PROGRAMS > FELLOWSHIPS
The Artist in Business Leadership (ABL) Fellowship is a yearlong program that helps independent Native artists pursue art as a way to build a business to support themselves and their families. The program provides them with network-building, professional development guidance and funding towards business needs.
The ABL Fellowship offers $10,000 in grant funding towards a proposed project that supports the artist or culture bearer's work in their community. Applications are open to artists at all stages of their career.
Your proposed ABL Fellowship project and budget should be grounded in arts business needs and goals rather than providing financial support toward a new or existing creative project. Developing or completing a creative project can be a component of your proposed ABL Fellowship project, but should not be the primary goal or outcome.
Examples of business needs to consider as you develop your proposed project can include (but are not limited to): consultation with legal and financial professionals, creation of retail/promotional websites and marketing materials, purchasing or repairing needed equipment, sourcing supplies and materials, developing or refining products/services for retail sale, coursework or mentoring related to professional development, travel costs related to attending art markets, merchandise production, professional networking opportunities, rental of studio space or equipment, and more. Think about what resources you need in order to start or grow your arts business, what you will be able to accomplish with the grant funding provided.
This is a one-year program and we expect that your application clearly details your proposed project within a one-year timeframe.
Can student work completed for academic credit or as part of an academically supported residency, fellowship, or project be submitted for consideration?
No.
Are members of a collective or community-based arts group eligible to apply?
No.
Can I apply for more than one First Peoples Fund fellowship per year?
No.
Fox Spears, Program Manager of Fellowships, fox@firstpeoplesfund.org
The Cultural Capital (CC) Fellowship is a yearlong program that offers financial support and guidance to culture bearers and artists who are deeply rooted in their communities and committed to passing on ancestral knowledge within their Native communities.
The CC Fellowship offers $10,000 in grant funding to artists and culture bearers to support their cultural work in their community through the arts. This fellowship is open to artists at any stage of their career.
Applicants should be active within their Native community and/or live within their tribal community. Proposed projects may work with traditional or contemporary art mediums. If a contemporary medium, make sure to explain how the work is connected to cultural knowledge and/or values. Projects do not need to include an immediate intergenerational component, but you should be thinking about the impact they may have on future generations.
This is a one-year program and we expect that your application clearly details your proposed project within a one-year timeframe.
Can student work completed for academic credit or as part of an academically supported residency, fellowship, or project be submitted for consideration?
No.
Are members of a collective or community-based arts group eligible to apply?
No.
Can I apply for more than one First Peoples Fund fellowship per year?
No.
Fox Spears, Program Manager of Fellowships, fox@firstpeoplesfund.org
The Native Performing Arts Fellowship (NPA) supports Native performing artists, emerging and established, to develop and enhance their skills and knowledge of their craft.
The Native Performing Arts Fellowship provides grants of up to $10,000 for Native individuals who practice/work within the performing arts landscape (theater, dance, music, etc.). This is not a project based grant. Developing or completing a creative project can be a component of the fellowship, but does not need to be the primary goal or outcome. This fellowship also includes professional development opportunities such as a tailored Native Arts Professional Development (NAPD) curriculum that provides a variety of tools and resources for performing artists’ needs, guidance from industry professionals, and access to FPF’s annual multi-day fellowship convening to network with other artists across various mediums.
First Peoples Fund’s family of artists includes hundreds of Native artists and culture bearers from across the country who work in a variety of creative mediums. Explore the current and past Native artists and culture bearers who have received FPF fellowships and awards.
Immerse yourself in the Artist in Business Leadership Fellows Directory, a testament to the entrepreneurial spirit of Native artists. Through the Artist in Business Leadership Fellowship program, these creative individuals receive grants, technical assistance, and professional training to evolve their passion into successful businesses. Explore their stories of entrepreneurship, where creative practices become sustainable realities.
Explore the Cultural Capital Fellows Directory, a showcase of devoted artists. This diverse community of Native creators, nurtured by the esteemed Cultural Capital Fellowship program, embodies the spirit of preserving traditions and nurturing shared humanity. Designed to empower Native culture bearers, this program offers invaluable support, including financial grants and professional development, to catalyze their journey in passing down ancestral knowledge. Discover their profound stories and the transformative power of cultural stewardship.
