FY28 Nevada Heritage Fellowship Award Guidelines
Substantive Changes Summary: FY27 vs FY28 NHF Guidelines
Annual Updates:
- Application Open and Close Dates: The FY28 application open and close dates are still on the first weekday of March and May, respectively, in 2027.
Clarifications:
- Application Narrative Questions: The intent of these questions remains the same, but the wording has been changed to help the applicant in their application writing. For example, “Artistic Work Description” will be changed to “Art Form Description” for clarity.
- Letters of Community Support: Two to five letters of community support were also required in the FY27 cycle. This requirement has not changed, but it is stated explicitly in the Resources section.
Changes:
- Removal of Named Staff Contacts: FY28 replaces direct staff contacts with a centralized Contact Us form.
- Traditional Artist Eligibility: In FY27, a “traditional bearer,” which is inclusive of those engaging in community work but not traditional artists themselves, was an eligible applicant. In FY28, only “traditional artists,” for which a definition is provided in the Traditional Artist Definition section, will be eligible to apply.
FY28 Nevada Heritage Fellowship Guidelines
Award Snapshot
APPLICATION OPEN: March 1, 2027, at 8 a.m. PT
APPLICATION DEADLINE: May 3, 2027, at 5 p.m. PT
ELIGIBILITY: Traditional artist, Nevada resident, 21 years or older, non-student
AWARD AMOUNT: $5,000.00*
REQUIRED MATCH: No match required
CONTACT: If you have any questions, please fill out this Contact Us form and select “Folklife” program area.
How the Program Works
The Fiscal Year 2028 (FY28) Nevada Heritage Fellowship from the Nevada Arts Council recognizes traditional artists living in Nevada whose body of work has contributed to Nevada’s traditional arts heritage. The Nevada Heritage Fellowship is awarded as an honorarium and does not need to be used for any specific expenses or projects. Applications for specific projects should be submitted to the Folklife Artist Grant. By acknowledging outstanding cultural and artistic accomplishments across a body of work, the program promotes public awareness and appreciation of the role of traditional arts in our society.
Traditional Artist Definition:
- Is actively perpetuating and disseminating their community’s traditional artistic practices
- Learned their art form through active engagement with community members
- Practices an art form whose values and standard of excellence have been passed from generation to generation within their community
Eligibility
Eligibility requirements must be met at the time of application.
Individuals:
- Must be a current Nevada resident and have been in residence for at least one year prior to the date of the grant application
- Must be a U.S. citizen or have legal permanent resident status
- Must be at least 21 years old
- Must not be enrolled as degree-seeking student in a field related to the type of grant for which they are applying
- Traditional artists applying for a Nevada Heritage Fellowship must be actively practicing in the discipline
- Artists who have previously received two Nevada Heritage Fellowships from the Nevada Arts Council are ineligible
- Applicants may only apply for one Fellowship (Artist Fellowship Award or Nevada Heritage Fellowship) per Fiscal Year
Allowable Costs and Restrictions
Awarded funds will be disbursed upon receipt of the signed awardee documents. The Nevada Heritage Fellowship does not need to be used for any specific expenses or projects and is awarded to the artist as an award. Applications for specific projects should be submitted to the Folklife Artist Grant.
Review Process/Criteria
A review panel will adjudicate eligible applications using the criteria below and make funding recommendations to the Nevada Arts Council Board. Nevada Heritage Fellowship applicants are evaluated using a concealed review process where each applicant is identified by a number for the purpose of panel discussion. For more information, please see the Grant Review Process in the current Grant and Award Policies.
- Clear demonstration of the artist’s excellence within their tradition (10 pts)
- Clear demonstration of the artist’s significance within their tradition (10 pts)
- Evidence of artistic impact or contribution to living cultural heritage (10 pts)
Reporting Requirements
To stay in compliance and remain eligible for future Nevada Arts Council grants or awards, grantees must submit the Final Report by the deadline stated in the award packet.
How to Apply
- Review the current Grant and Award Policies for additional information about the requirements associated with Nevada Arts Council grants. Award terms and conditions are subject to changing state and federal regulations during the grant period of performance. The Nevada Arts Council will post and inform awardees of any changes if/as soon as they are available.
- Complete the application online.
Resources
Before filling out this application, gather the following narratives and support materials to make the process easier:
- Unexpired ID and proof of residency
- Narrative questions, such as:
- Applicant Statement
- Art Form Description
- Artistic Work Samples Description
- Additional support material, such as:
- Artistic work samples: At least five and no more than 10 artistic work samples from the traditional art form for which you are applying
- Two to five letters of community support
Review additional resources for applicants.
If you need translation or language assistance, please contact the Grants Program at [email protected]
*Requested and awarded award amount is subject to change based upon available funding, review criteria, and Nevada Arts Council Board approval.
