Building Strength in Community: 2026 FPF Fellowship Convening

When you bring together dozens of Indigenous artists and creatives from across the country, the result is going to be powerful. This was the vibe at the 2026 First Peoples Fund Fellowship (FPF) Convening, “Collective Spirit: Building Strength in Community,” which took place April 10th and 11th on Tewa lands in O’ga P’ogeh Owingeh (White Shell Water Place), known today as Santa Fe, New Mexico. 

Fellows from three different FPF Fellowship programs– Native Performing Arts (NPA), Artist in Business Leadership (ABL) and Cultural Capital (CC)-- gathered for two full days of professional development, networking, storytelling, and a celebration that culminated with a full line-up of artist performances, art displays, and film screenings.

“Our hope for convenings is to always create a meaningful space where our fellows are able to connect and be in community with other Native artists and creatives,” said Fox Spears, FPF Program Manager. 

To open up the gathering, Tewa Elder from Santa Clara Pueblo, John Garcia Sr., offered a welcome and prayer in the Tewa language. Garcia also shared cultural knowledge about O’ga P’ogeh Owingeh, grounding everyone in an understanding of the significance of the place we all gathered. 

“Having the presence of elders and culture bearers who have been doing their artistry for years helped ground the space and energy of the event.”

On the first day of the convening, fellows started the day by introducing themselves, speaking one-by-one to a full room of attendees, which included not only the fellows themselves, but FPF staff, local community members, and special guests, TahNibaa Nataanii, Sarah H. Natani, and Rosie Ann Taylor, who are all former and current FPF Community Spirit Award honorees. 

“I really enjoyed having the CSA honorees join us during this convening,” said Natalie Benally, FPF Program Manager and emcee of the Saturday evening performance showcase. “Having the presence of elders and culture bearers who have been doing their artistry for years helped ground the space and energy of the event.”

As the day progressed, fellows continued getting to know each other, sharing conversation over lunch, laughter, and outside of the venue under clear blue skies of Santa Fe. 

“Being an artist can be isolating work,” said Benally, who co-organized the convening with FPF colleague Fox Spears. “So to encourage each other and to connect and engage in space together can be incredibly inspirational and motivating.”

“If you have a story to tell, do it, and people will come.”

Day one of the convening also included a presentation from keynote speaker Sequoia Hauck, a former FPF fellow in the Cultural Capital program (2023) who shared reflections on her journey as an artist, mother, and professional. 

“If you have a story to tell, do it, and people will come,” Hauck said in her presentation. Hauck is a White Earth Anishinaabe and Hupa two-spirit filmmaker, interdisciplinary artist, and theatre director.

Fellows represented many different disciplines, ranging from performing arts– like music production, acting, and drag– to traditional arts of ceramics, pottery, weaving, beading, and singing, to contemporary jewelry-making, filmmaking and more. 

“I usually feel a bit disconnected at [gatherings like this], but it has been a very communal environment and I’ve been able to connect with many different artists with many different practices,” said Kelsey Van Ert, who goes by “Ikwe” onstage. “I’ve also been able to make some friends to keep for the rest of my life.” Van Ert is a Native Performing Arts (NPA) Fellow. 

“I usually feel a bit disconnected at [gatherings like this], but it has been a very communal environment and I’ve been able to connect with many different artists with many different practices.”

On day two, former FPF fellow Louie Gong delivered the second keynote speech of the convening, presenting virtually from his homelands in the Pacific Northwest. Gong was an FPF Artist in Business Leadership (ABL) Fellow in 2014. Today, he is a multidisciplinary artist who is known for launching the Indigenous lifestyle brand, Eighth Generation, which showcases the art of Indigenous people from across Turtle Island. 

“You’re sitting in the same seat that I sat in,” Gong told the fellows.  “I hope you're thinking about how in 20 years from now, you might be a creator of opportunities for artists just like yourself and even a  grantmaker for the arts just like Eighth Generation has been.” 

To close the presentation, Gong engaged in a rich Q & A with fellows who were eager to learn from him.

“My experience at this gathering has been wonderful,” said Robert L. Hunter, FPF Artist in Business Leadership (ABL) Fellow. “I’ve met a lot of beautiful artists and storytellers in their own right and in their own forms, which is always really inspiring to me. Hearing about everyone’s different background and origin story, it all refills my cup.” 

Day two of the event also consisted of a film screening featuring Community Spirit Award (CSA) mother and daughter duo, TahNibaa Nataanii, Sarah H. Natani, who were both CSA honorees in different years. The film is part of a series being produced by FPF Founder and Senior Fellow, Lori Pourier. 

“My experience at this gathering has been wonderful…. Hearing about everyone’s different background and origin story, it all refills my cup.”

Later in the day, fellows learned how to pitch their work and put their skills to practice in mock pitching meetings. Fellows also had professional headshots taken by Darklisted Photography, then did on-camera interviews with the FPF Communications Team. 

“I’ve connected with so many other artists, professionals, culture-bearers,” said Aiyana Kline, FPF Artist in Business Leadership (ABL) Fellow, in her interview. “It’s been so inspiring hearing their stories and I took a lot away from advice that was given to me.”

The 2026 FPF Fellowship Convening concluded with a dinner, celebration, and artist showcase, which featured vibrant artist performances and presentations from 14 fellows. 

“I was extremely happy to see how many people joined us for the Fellowship Celebration to see a selection of our fellows share their work on Saturday evening,” said Fox Spears, FPF Program Manager. “I could feel the happiness in the room everyone had from getting to share such a joyful experience together.”

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First Peoples Fund is honored to support this year’s cohort of ABL, NPA, and CC Fellows. We extend a special thank you to Darklisted Photography, Evan Atwood Benally, Santa Fe Audio Visual and Drury Plaza Hotel in Santa Fe. To learn more about FPF fellowships, visit our website here.