All competitions · Grant / bursary
LIFT – Early Career Support for Native Artists (Native Arts & Cultures Foundation)
Native Arts & Cultures Foundation · Portland, Oregon, United States
Fifteen $15,000 awards per cycle for early-career Native artists (enrolled members of US federally or state-recognised tribes, or Native Hawaiian) to realise a new project; the 2026 round closed 19 March 2026 and the next call is pending.
Your eligibility
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Who can enter
- Location
- United States (by country of residence)
- Age
- 18 and over
- Career stage
- Emerging
- Mediums
- Any medium
- For
- Indigenous artists
- Practice
- Within the first 10 years
- Education
- Not open to anyone in full-time education
- Submission
- Online submission
- Also
- Enrolled members/citizens of US federally or state-recognised tribes or Alaska Native corporations, or Native Hawaiian ancestry; US residents 18+; fewer than ten years of artistic career; not enrolled in higher education during the award year.
About
LIFT – Early Career Support for Native Artists is a programme of the Native Arts & Cultures Foundation (NACF) that awards $15,000 to each of fifteen emerging Native artists to develop and publicly present a new project over one year, with at least $5,000 reserved for artist compensation and well-being. Awardees also receive professional development, mentorship, documentation and communications support.
Applicants must be at least 18, reside in the United States, be an enrolled member or citizen of a US federally or state-recognised tribe or Alaska Native corporation or of Native Hawaiian ancestry, have fewer than ten years of professional practice, and not be enrolled in higher education during the award period. Previous LIFT awardees and artists who have received $15,000 or more from a single funder are ineligible.
The 2026 cycle closed on 19 March 2026 (award period 1 August 2026 to 31 July 2027). Applications are currently closed; NACF advises watching for the next open call.