Supporting Native Arts and Artists

Individual Artist and Mentorship Grants

Learn More about the Native Creative Development Program

SIAM Grants for Colleges and Universities

Learn about the SIAM Grants

The Northwest Heritage Program focuses on working in partnership with Federally Recognized tribal communities and cultural communities to develop culturally-based art workshops.

The program partners with cultural and heritage departments, organizations and artists of federally recognized Tribes who would like to have resources to support the teaching and learning of cultural arts, with an emphasis on customary arts, and a focus on intergenerational sharing of artistic knowledge.

We have supported the teaching and learning of cultural arts in the Pacific Northwest focused on Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana Tribes.

The Northwest Heritage art workshops can be in any art form that is important to the community. Previous art workshops have included: sturgeon nose and shovel nose canoe building, corn husk basket weaving, moccasin making, plateau dressmaking, Klickitat basket making, clam digging and Blackfeet' traditional willow backrest.

Examples of Tribal partnerships include Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis, Confederated Tribes of the Colville, Yakama Nation, Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla, Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, Burns Paiute Tribe and Blackfeet Nation.

Examples of institutions we have partnered with include Yakama Nation Museum, Yakima Valley Museum, Northwest Museum of Art and Culture, Washington State History Museum, Museum at Warm Springs, Oregon College of Art and Crafts, Columbia Gorge Discovery Center and Museum and the Museum of the Plains Indian.

We are honored to continue the work of strengthening cultural artistic traditions through the transfer of intergenerational knowledge in cultural arts to future generations.

Available grants are up to $6,000 per workshop, per year.

Projects should focus on contracts with master artists, supplies and materials. It may include space rental and support for meals during the workshop.

Projects may be held over a period of several weeks and may include multiple sessions over several seasons to accommodate appropriate gathering and preparation of materials.

Projects can be matched with other funding sources from institutional, state, and national resources.

Materials Required

• Letter of interest specifically addressing:
  • Project description
  • Measurable objectives and the activities proposed to meet those objectives
• If Tribes have identified master artists for the project, include:
  • Artist(s) name
  • Images of work samples
  • Tribal affiliation
  • Importance to the art form
• Proposed Budget with general line items of expected expenditures.

Expectations

Awarded projects will be expected to submit a W-9 outlining who receives the funding.

Participant evaluations for the activities during the workshop will need to be submitted. Evaluations from the master artist(s) documenting having met the goals and objectives of the workshop are also required. Photos and documentation of activities are encouraged.

Successful workshops will demonstrate deeper learning of cultural arts, offering an immersive experience to learn the work within cultural contexts offered by the master artist.

Materials can be e-mailed to:

• Linley Logan, Northwest Heritage Program Specialist, loganl@evergreen.edu
• Laura VerMeulen, Longhouse Director, vermeull@evergreen.edu

Questions can be directed via e-mail or phone (360) 867-6413.

Why Write an Artist Statement?

Artist statements are fundamental components of your work within the world of art. Why? Artist Statements give the viewer some background on the work, you as the artist, and why you created the piece. A quality piece of artwork will always pique the interest of viewers on its own. However, providing an artist’s statement for your work grounds the piece in the context you provide.

If you are submitting your work to a museum or gallery show, for a grant or other opportunity, a written artist’s statement will likely be required. A good piece of artwork raises many questions – the viewers will inevitably want to know more about the work and you as the artist. A quality artist statement will help do just that.

What are the Elements of a Strong Artist’s Statement?

An artist statement can be about a single work of art, a body of work, or about you as an artist and why or how you make your artistic decisions. An artist statement of high quality will introduce the viewer – in as few words as possible – to the thought processes, themes or cultural context the work was created in. For example, suppose the artist statement describes a basket you have woven. In that case, you may want to discuss the method you chose, the patterns or style of weaving, the material used and why these elements are important to the finished work. If your piece tells a story, or if there is a story behind the creation of your piece, you can tell it concisely in your artist statement. If the work involved research, you can talk about your methods and your findings. If your biographical information is meaningful to the work, include it. An artist statement allows you to clarify artistic choices, such as colors, shapes, textures, methods you have used, etc., and discuss why they are essential.

Questions to Consider

You may want to consider some of the questions below when writing your artist statement. Some questions may, or may not, apply to the work.

• What inspired you to create the work?
• Why or how did you choose the title of the work?
• What medium(s) did you use and why?
• How did you get started in your medium?
• Who influences your work?
• How did you determine the size or scale of the work?

