FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:   August 5, 2005
CONTACT:
John Goes In Center, Program Officer
First Peoples Fund, (605) 348-0324

FIRST PEOPLES FUND
Artist-in-Business Leadership Call for Applications

(Rapid City, SD) – First Peoples Fund announces the 2006 Artists-In-Business Leadership Call For Applications. Fellowships are offered to members of Tribes from the Northern Great Plains and the Plateau Regions of the United States and Canadian First Nations that have historical and a cultural affiliation within our defined regions.

The 2006 ABL fellowship program features a working capital grant for up to $5,000.00 to be used to support a one-year marketing plan/strategy or business goal as defined by the artist applicant, technical assistance support, and to participate in two scheduled art marketing and business seminars.  Following a rigorous selection and interview process four fellows will be selected.

Eligibility

• Artist applicants must have a minimum of 10 year’s experience in professionally marketing their art at Indian art markets, galleries, and wholesale experience,

• Must be members of a Northern Great Plains tribe located in South Dakota, North Dakota, Montana, Wyoming, Nebraska, Lower and Upper Dakota of Minnesota or a tribe from the Plateau region of  Idaho, Eastern Oregon and Eastern Washington).  Affiliated Canadian First Nations artist applicants are eligible.

• Demonstrate a strong vision and clear plan for implementing effective market strategies over the one-year fellowship period and will effectively use this opportunity to explore New Works and demonstrate marketing initiative effectively.

FPF honors the traditional Values of Collective Spirit, Generosity, Wisdom, Respect, Integrity, Strength/Fortitude, and Humility and works with artists who:

• Possess and demonstrate values that are in alignment with the values of the Fund
• Willingness and an open minded attitude with all aspects of the program activities.
• Exhibit the qualities of an entrepreneur, which are generally agreed to be: risk- taker, tenacious, resourceful, creative/solution oriented, action oriented and passionate with strong evidence of community leadership.

If you believe that you are eligible for our program and have a proposal that you would like to submit to

First Peoples Fund, the application and a number of reference documents are provided on our website, www.firstpeoplesfund.org  These materials will provide you with a clear understanding of how our Fellow search and selection process works. 

First Peoples Fund’s grantmaking initiatives include: the annual Community Spirit Awards, Artists-in-Business Leadership, and Cultural Capital Fellowship programs.  The Fund is supported in part by the Ford Foundation’s Media, Arts and Culture, New Works and the Indigenous Knowledge and Expressive Culture Initiatives, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, the Bush Foundation, the All Tribes Foundation as well as from anonymous donors.

For further information contact us at First Peoples Fund, P.O. Box 2977, Rapid City, S.D. 57709-2977or info@firstpeoplesfund.org  

Artist-in-Business Leadership 2006 Application