NATIVE ARTS AND CULTURES FOUNDATION AWARDS GRANTS TO 26 NATIVE ARTISTS AND NATIVE ARTS AND CULTURAL ORGANIZATIONS

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NATIVE ARTS AND CULTURES FOUNDATION AWARDS GRANTS TO 26 NATIVE ARTISTS AND NATIVE ARTS AND CULTURAL ORGANIZATIONS

Vancouver, Wash., Nov. 4 – The Native Arts and Cultures Foundation (NACF) recently awarded its first grants to 26 American Indian, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian artists and organizations.

The NACF, incorporated in 2007, is a permanently endowed national organization dedicated exclusively to the revitalization, appreciation and perpetuation of Native arts and cultures. This year’s grant sizes ranged from $7,000 to $20,000, with a total allocation of $394,319.

Grants were awarded in three categories: “2010 Artistic Innovation – Through the Soul of an Artist,“ support for individual artists’ projects (total allocation $136,070); “2010 Mobilizing the Community Through the Arts,” support for community based programming (total allocation $168,249); and “2010 Strengthening the Arts and Cultures Infrastructure” (total allocation $90,000). The Rasmuson Foundation generously provided a $10,000 match to the Alaska Native Heritage Center, a grant recipient in Alaska for the "Strengthening the Arts and Culture Infrastructure" initiative.

“It’s the NACF’s mission to provide financial support to artists and organizations to help our Native cultures flourish,” said Lulani Arquette, president and chief executive officer of the NACF. “We look forward to creating opportunities to emphasize the shared values of Native communities, and to receiving applications next year from artists and organizations in all 50 states, and the District of Columbia.”

“After years of planning, it’s thrilling to embark on our journey to strengthen Native arts and cultures,” said Arquette. “The arts have always played a significant role in Native cultures, and are a powerful path for connecting one generation to the next.”

To learn more about the NACF and to find out more about all of the grants awarded across the United States, visit www.nativeartsandcultures.org. Receive the free e-newsletter by sending an email to info@nativeartsandcultures.org and become a fan of the organization on Facebook.

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Liz Hill
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