Art is a cultural asset for Native communities, and has been an integral part of sustaining Native nations, culture, language and traditional beliefs, shaping community and family ties and cultural pride. Yet, colonization has stripped many Native communities of artistic forms and processes, and individuals with the capacity to carry on traditional art forms that are integral to their cultures.
To ensure Native arts and culture continue to be valued and preserved, First Nations established the Native Arts Initiative (NAI) and First Americans’ Cultural Treasures project.
The Native Arts Initiative (NAI) was established in 2014 to provide direct grantmaking, networking opportunities, and training and technical assistance (TTA) to Native-led arts and cultural hubs who are working to preserve and advance traditional Native arts through programming focused on supporting artists and intergenerational sharing of artistic skills and knowledge.
The First Americans’ Cultural Treasures project is built on the recognition of the cultural assets of Native communities that connect the past to the present and the future, and ultimately preserve Native knowledge systems, identities, and lifeways. The project is made possible through the Ford Foundation America’s Cultural Treasures Regional Challenge Initiative, in a funding partnership with Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies.
