Native Art Fellowship

The Wyoming Arts Council introduced the Native Art Fellowship in 2021 as part of its on-going effort to increase support and recognition of Wyoming’s rich cultural arts and traditions.

Honoring the excellence and cultural impact of Native artists in Wyoming

The Native Art Fellowship is a $5,000 award of merit honoring the work of Native artists based in Wyoming. Open to artists across all disciplines—including visual, literary, performing, and folk/traditional arts—this competitive fellowship is based on the strength of the artist’s portfolio and is intended to recognize exceptional artistry, elevate visibility, and celebrate cultural heritage. Up to two fellowships are awarded annually.

History of this Fellowship

The Native Art Fellowship was introduced in 2021 as part of the Wyoming Arts Council’s continued effort to support and recognize the state’s rich and diverse cultural traditions. Designed specifically for Native artists, this fellowship helps raise the profile of Wyoming-based Indigenous creatives and uplifts the stories and art forms rooted in tribal identity and expression.

Grant Guidelines

$5,000 award of merit for each selected artist
Open to Native artists based in Wyoming across any artistic discipline
Applicants must be enrolled members or lineal descendants of a federally or state recognized tribe, or Alaska Native/Native Hawaiian
Juried by established Native artists from outside Wyoming
Up to two fellowships awarded per year; honorable mentions may also be named
Recipients receive support in identifying a venue to showcase their work
Fellowship applications must be submitted via Submittable.com

Eligibility and Funding Requirements

Before applying, all applicants must review the Wyoming Arts Council’s Grant Guidelines to ensure eligibility and understand the application process.

Eligibility

Applicants must be an enrolled/citizen member or lineal descendant of a federally recognized tribe, a state recognized tribe, or be an Alaska Native or Native Hawaiian. If selected for the fellowship, you may be asked to provide a copy of a Tribal ID, letter of descendancy, or Certificate of Degree of Indian Blood (CDIB). If your tribe is not federally or state recognized you will be asked to provide more detailed information.
Must be at least 18 years of age at time of application.
Must not be a full-time student pursuing high school, college, or university art-related degrees.
Must be a U.S. citizen or have legal resident status (evidence of U.S. citizenship, resident status and state residency may be required).
May not be affiliated with the Wyoming Arts Council either as a board member or staff member, including their families, whether full-time, part-time or contractual.
May not be an employee of the Department of State Parks and Cultural Resources.
Must be a Wyoming resident, living in the state for at least 10 months of the year.
May receive a total of two fellowship awards in your lifetime.
You may choose to be automatically considered for the WAC fellowships in Creative Writing, Visual Arts, and Performing Arts, but you can only receive one Fellowship per year.
You may enter the competition only once by the deadline.

What if you win an award?

You’ll receive $5,000 up front.
You’ll sign a contract that verifies you’re eligible to receive this award.
You’ll need to supply a bio and a photograph for publicity.
The Arts Council will work with you to find an appropriate venue or showcase to publicly share your work.
You will retain all rights to this work and the work you produce during the grant period.
You must create an impact statement, due August 31, 2025, sharing how this award helped you and what you accomplished during the year you received it.
You may be asked to provide a copy of a Tribal ID, letter of descendancy, or Certificate of Degree of Indian Blood (CDIB). If your tribe is not federally or state recognized you will be asked to provide more detailed information.

Submission Guidelines

Your name must not appear anywhere on your application.
Do not send supplementary materials (letters, resumes, etc.)
You may submit up to 10 work samples. Samples can be a combination of multiple art forms. Image, video, audio, and document files will be accepted.
If submitting a writing sample, you may only upload ONE manuscript, up to 25 pages in length, typed, double-spaced using a 12-point standard font. If submitting poetry, only one poem is allowed per page and the double-spaced requirement is waived. For a book excerpt, you may provide a synopsis, but it will be included in the 25-page limit. You may submit more than one piece of writing, as long as you don’t exceed the 25-page limit. Pages must be numbered; include title of work and page number on each page.
If submitting performance-based work, you may submit original works or performances of other works (not original). Fellowships are awarded to an individual; however work samples of group performances will be accepted for demonstrative purposes as long as the individual applicant is clearly identified in the description.
Other work samples can include: experimental (conceptual/new media), graphic (printmaking/book arts), painting, sculpture, installation, photography (includes experimental, color, black & white, photocopy and computer), clay, fiber, glass, leather, metal, paper, plastic, wood, mixed media, film or video, beadwork, quillwork, regalia, ledger art, other traditional forms. Up to two images may be detail images, if appropriate. Jurors will only be required to watch up to 10 minutes of a film/video submission.

Eligibility and Funding Requirements