Pacific Northwest Cultural Arts Program | P19AS00259

Opportunity Information: Apply for P19AS00259

The Pacific Northwest Cultural Arts Program (Funding Opportunity Number P19AS00259) is a discretionary grant opportunity issued by the U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, focused on supporting Northwest Coast arts through a coordinated set of cultural, educational, and humanities-related activities. The program sits within CFDA 15.946 and is framed broadly around arts and cultural affairs, with a strong emphasis on building capacity, training artists, and strengthening cultural institutions and programming tied to the Northwest Coast region.

Although the eligibility category listed is nonprofits with IRS 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education), this particular announcement is not an open competition. It is explicitly a notice of intent to award to Sealaska Heritage Institute, meaning applications from any other organization will not be accepted. In other words, the posting functions more as a public notice describing the planned award than as a solicitation where multiple applicants can apply and be considered.

The project described centers on collaboration among Sealaska Heritage Institute, the Institute for American Indian Arts, and the University of Alaska Southeast to develop and support Northwest Coast arts. The planned activities are wide-ranging and include artist residencies and visiting artist engagements, which typically bring artists into communities or institutions for concentrated periods of creation, teaching, and public presentation. The program also includes arts campus development, suggesting investments in facilities, spaces, or program infrastructure that can host instruction, exhibitions, performances, and community events over the long term.

In addition to residencies and institutional development, the program plans hands-on learning opportunities such as workshops and structured mentor-apprenticeship experiences. Mentor/apprenticeships are often used in Indigenous and traditional arts contexts to support intergenerational knowledge transfer, strengthen technique and cultural practice, and help emerging artists build sustainable pathways under the guidance of established practitioners. The opportunity also includes art and museum scholarships, indicating direct support for education or professional development related to arts practice, curation, collections care, museum studies, or related fields.

Performing arts are part of the program scope as well, which may include dance, music, theater, or other performance traditions connected to Northwest Coast cultural expression. The project also plans a statewide artist meeting, which typically serves as a convening for networking, peer learning, collaboration planning, and identifying shared priorities across regions. Finally, guidance committee meetings are included, pointing to an organized governance or advisory structure to steer the work, coordinate partners, and maintain accountability to program goals and community needs.

Financially, the notice lists an award ceiling of $1,172,290 and anticipates a single award. The opportunity was created on June 11, 2019, with an original closing date of June 20, 2019, but since it is a notice of intent to award to a specified recipient, the closing date functions more as an administrative milestone than a true deadline for competitive submissions.

• The Department of the Interior, National Park Service in the arts (see cultural affairs in cfda), education, humanities (see cultural affairs in cfda) sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Pacific Northwest Cultural Arts Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.946.
• This funding opportunity was created on Jun 11, 2019.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 20, 2019 This is a notice of intent to award to Sealaska Heritage Institute. Applications will not be accepted from any other entity.. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $1,172,290.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education.

Apply for P19AS00259

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