The Maryland State Arts Council (MSAC) consulted with tribal leaders and the administrator of the Maryland Commission on Indian Affairs for the MSAC Land Acknowledgement Project, which was administered by Maryland Traditions, MSAC’s traditional arts program. The project provides resources for learning about the precolonial history of lands claimed by the State of Maryland. At…
Louisiana is facing the most acute coastal erosion crisis in the nation. Every 100 minutes, an area equivalent to a football field disappears from the Louisiana coastline. In recent decades, Louisiana’s land loss has exceeded 2,000 square miles, an area roughly the size of the whole state of Delaware. Change of this magnitude has an…
For many years, the Wyoming Arts Council has awarded annual fellowships that recognize visual, literary and performing artists. That portfolio is now expanding to include the Native Art Fellowship. This program, new in 2021, is designed to raise the visibility and support the artistry of Native artists in Wyoming. This effort was inspired in part…
The Guam Council on the Arts & Humanities Agency (CAHA), the state arts agency of the territory of Guam, works to preserve the cultural traditions of Guam and enhance the quality of life for Guam residents through programs and initiatives that celebrate local culture. A good example of this is CAHA’s partnership with the Gef…
The American Samoa Council on Arts, Culture and Humanities (ASCACH) is assisting Governor Lolo Matalasi Moliga’s office with the Sogelau Monument Project near the Jean P. Haydon Museum in the village of Fagatogo. As part of its portfolio, ASCACH is responsible for managing the museum programs and preservation of the Sogelau estate, a government-owned area…
The Kentucky Arts Council, the Kentucky Native American Heritage Commission and the Kentucky Heritage Council worked together to produce Native Reflections, a traveling exhibit of artworks by Native American artists living in Kentucky. This juried show honors and celebrates indigenous cultures and confronts the common misconception that Native American culture is reflective only of past…
The Arts Trails Program is a place based art and economic development initiative by New Mexico Arts designed to put New Mexico artists on the map and widen markets for local artisans and creative enterprises. The state arts agency provides funding for community based arts, bringing recognition and beneficial economic development to rural areas rich…
A top objective of the Commonwealth Council for Arts and Culture, Northern Mariana Islands (CCAC) is the preservation of Chamorro and Carolinian cultural traditions. This heritage is central to individual and community identity in the Northern Marianas, and is a central focus of the agency’s 2018-2021 Strategic Plan. A good example of this work is…
This year, there is a new category of the biennial South Dakota Governor’s Awards in the Arts—presented by the South Dakota Arts Council and Arts South Dakota—that honors efforts to support tribal communities. The Outstanding Support of the Arts to Native Nations with Lands in South Dakota Award recognizes an individual, organization or business that…
ARTShops is a collaborative effort of the Alaska State Council on the Arts (ASCA) and The CIRI Foundation—with support from the Alaska Arts and Culture Foundation—to catalyze Alaska Native artists’ creative leadership and community development throughout rural Alaska. Every year since the pilot program launched in 2016, a jury-selected cohort of four artists participates in…
3 / 4