2026 Artist in Business Leadership Application

2026 ARTIST IN BUSINESS LEADERSHIP FELLOWSHIP GUIDELINES 

The Artist in Business Leadership (ABL) Fellowship is a yearlong program that helps independent Native artists leverage art-making as a way to build or grow a business to support themselves and their families. Participants in this self-directed fellowship are offered grant funding for business needs, network-building opportunities, and professional development guidance. 

As part of the application process, artists submit a proposal of what, if selected, they would accomplish during their fellowship year that will help them launch, grow, and/or sustain their arts business. Artists accepted into the program receive a $10,000 grant to be used towards their proposed activities during their fellowship year.

Applications are open to artists at all stages of their career, and all art mediums are eligible for this fellowship with the exception of live performing arts. The Native Performing Arts Fellowship program is the appropriate opportunity for artists who regularly perform live as part of their arts business or creative practice (this includes theater, music, dance, live performance, spoken word and more). 

Artist in Business Leadership Fellowships will be awarded to applicants who:

• Show a commitment to increasing their skills and knowledge in support of their arts-based business or creative practice.
• Have demonstrated an ability to set and accomplish goals related to their arts-based business or creative practice.
• Desire access to new resources, markets, and/or funding opportunities in order to strengthen their business and/or further their economic self-sufficiency. 

TIMELINE

• Application Opens: Monday, June 9, 2025 at 8:00 am MDT
• Application Closes: Wednesday, July 16, 2025 at 6:00 pm MDT
• All applicants will be notified if they have been invited to participate in the 2026 ABL Fellowship Program by (or on) Monday, December 1, 2025.
• 2026 ABL Fellowship recipients will be publicly announced in January 2026.

       PROGRAM OVERVIEW

• Proposals: For this self-directed fellowship, applicants are asked to create a proposal centered around two (2) primary goals that they would like to accomplish during their fellowship year. They will be asked  to describe the activities, resources, and costs related to achieving these primary goals. 
• Funding: 90% (or $9,000) will be disbursed once initial paperwork and orientation measures are completed. The remaining 10% (or $1,000) will be disbursed in December 2026 upon completion of closing measures. 
• Convening: Selected artists should expect to attend an annual fellowship convening where all FPF fellows are brought together for a multi-day event. This is normally held in the spring. Past convening locations have included Santa Fe, Phoenix, and Minneapolis.
• Reporting: Fellows are asked to complete Orientation Measures and Closing Measures at the beginning and end of their fellowship year and can anticipate having at least two calls or virtual meetings with program staff to discuss their fellowship activities.  
• Resources: While this is a self-directed fellowship, program staff is available to offer support and guidance upon request, and can potentially provide fellows with internal FPF professional development materials if applicable, as well as direct them to additional external online resources. Occasional virtual presentations and networking opportunities may also be offered during the fellowship year. 
• Fellowship window: If selected, all fellowship proposal activities must take place between January 1, 2026 - December 31, 2026.
• Number of Fellowships: The number of ABL fellowships awarded each year may vary based on available funding. In 2025, nineteen ABL fellows were selected from over 130 applications received.

ELIGIBILITY

• A Native artist who either owns or is launching an active art-centered business, or who is seeking to grow and improve business aspects of their income-producing creative practice.
• Must be at least 18 years of age at the time of application.
• Must reside and be based within the U.S. 

          -  Applicants who reside outside of the U.S. are ineligible to apply. 

• Applicants must be an enrolled member of, or provide proof of lineal descendancy from, a U.S. federally-recognized or U.S. state-recognized tribe, or be able to provide proof of ancestry as an Alaska Native or Native Hawaiian.

          -  For more information about acceptable documents, please click here. 

• Applicants may not be enrolled in any academic, degree seeking program.
• Native artists working in a wide variety of mediums are welcome to apply. 

          -  Artists whose primary mediums are within the performing arts field should apply to 

             the Native Performing Arts (NPA) Fellowship. This includes theater, music, dance, 

             live performance, spoken word and more. 

• Recipients of any 2025 First Peoples Fund (FPF) fellowships are not eligible to apply for the 2026 ABL Fellowship. 
• Previous grantees with any First Peoples Fund programs must have submitted a final report for any awarded FPF grants. 

APPLICATION PROCESS

A best practice when applying for any opportunity is to read through all of the information provided before starting to fill out an application.     

Applications must be completed online in Submittable and received before the listed due date and time. Applications sent via email or postal mail will not be considered. 

For an overview of the application questions and attached files please click here.

Below is a list of the files you will need to upload for a completed application:  

• Proof of Tribal Affiliation
• Reference Letter 
• Artist Resume or CV
• Up to 8 Artwork Samples
• Artwork Sample Descriptions* (see note below)
• Artist Photo or Headshot

*UPDATE - The Artwork Sample Descriptions is no longer required as a separate document. Instead, applicants will be asked to enter four pieces of information about each file uploaded: Title, Medium, Year, and Description.
 

SELECTION PROCESS

• Program staff will conduct a technical review of applications.
• A national selection committee will review applications that meet program requirements and eligibility. 
• Committee members are typically Native artists and/or culture bearers, past ABL Fellowship alumni, and other members of the Native arts and culture field. 
• The final number of ABL and CC Fellowships awarded is determined based on total available funding and number of applicants. 
• Final ABL Fellowship award decisions are based on selection committee recommendations and any relevant funding restrictions. 

SELECTION ANNOUNCEMENT: Applicants will be notified in December 2025

QUESTIONS?

Contact Fox Spears via email at: fox@firstpeoplesfund.org