It can be both rewarding and challenging to do direct sales with the public. On the one hand you get immediate feedback about your work. On the other hand, you may not cover your investment with sales. Shoppers walk past your booth and may not stop at all, or look briefly and keep going. What are the reasons customers do this? And how can you encourage them to stop at your booth?  

Potential customers may like your artwork, but they may not see it in a way that allows them to appreciate it. So you have to think about how you display your art to catch the eye of people who might be looking at identical tent after tent.

Large markets, including pow wows, both outdoors and indoors, provide a good draw for potential customers but it also can overwhelm shoppers with too much choice. How do you make your space one of the places people visit?

Displaying Your Art

No matter how experienced a person is, walking around the market to visit other booths, and visiting other markets always provides an opportunity to think about your own strategies in new ways. Make note of what appeals to you, and what draws your attention. What made you stay at some booths? What made you walk past others? Pay attention to how an artist arranges their space. Some stand behind a table with items placed between themselves and the customers. Others move tables around, and add their own tables and invite you into their shop. Even within those two choices, people offer a variety of ways to encourage customers to take a closer look at their art.

Works can be easily viewed all at once, or draw you in to discover pieces that couldn’t be seen clearly from the walkway. The booth can be sparsely stocked, fully stocked with varying points to rest your eyes, or so full of works that you feel overwhelmed by the display. How the work is displayed is one element of what makes an artist successful at markets.

Everyone displays their work differently. The idea is to let buyers discover pieces, rather than seeing everything you have in one glance. Successful artists provide varying levels for 3-D items and create interest by creating a space that feels like a tiny store, rather than simply laying works flat on a table or putting everything in a flip file.  Obviously, people will always do some of that, but it’s good to vary the height and the way people will find the works you have to offer.

Some artists invest a small fortune in professional portable walls, gallery lights, racks, and display cases. They invest in fabric walls that can be set up and broken down at markets with lights, shelving systems, bins and even pedestals. Such a system can send the message that your artwork is serious and merits the fair prices you are asking, not because people notice the walls, lights and pedestals, but because these things make your work stand out and look great.

Affordability

What if you don’t have a lot of money for booth displays? There are some great examples of DIY ideas that display work in unique and inexpensive ways at an art fair without investing thousands of dollars.

Ceara Lewis is a vendor at our Native Art Market and shares these displays ideas. "My business name is Ceara By the Sea so I want my table to represent that. I grew up on the Oregon coast tucked in the trees so I have some displays that look like trees but I mix in shells and driftwood that make it feel like a beach atmosphere. At the center of my table I have an old tablecloth that is a map of Alaska. Since I am Alaskan Native it is important for me to be able to point to the village I return to every summer with my family. I can also share that is where I get the porcupine quills that are found in a lot of my jewelry. I found that having different ways of displaying at different levels invites people to step in and take a deeper look. People like to look at my jewelry at eye level and then move down throughout the table. I make sure I have a mirror so customers are able to see what the jewelry looks like on them. I try to make it as inviting as I can with my business cards displayed."

Connecting with the Customer

While the first thing any patron will notice is the work itself, forming some connection to the artist might be what inspires them to purchase it. The very best way to do that is through personal connection, or talking with customers about your work and answering their questions about the pieces, your body of work, or even who you are. Artists can’t speak with everyone all at once and so having some printed information about you and your work is helpful as well.  Buyers want to feel great about having purchased your work and having it in their home. How you interact with them, the expressions on your face, the public’s perception of your approachability all play a role—even if you do not directly talk with the customer. 

Artist Biography and Promotion

Providing an artist biography with each piece is an excellent way to provide the written information. The term “biography” might make your artistic eyes glaze over, but think about it as a way to personally be in control over the most important things someone should know about you as the artist. Many artists have a photo of themselves at the start of a short 100-200 word biography. If you are enrolled in your Tribal nation, be sure to say that in the way that people from your nation customarily identify themselves. That might include the official name of the tribe, your clan, family, region, etc. Talk about what compels you to do your art and the ideas you like to explore. You can state how long you have been an artist or how long you have been a professional artist, or if you come from a long line of artists. Looking at other artist’s biographies is also enlightening.

It is also a good idea to have postcards, and/or business cards on hand that have your name, a short description of what you sell and a way for people to contact you. If you use social media, or a website, it would be great to include that information and how they can find you, or follow you in case they want to purchase more art.

