding decisions are made within one month of receipt of all complete application materials.

Rolling Deadline
Applications must be received by NEFA no later than two calendar months prior to the beginning date of the proposed exchange. Funding decisions are made within one month of receipt of all complete application materials.

Grant Requests & Instructions

How to Apply

Contact NEFA staff.
See the request requirements listed below and submit online.

Requirements:

Project narrative describing the following:

The value of this opportunity to you as an artist.
The goals of the exchange.
Budget: include detail, timeline, and planned outcomes.

Supporting materials: The following should be included in the online request:

Work samples: Digital images of artwork related to the project (of both applicant and collaborating artist). Work samples may also include audio, visual, or DVD samples.
Artist resumes or biographies of both the applicant and collaborating artist.
Copy of correspondence between artists confirming the exchange.
Documentation that both the applicant and collaborating artist are Native American, Alaska Native, or Native Hawaiian.

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