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SHIFT – Transformative Change and Indigenous Arts Program (U.S.)

Deadline: 16-Mar-21

The Native Arts and Cultures Foundation (NACF) is accepting Letters of Interest (LOIs) for the SHIFT–Transformative Change and Indigenous Arts program to support the artist and community-driven projects responding to social, environmental or economic justice issues through a Native lens.

The program focuses on efforts that are built upon community cultural assets, resilience and strengths and draw increased attention to Native communities, perspectives and challenges, shifting a national narrative of invisibility, misunderstanding and misappropriation. SHIFT provides invaluable resources for project development, production and presentation for the artists and their collaborators.

How does the Program work?

The SHIFT program consists of a two-year suite of support services that include financial resources, professional development, artist/stakeholder convening, cross-sector collaboration, evaluation, exhibiting and presenting.

  • Applicants will submit a Letter of Interest (LOI), describing the project’s intent and scope, the issues addressed, its intended communities, the artists and collaborators, the anticipated timeline and provide a brief budget.
  • After review, finalists will be invited to submit full proposals.
  • The finalists will submit a full proposal that will outline the project activities in greater detail.
  • Full proposals will be reviewed by a panel of arts peers and professionals and up to 10 projects will be selected to receive support.
  • Projects will commence in late 2021 and be presented/premiered by late 2023.

Program Services

  • Financial Resources: two-year awards totaling $100,000 with $50,000 of the award earmarked for the lead artist or arts collective and the remaining monies for project partners.
  • Professional Development: artists will participate in training designed for established career artists who are navigating national and international landscapes, cross-sector work, community participation and movement building.
  • Mentorship: encourage opportunities for early-career artists to participate in the projects, working under the mentorship of the lead artists and/or organizations.
  • Partnerships: artists can sit in residency, collaborating with organizations, institutions and/or tribal agencies to build projects with established and prospective constituencies.
  • Convening: current recipient artists will gather to share best practices and develop relationships; and in subsequent years, convene with artists from each of the award cycles.
  • Evaluation: NACF will provide support to develop project deliverables, outcomes and internal/external NACF program reports.
  • Communications and Marketing Support.
  • Exhibiting and Presenting: NACF will provide support to bring the work to the public in collaboration with partners and/or at Center for Native Arts and Cultures (CNAC).
  • Advocacy: NACF will provide support to present artists’ work and provide a platform for conversation around the impacts of their projects and Native voices to effect change around vital issues.

Program Eligibility

  • Artist applicant:
    • Open to independent Native artists or Native artist collectives working in the disciplines of dance/choreography, fiction/poetry writing, film/video, multi-disciplinary arts, music, performance art, theater and screenplay writing, traditional arts or 2D + 3D visual arts.
    • Artist applicant must demonstrate US-based residency.
    • Artist applicant must be an enrolled member or citizen of a federally-recognized or state-recognized American Indian tribe or Alaska Native corporation, or of Native Hawaiian ancestry. Applicants will be asked to provide documentation of their Native citizenship or ancestry.
    • Artist applicant must be at least 18 years of age and must not be enrolled in a university or higher-education institution during the two-year award period.
  • Partner organization/co-applicant:
    • Open to US-based non-profit organizations, for-profit businesses, or tribal agencies working in collaboration with Native artists or collectives and which are not required to be arts related (e.g., non-profit social service organizations, for-profit galleries, or universities).
    • Project may have a fiscal sponsor, but are not considered a “partner organization” if they are acting solely as a fiscal sponsor.
    • Artist/collective must select an eligible organization to partner with on their project, or the organization must select an eligible artist to partner with on their project.
    • All previous awardees who have received support from NACF prior to 2020 are eligible and encouraged to apply. Recipients of the 2020 Native Arts Emergency Support Project (pandemic relief) are also eligible to apply.
  • Project requirements:
    • Projects must address social, environmental or economic justice issues through a Native lens.
    • Projects must include specific strategies that activate the community and include public presentation of the work.
    • Projects must be completed and presented within two years of the award, or prior to September 30, 2023.

For more information, visit https://www.nativeartsandcultures.org/programs/shift