First Peoples Fund announces 2025 fellowship recipients, awarding $300,000 to 30 Native artists nationwide
First Peoples Fund, a leading national organisation dedicated to uplifting Native American artists and culture bearers, is proud to announce the 2025 fellowship recipients. This year, nineteen (19) artists have been selected for the Artist in Business Leadership Fellowship, and eleven (11) have been awarded the Cultural Capital Fellowship. Each fellow will receive a $10,000 award along with yearlong professional development support. In an exciting expansion, the number of fellowships has grown, increasing direct funding to artists to an unprecedented $300,000, further strengthening the flourishing Indigenous Arts Ecology.
The Artist in Business Leadership (ABL) Fellowship empowers independent Native artists to transform their creative practices into thriving businesses by providing critical support through networking, training, and financial resources, fostering long-term success. Simultaneously, the Cultural Capital (CC) Fellowship uplifts artists dedicated to preserving ancestral knowledge and celebrating Indigenous heritage, ensuring these cultural traditions remain vibrant and enduring for future generations.
Justin Kíí Huenemann (Diné), President and CEO of First Peoples Fund, shares his excitement for FPF's new Native Performing Arts Program, "Native art thrives in countless forms, practices, and ideas. This year's cohort beautifully demonstrates that the artists themselves define Native art—and it is as powerful and diverse as they say it is." He adds, "Each year, I am inspired by the talent and vision our Cultural Capital and Artist in Business Leadership fellows bring to the world. It's a true honour to support and uplift these artists, knowing their work will continue transforming their communities and inspiring future generations."
Since its founding, First Peoples Fund has honoured over 438 artists from 146 tribes across 30 states and two Canadian provinces with fellowships. Beyond fellowships and grants, FPF uplifts the arts through artist workshops, community classes, youth programming, and nationwide partnerships. With over $10 million distributed since 1999, FPF champions Indigenous artists and their vital contributions. The 2025 Artist in Business Leadership and Cultural Capital Fellows exemplify the transformative power of supporting Indigenous artistry. Learn more about these cultural advocates and how you can help preserve Indigenous arts for future generations at firstpeoplesfund.org
2025 Artist in Business Leadership Fellows:
Orlando Allison (Hopi, Gila River), Kelly Back (Mohawks of Akwasasne), Avis Charley (Spirit Lake Dakota, Diné), Mariah Claw (Diné), Alayna Eagle Shield (Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and Three Affiliated Tribes), Leya Hale (Sisseton Wahpeton Dakota and Diné Nation), Ray "Rocky Boy" Janis (Oglala Lakota), Susan Jones (Orutsararmiut Traditional Native Council), Jaylee Lowe (Seminole and Muscogee), LaShawn Medicine Horn (Yankton Sioux), Jackie Fawn (Washoe of Nevada), Kate Nelson (Tlingit), Pamela J. Parker (Diné), Margarita Paz-Pedro (Pueblo of Laguna), Maya Peña (Santa Clara Pueblo), Kenneth Shirley (Diné), T.J. Keanu Tario (Native Hawaiian), Maggie Thompson (Fond du Lac Ojibwe), Brittany Turner (Haliwa Saponi).
2025 Cultural Capital Fellows:
Steven Arrowtopknot (Blackfeet Nation), Kansas Begay (Diné), Cecelia Bernice Bull Bear (Oglala Lakota), Nikki Corbett (Orutsararmiut Native Council AK), Kea Peters (Native Hawaiian), Addelina Lucero (Taos Pueblo, Yaqui, Chicana), Tiśina Ta-till-ium Parker (Yosemite Southern Sierra Miwuk, Kutzadika'a Mono Lake Paiute, Kashia Pomo, Coast Miwuk), Dylan Sanidad (Haida, Tlingit, Tsimshian), Theresa Secord (Penobscot Nation), Tash Terry (Diné), Ahnawake Toyekoyah (Kiowa).
The fellowships at First Peoples Fund receive generous support from several foundations. These include the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, the HRK Foundation, the Margaret A. Cargill Foundation, the McKnight Foundation, the Maxwell / Hanrahan Foundation and the California Wellness Foundation.
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