NACF Releases Report on Native Arts and Culture: Resilience, Reclamation, and Relevance Convening

In February 2020, NACF co-hosted a first-of-its-kind gathering in Washington, D.C., with the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH). The Native Arts and Culture: Resilience, Reclamation, and Relevance convening brought together over 225 attendees, including members from more than 40 tribal nations, representatives from over a dozen federal/state/regional entities, many Native artists and students, as well as non-profit professionals and funders who support Native peoples.

The event highlighted best practices and common challenges in creating, sharing, curating, researching, and resourcing Native American, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian arts, humanities, and cultural heritage. Presentations throughout the day focused on a range of topics designed to advance national dialogues about Native arts and cultural knowledge. Panel discussions included Native artists, curators, and educators to inform a diverse audience of participants from government agencies and the Native arts field. Each session was designed as a platform to reveal the resilience of Native peoples through the contemporary expression of art, culture, and the humanities.

As a result, NACF produced a thorough report documenting the gathering and its main recommendations to strengthen the Native arts, cultures, and humanities field.

The NACF board and staff extend our appreciation for all the individuals and organizations who contributed their time and effort to help produce a successful convening.

READ THE REPORT

CLICK HERE to download a copy of the full report. If you would like a condensed version of the report, view the Executive Summary HERE!

For more information, view interviews by some of the convening participants captured by the NEA during the convening.