IPKA Fellowship
IPKA Fellowship Application + Overview
Fellow Award Amount: $20,000
Statement of Purpose:
The Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community of Oregon (CTGR) established the Indigenous Place Keeping Artist Fellowship (IPKA) in 2022. The Fellowship exists to develop Indigenous artist capacity within the Grand Ronde Tribe’s homelands. Art by Indigenous people is one of the most effective and recognizable ways that we as Indigenous people of place can hold a place in our homelands and further our own recognition and persistence. The Fellowship is seen as a means to develop artists resumes with an intent that artists who have been Fellows become more competitive for local, regional, and nationwide funding opportunities that will make an independent career as full time artist possible for more Indigenous people of this place.
Fellowship Details:
- Following a preliminary and simple application process, up to three applicants will be invited and compensated to create proposals outlining the work they would pursue if awarded an Indigenous Place Keeping Artist (IPKA) Fellowship. If selected, the Fellow will complete the work identified in their proposal during their Fellowship period.
- IPKA Fellows will visit the Grand Ronde Indian Reservation at least once to meet with Cultural Resources staff and community.
- Fellows will provide three status reports during Fellowship.
- Fellows will provide a presentation about your time as a Fellow with the following target audiences in mind: The Grand Ronde Tribal Council, Grand Ronde Tribal Community, and a non-tribal focused audience that the Tribe would benefit from their knowing more about place keeping work.
- Will write a blog post as a guest writer for the Chachalu website about your Fellowship, topic of your choosing.
- IPKA Fellowships are administered by the staff of the Grand Ronde Tribe’s Cultural Resources Department (CTGR-CRD). CTGR-CRD Manager or a designee serves as the IPKA Fellowship Administrator and is the official point of contact (POC) for Fellows.
- Review the Frequently Asked Questions document here for more information.
In addition, optional opportunities will include:
- Being extended an opportunity to collaborate on an Exhibit to take place at Chachalu Museum and Cultural Center.
- Invited to hold residencies at regional arts organizations such as Sitka Center for Art and Ecology on Cascade Head, just north of Lincoln City and 30 minutes by car from the Grand Ronde Indian Reservation.
(Please review the discussion in the Frequently Asked Questions IPKA Fellowship FAQ)
Selection Committee:
The selection committee may consist of the following as convened by the CTGR-CRD Manager or designated Fellowship Administrator who will serve as the Chair of the Selection Committee:
- A past IPKA Fellow
- A representative of an Oregon Arts Organization or Organization that Funds the Arts in Oregon
- A representative of the Grand Ronde Tribal Council
- A staff person from the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde or one of its affiliated tribal businesses or organizations
- A Grand Ronde Community Member
- CTGR-CRD Manager and/or Fellowship Administrator
Basic Qualifications/Eligibility/Selection Process:
The selection process for the IPKA Fellowship is expected to be very competitive. The application materials are designed to reveal remarkable capacity, accomplishments, and ability for future achievements by the applicant. Strong candidates will have demonstrated leadership qualities, a commitment to serve others and the skills required for a career as a successful artist.
- First preference in the selection of a given years first Fellow shall be given to enrolled members of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde (CTGR).
If there is no suitable applicant from CTGR or there is funding for more than one position, Fellows may be selected from individuals who can demonstrate a verifiable Indigenous connection to the ancestral peoples of Western Oregon from the lower Columbia River in the North all the way to the Klamath River in the South.
(Please review the discussion in the Frequently Asked Questions document for more on this)
- The applicant must be at least 21 years of age.
- The selection committee shall use its discretion in naming IPKA Fellows. Candidates are reviewed based on their professional, academic, and artistic background, as well as other accomplishments and a demonstrated interest in community building. Because the Fellowship is designed to nurture future artists, rather than to reward established artists, evidence of growth potential is also an essential criterion in the selection process.
- The selection committee shall have the discretion to not name IPKA Fellows for the year under consideration if it deems none of the applicants are suitably qualified.
- A subcommittee from the Selection Committee will review initial applications and select the top three - five candidates, who will then receive an invitation and guidelines for preparing a proposal within a three week period. The full selection committee will be convened to score proposals and if based on preliminary scores interviews are viewed as helpful to this process they will be scheduled to occur virtually through Zoom. After review of Fellowship candidates, individuals will be notified of their selection.
- Previous IPKA Fellows must wait five years from the end of a Fellowship period to be eligible again for additional IPKA Fellowship awards. If awarded in 2022, the next available year one could apply would be 2028. Candidates not selected are encouraged to keep applying.
Fellows are selected on the basis of artistic vibrancy, professional skill sets, as well as their demonstrated interest in community building and Indigenous resilience. Applicants must be adaptable, articulate and exhibit strong communication skills. A prospective Fellow must have a record of success, the ability to manage their time well, and communicate effectively.
Round 1
Applicants are required to submit the following application materials at the initial submittal:
- Application Form at the link below
- Answers to preliminary questions- no more than 150 words per response to each question:
- Describe your Indigenous connection to the ancestral people of Western Oregon?
- What work would being an IPKA Fellow allow you to do?
- How will you and your community benefit from the work you want to do?
- Detailed Resume (providing information about where you have shared your artworks or creative practice, awards, residencies, educational background, professional employment and activities, publications and presentations, committee and advisory group appointments/participation and community involvement)
- Artist Portfolio with at least five, no more than 10 examples of work
Round 2
Proposal Criteria will be outlined, if a candidate is invited to make a proposal. Proposals are intended to take less than twelve hours to prepare and compensation of $400 will be provided at the time a complete proposal is submitted. There is the possibility of interviews for Finalists before a Fellow is named.
Timeline:
November 17, 2025 - Applications open.
January 19, 2026 - Application Due Date - Applicants interested in being considered for this year's IPKA Fellowship must have their application received by CTGR-CRD staff on or before this date to be accepted.
February 2026 - Finalist Selection - Applicants are provided further guidelines and asked to prepare a proposal by TBD.
March 2026 - The selection panel evaluates proposals and meets to discuss.
March 2026 -Selection Notification - The applicants selected will be notified by phone and confirmed by letter. All other applicants will receive a phone call or letter informing them of their status. The selected applicants are required to complete the selection process by signing a Fellowship agreement provided by CTGR-CRD before their Fellowship begins
March 2026 - December 2026
- Fellow executes their proposal
- Reservation Visit- scheduled by the Fellow with assistance from the Fellowship Administrator.
- Meets with Chachalu staff to explore option of an exhibit (optional)
- Attends a residency (optional)
APPLICATION DUE DATE:
January 19, 2026 at 5 p.m. PDST
Please email questions to Mack McFarland
Email: mack.mcfarland@grandronde.org
Telephone: (503) 879-1888
Application Procedures:
To expedite the processing of your Fellowship application, please note the following:
- All materials submitted by the Applicant are non-returnable.
- CTGR-CRD may use materials for publicity or promotional purposes.
- Applicants will not be considered for the IPKA Fellowship if all required materials are not received by the application deadline.
- Applicant, by his or her participation in the IPKA Fellowship program, agrees to release and hold harmless the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community of Oregon, and their officers, directors, and staff, and all other entities arising out of your Fellowship. or travel to or from locations for said purpose.