College Fund Receives $1 Million Traditional Arts Grant

Apr 6, 2017 | Blog

Butch Thunderhawk, 61, (Dakota) an enrolled member of the Standing Rock Tribe, gives a horse effigy workshop on the campus of United Tribes Technical College, in 2015.

Butch Thunderhawk, 61, (Dakota) an enrolled member of the Standing Rock Tribe, gives a horse effigy workshop on the campus of United Tribes Technical College, in 2015.

April 6, 2017, Denver, Colo.—The American Indian College Fund has received a $1 million grant to continue its Restoration and Preservation of Traditional Native Art Forms and Knowledge program at tribal colleges and universities (TCUs). The program is expanding knowledge and skills at these institutions across the country while also placing endangered art forms at the center of its focus.

Traditional clay basket-making

Traditional woodland pottery-making at White Earth Tribal and Community College.

The program also places elders in TCU classrooms, giving them the opportunity to teach endangered art forms and share their knowledge, experiences, and stories with younger generations. Apprentices and artists-in-residence have the opportunity to learn cultural knowledge first-hand from these master artists.

TCUs in Minnesota, Wisconsin, North Dakota, and South Dakota are eligible to apply to participate. Applications are available by contacting Bridget Skenadore, Native Arts and Culture Projects Coordinator, at bskenadore@collegefund.org. Deadline for application is May 5, 2017.

The generous grant is funded by the Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies.

Download the press release here. 

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