A Chilkat weaver, a Koyukon Dené and Iñupiaq carver, a poet, and a drummer are among 20 Alaska artists receiving $25,000 fellowships, each through the Rasmuson Foundation 2026 Individual Artist Awards. 

Fellowship awards support mid- to late-career artists with the resources to immerse themselves in a creative endeavor, to concentrate on their work, and to develop their artistry more fully. 

This year’s cohort includes artists from Homer, Juneau, Fairbanks, Bethel, Kasigluk-Tununak, Cohoe, Douglas, Yakutat, and Anchorage. They are working in wide-ranging disciplines, from literary arts and scriptworks, to visual arts, to folk and traditional arts; several recipients are working across multiple disciplines.  

“Alaska is home to so many deserving artists whose work reflects the opportunities, challenges, and experiences our state offers,” said Gretchen Guess, Rasmuson Foundation president and CEO. “It’s important that our artists find support and nurturing at every stage of their careers, as they continue to create art that speaks to the moment.”  

The Individual Artist Awards (IAA) program alternates annually between Project and Fellowship Awards and includes the Distinguished Artist Award, which is presented each year. A nationwide panel of 16 art professionals selects IAA recipients from applications received in early 2026. 

Earlier this week, Dena’ina and Unangun mixed media artist Rebecca Lyon was announced as the 2026 Distinguished Artist. Read more about her here. 

Since 2003, the Individual Artist Award program has invested more than $6.5 million in supporting the career development of Alaska artists. Project Awards will open in February 2027 for applications, with Fellowships returning in 2028. Artists can find program guidelines, eligibility criteria, and FAQs on our website. Awarded artists must wait three years before applying for a new Individual Artist Award.

2026 Rasmuson Foundation Individual Artist Award Fellowship recipients: 

  • Sydney Akagi, Juneau – Folk and Traditional Arts 
  • Renee Culp “Tl’aagunk,” Juneau – Folk and Traditional Arts 
  • Erin Ggaadimits Ivalu Gingrich, Anchorage and Cohoe – Visual Arts 
  • Ernestine Hayes, Juneau – Literary Arts/Scriptworks 
  • Erin Coughlin Hollowell, Homer – Literary Arts/Scriptworks 
  • Anna Hoover, Anchorage – Multidiscipline 
  • Lily Hope, Juneau – Folk and Traditional Arts 
  • Gail Jackson, Anchorage – Multidiscipline 
  • Rachael Juzeler, Douglas and Juneau – Crafts 
  • Nancy Lord, Homer – Literary Arts/Scriptworks 
  • Rose McAdoo, Anchorage – Multidiscipline 
  • Da-ka-xeen Mehner, Fairbanks – Visual Arts 
  • Don Rearden, Bethel and Anchorage – Literary Arts/Scriptworks 
  • Nadia Jackinsky-Sethi, Homer – Multidiscipline 
  • M.K. Thekkumkattil, Anchorage – Literary Arts/Scriptworks 
  • Michael Walsh, Homer – Media Arts 
  • Annie Wenstrup, Fairbanks – Literary Art/Scriptworks 
  • Tamara Wilson, Fairbanks – Visual Arts 
  • Ashley Young, Anchorage and Yakutat – Music/Music Composition 
  • Quki, Kasigluk-Tununak – Multidiscipline 

You can learn more about this year’s artists and previous recipients by visiting their artist profiles on our website.