Celebrating National Native American Heritage Month

At the Native Arts and Cultures Foundation (NACF), we believe in the power, beauty, and resilience of Native arts and cultures. This November, during National Native American Heritage Month, we celebrate the rich history and contributions of Indigenous cultures as we work to uplift the creativity of Native Americans, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians.

Throughout history, artists have created work that intersects with social issues, using art as a tool to raise awareness for positive change. The NACF works to raise awareness about the challenges Native people face today by supporting work that advances Native truth and Indigenous knowledge. In the past ten-years, NACF has worked with over 240 Native artists and arts organizations to connect Native and non-Native people in community conversations that address social, cultural, and environmental concerns through art.

On behalf of the NACF fellows and arts organizations that we have collaborated with over the past 10-years, we would like to thank our supporters and allies for championing Native artists and organizations throughout the United States.

As part of NACF’s ongoing efforts to support Native artists and ensure Native voices are heard, we invite you to watch a recent panel discussion that was held during the Southwestern Association for Indian Arts (SWAIA) 98^th Annual Santa Fe Indian Market this past August 2019. The panel titled Native Women on Art, Culture and Resilience, presented by NACF in collaboration with SITE Santa Fe, celebrated the work of three extraordinary Native women in the arts. The panelists explored their work in connection to gender rights and the position of women in tribal and non-Native communities. Reflecting on their roles as culture bearers and leaders in an era of the Me Too Movement, the panelists discussed how their arts practices advance Native truth and empowerment.

Panelists included 2013 NACF National Artist Fellow Rose Simpson (Santa Clara), 2017 NACF Mentor Artist Fellow Cara Romero (Chemehuevi), and curator Jaclyn Roessel (Diné).