OPEN CALL: Accepting Letters of Interest for the SHIFT Program

SHIFT – Transformative Change and Indigenous Arts

The Native Arts and Cultures Foundation (NACF) is now accepting Letters of Interest for the SHIFT – Transformative Change and Indigenous Arts program. SHIFT awards will support artist and community-driven projects responding to social, environmental or economic justice issues through a Native lens. SHIFT is a two-year award that includes financial resources, professional development, artist/stakeholder convening, cross-sector collaboration, evaluation, exhibiting and presenting opportunities for Native artists, cultural practitioners, and community partners. The program’s focus is to bring attention to Native communities to shift a national narrative of invisibility, misunderstanding and misappropriation. SHIFT will provide invaluable resources for project development, production and presentation for artists and their collaborators.

Eligible Letters of Interest must include both a Native artist applicant (individual or an artist collective) and a partner organization/co-applicant working in 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 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. Partner organization/co-applicants must be a US-based non-profit organization, for-profit business, or tribal agency working in collaboration with Native artists or Native artist collectives. We encourage artists to apply who: have experience developing projects focused on engaging communities and the public to address community issues; build upon community cultural assets; and partner with organizations to develop and present the work.

SHIFT is a monetary award totaling $100,000 for two years, with $50,000 of the award earmarked for the lead artist or artist collective. Up to ten projects will be selected to receive SHIFT awards. CLICK HERE or a full description of the SHIFT program.

DEADLINE

DEADLINE: NACF is now accepting Letters of Interest (LOI) for the SHIFT program until Tuesday March 16, 2021 at 5:00 p.m. Pacific time.

Notifications will be sent in late April 2021.