Washington, DC— Across the United States there are traditional art forms that shape our culture and make our communities distinct, whether it’s conjunto music in Texas, old-time buckdancing in Tennessee, or Chilkat weaving in Alaska. For the past 35 years, the National Endowment for Arts (NEA) has presented National Heritage Fellowships to celebrate and honor master artists working in the folk and traditional arts. On June 20, 2017 the NEA announced the nine 2017 National Heritage Fellowship recipients, who will each receive $25,000 and will be honored in Washington, DC this September.
“The National Endowment for the Arts is proud to honor these individuals for artistic mastery, as well as a commitment to sharing their traditions,” said NEA Chairman Jane Chu. “Our nation is a richer, more vibrant place because of these artists and the art forms they practice.”
The Native Arts and Cultures Foundation offers its congratulations to all the recipients, and the two indigenous artists honored among the 2017 cohort:
- Anna Brown Ehlers (Seminole, Muskogee, Dine), Juneau, AK – Chilkat Weaver
- Cyril Pahinui (Native Hawaiian), Waipahu, HI – Hawaiian Slack Key Guitarist
Cyril was honored in 2013 by the Native Arts and Cultures Foundation as a National Artist Fellow.
Click here to read Cyril’s biography and listen to him perform on the NEA website.