Printed material that has a cohesive message about you and your artwork communicates to the customer that you are professional and will be easy to do business with. Consider having an image of your artwork on the materials, or some portion of a signature piece you’ve created. Use that graphic on the business cards, postcards, letterhead and to brand your presence on social media and/or your website.

Range of Prices

Consider having different price points for customers. In a busy schedule, it likely is already hard to find the time you need to make the art work you love to make. If you are nervous about covering gas, booth fees, meals and even lodging, selling your appropriately priced work, then you can consider having smaller pieces that will be inviting to people who have $50.00 or less to spend. It isn’t unusual for artists to bring their high end works to a show to draw people in, but the bread and butter for the day might be from something else they make. What that means to you and how you incorporate it to maintain your artistic integrity will be different than it will be for the artist in the next booth over.

One Maori weaver we know makes paper out of her bits and pieces of weaving materials. The paper is often incorporated into her fine art exhibitions. Another artist from the Northwest, makes small fired clay pins in addition to offering his sculptural works. A mother/daughter artist team makes a variety of sewn objects and small beaded objects in addition to their more complex works. Many artists apply images of their original works onto clothing. Not everyone can afford your best works. With some customers, offering smaller objects could be a way to build a future customer who can buy the bigger works.

Educate your Buyers

People who come to art markets or galleries can include collectors who are deeply familiar with art forms, or artists who practice a particular kind of art and have deep knowledge of how the work is produced. On the other hand, customers can include people who are new to appreciating art and they may have no information on how you produced your work, or how you may have prepped materials. They may be new to looking at art in general. They want to learn more, but don’t want to seem like they don’t know much.  They may be new to your type of art. Or they are nervous about paying a lot for work, or even don’t have the money to buy the work they want.

How can you help people who might be intimidated feel more confident? What were the questions you had about your medium when you were just starting out? What is special about the way you produce your pieces? What is unique about your artistic message? How much do you charge for your work? Think of ways you can incorporate some of this information in your printed materials, or your booth information. Consider making it easier for potential patrons to understand the answers to questions they may have, but might be shy about asking you. Maybe even having a friendly sign that invites people to ask you questions about your art.

Everyone who comes to a market has a certain amount of money that they are willing to spend, either at that market or on artwork for the month or even the year. Maybe they came to this market specifically to make that rare purchase. If none of your works has any indication of the price, customers may be reluctant to engage you in a conversation about what you charge. They may assume that the price is really high, so they immediately decide the work is out of their reach. They may actually be worried about hurting your feelings if they cannot afford your work and walk away. This might be really difficult to believe because every artist also has the opposite experience when customers challenge the price you have, or try to bargain with you for a lower cost using unpleasant tactics. Posted prices might encourage some and deflect the bargainer too.

Prints can be very confusing for customers. There are different kinds of print-making and many people don’t understand all the terms, or why one process is more expensive than another. Many people will not know the difference between a giclée and a monotype. Many people don’t know that print-making is art and really do believe it is like printing posters and not “serious” like, say, painting. So when someone calls your prints “posters” you’ll want to find a gentle way to help them understand what you do.

With work like weaving, some customers may not be familiar with the labor and art involved in gathering and preparing materials, the preparation and use of natural dyes, or if a type of material used is rare. If you collect your own materials you may want to include photos in your booth that show you out collecting cedar bark, digging up spruce root, or prepping any number of the materials you use. The photos are good conversation starters and may remind customers about what artists do before they even start working on an art piece. If you are a textile weaver who hand spins yarns, and/or hand dyes them you very much want to make that information known.

Artists who help customers understand their artwork, and help people feel good about the purchase, help to build a loyal customer for future purchases. Writing about your artwork helps you refine your creative message and even direction. It also increases your professional presentation and even the value of your work. While it may not always be apparent, customers notice you and your work. For artists, it can feel like a whole separate career to consider things like display, written materials, and pricing, but it really is part of the same process.

Pricing

Speaking of pricing, you will want to make it easy for someone to purchase work from you.  Customers who have a variety of ways that they can pay for work may be more willing to look through your work.  There are a variety of ways to take credit cards now that do not require an expensive arrangement with a bank, including www.propay.com, www.paypal.com, and www.squareup.com. Paypal has a card reader for smartphones as does Square up. Propay offers card readers and also devices that you can use with your phone.