Funding will support sealaska heritage institute s northwest coast arts development and training program

The Department of the Interior National Park Service Alaska Region awarded a $1,279,640 Project Grant to Sealaska Heritage Institute, Inc. on August 1, 2025, under the Native Hawaiian and Alaska Native Culture and Arts Development program (CFDA 15.071). This award supports the Northwest Coast Arts Development and Training Program through a collaborative partnership between Sealaska Heritage Institute, the Institute of American Indian Arts, and University of Alaska Southeast. The program delivers enhanced Northwest Coast art instruction, collaborative academic offerings, and comprehensive arts enrichment initiatives designed to serve Alaska Native students and participants nationwide through December 31, 2030.

The funded program provides instructional opportunities in traditional and contemporary Northwest Coast arts, including traditional carving and visual arts practices reflective of Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian cultures. Key program components include master artist mentorships, workshops, curriculum development integrating indigenous knowledge with broader academic offerings, and artist residency opportunities. By leveraging partnerships with the congressionally-chartered Institute of American Indian Arts and University of Alaska Southeast, the program aims to establish sustainable pathways for cultural knowledge transfer, expand access to specialized arts training, and create educational resources that promote Northwest Coast artistic traditions across Alaska and nationally.

The northwest coast arts development and training program provides enhanced northwest coast art programs, instructional opportunities, collaborative academic offerings, and overall enrichment of northwest coast art for alaska students and across the nation. The sealaska heritage institute, the congressionally-chartered insitute of american indian arts, and the university of alaska southeast entered into a MOA to accomplish these objectives with support from the alaska native and native hawaiian culture and arts development grant program.