Investing in the Indigenous Arts Ecology

First Peoples Fund

First Peoples Fund supports the cultural, artistic, and ancestral practices of American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian artists, families, and communities, helping them to thrive, heal, and carry forward Indigenous creative expression, teachings, and lifeways.

• Project purpose

  First Peoples Fund takes an arts- and culture-based approach to advancing Native communities and economies, and developed the Indigenous Arts Ecology model to guide its work. This report examines the components of healthy, thriving arts ecosystems, in particular the artists and culture bearers at the heart and center, including families, communities, and tribes, and the community-based organizations that offer support and resources. The report also evaluated First Peoples Fund’s pilot Native Arts Economy Building grant program, aimed at strengthening the Indigenous Arts Ecology as a whole.

• Objectives

  • Explore the many dynamics of the Indigenous Arts Ecology and show how one element impacts another.

  • Highlight the wisdom gained in First Peoples Fund's 25 years of work in the field.

  • Share the potential in investing in the individuals and organizations that comprise the arts ecosystem.

  • Uplift, honor, and recognize Native artists and culture bearers as viable leaders in tribal communities and economies.

  • Assess the impacts of First People Fund's pilot grant program.

• Outcomes

  The finished report makes visible a potent investment opportunity to disrupt systemic inequities and help rebuild Native families and communities through art and culture. The in-depth evaluation of the pilot grant program demonstrated its effectiveness. Partners were able to develop services specifically for artists, and nearly double the percentage of their total artist clientele. The majority of artists surveyed pointed to these partners as critical sources of support. The results of this project showed that investing in the Indigenous Arts Ecology fuels the wave of cultural revitalization happening in Native communities across the country.

• Timeline

  Jan 2012–Jul 2013

• Project team

  Andrea Mader — Data collection and analysis

“First Peoples Fund is committed to reviving and awakening what is deeply ingrained in First Peoples by shining our light on artists and culture bearers so that through art and ancient traditions, they are able to lead and make our communities stronger and whole again.” —Lori Pourier, First Peoples Fund

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