PROGRAMS > FELLOWSHIPS
First Peoples Fund offers three unique fellowship opportunities designed to support Native artists at different stages of their creative and professional journeys. All opportunities can be found on this page:
The First Peoples Fund (FPF) Artist in Business Leadership (ABL) Fellowship supports independent Native artists who leverage artmaking to build or grow a business to support themselves and their families. This self-directed year-long fellowship includes network-building opportunities, professional development guidance, and grant funding for business needs.
As part of the application process, artists submit a proposal of what, if selected, they would accomplish during their fellowship year that will help them launch, grow, and/or sustain their arts business. Artists accepted into the program receive a $10,000 grant to be used towards their proposed activities.
ABL Fellowships are open to artists at all stages of their career, and all art mediums are eligible for this fellowship with the exception of live performing arts. The Native Performing Arts Fellowship program is the appropriate opportunity for artists who regularly perform live as part of their arts business or creative practice (this includes theater, music, dance, and more.)
Please read through all of the following information before starting an application:
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
Fox Spears, Program Manager of Fellowships, fox@firstpeoplesfund.org
The Cultural Capital (CC) Fellowship is a yearlong program that strengthens the Collective Spirit of artists who perpetuate generosity, wisdom and integrity within their communities as they further their important cultural work.
Cultural Capital Fellowships provide $10,000 grants intended for Native artists who have strong community ties and are dedicated to preserving and transmitting ancestral traditions. 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
Fox Spears, Program Manager of Fellowships, fox@firstpeoplesfund.org
The First Peoples Fund (FPF) Native Performing Arts (NPA) Fellowship supports emerging and established Native performing artists to develop and enhance their skills and knowledge of their craft. This fellowship provides grants of up to $10,000 for Native individuals who practice or work within the performing arts landscape (theater, dance, music, etc.). Applicants are expected to create a proposal centered around artistic career goals.
Examples of artistic growth needs or career goals can include, but are not limited to: Taking classes, seminars, workshops, private lessons with professional experts or coaches in any field of performing arts, consulting legal, and financial professionals (agent, publicist, tour manager, etc.), creating a website to showcase your performance work, booking professional headshots, building a marketing strategy for your performances, or strengthening relationships with cultural bearers and teachers to maintain cultural knowledge and values.
This fellowship also includes professional development opportunities, including the Performing Arts Native Arts Professional Development (NAPD) that provides tools and resources tailored to the needs of performing artists,, guidance from industry professionals, and access to FPF’s annual multi-day fellowship convening, where fellows can connect with artists across a range of mediums.
Film projects (short or feature length) are not eligible at this time. For film projects, we recommend applying to the Artist In Business Leadership or Cultural Capital Fellowship.
Only one application may be submitted to the FPF Performing Arts Program. If you are an individual artist applying for the Live Production Grant (LPG), you are unable to apply for a 2027 Native Performing Arts Fellowship.
Natalie Benally Program Manager of Native Performing Arts Program, natalie@firstpeoplesfund.org
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.
