Community Spirit Awards

Nominees for the Community Spirit Award must meet the following criteria:

• An enrolled member of, or provide proof of lineal descendancy from, a U.S. federally or U.S. state recognized tribe, or be able to provide proof of ancestry as an Alaska Native or Native Hawaiian.
• A U.S. resident.
• Work with art mediums that are rooted in the traditions of their Native culture(s).
• Active within a Native community and/or lives within a tribal community.
• Actively involved in sharing their artistic and/or cultural knowledge with community members. 
• Nominees must be practicing Native artists or culture bearers who have demonstrated maturity in their field, and have been engaged in their medium for at least 10 years.
• Self-nominations are not accepted.

1. Identify

Identify an artist or culture bearer who you feel exemplifies the spirit of this award. Before making a nomination, you should ideally contact the artist in advance to discuss the guidelines and process of the Jennifer Easton Community Spirit Awards.

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2. Nominate

Using the nomination form, linked above when the nomination window is open, briefly describe the contributions the artist (nominee) has made to their community and why you feel they are a good fit for this award. Please note that this nomination will be reviewed along with the artist’s application if they are invited to apply.

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3. Apply

If the nomination has been selected to move forward in the application process, a link to the Submittable application form will be sent to the nominator and the artist (nominee). The nominator is encouraged to work collaboratively with their nominee to complete all application materials.

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For more information on the 2026 Jennifer Easton Community Spirit Award guidelines click here.

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Who can submit a nomination?

Anyone can nominate a Native artist for the Jennifer Easton Community Spirit Awards. Nominators tend to be students, mentees, colleagues, and tribal members who have recognized these exceptional artists for knowing themselves, honoring others, and sustaining spirit in their own communities.

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Can the nominator help the CSA applicant?

The nominator is encouraged to work collaboratively with their nominee to complete all application materials.

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Can I nominate mysel for a CSA?

No, self-nominations are not accepted for the Community Spirit Award.

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Can an artist be nominated by multiple people?

Only one nomination per artist is eligible for review. If an artist receives multiple nominations, program staff will determine which nomination best aligns with the award criteria, and that nomination will be the only one reviewed for further consideration. Multiple people are welcome to work together on a single nomination that is submitted by one individual.

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