Advocating for Indigenous Artists

Stephen Blanchett

For Alaska Native artist and culture bearer Stephen Blanchett (Yup’ik), a big draw of his new role as Senior Arts Manager for the Native Arts and Cultures Foundation (NACF) is the ability to connect with community and advocate for Native artists.

“What gives me the most joy in this work is offering a platform for Native artists to be able to tell their narrative,” he says.

“I hope to be able to help NACF grow and to be able to have more outreach into native communities, and to expand the types of arts that we’re funding.”

NACF works with American Indian, Native Hawaiian, and Alaska Native artists and communities to promote revitalization, appreciation, and perpetuation of Native arts and cultures across the United States.

Stephen brings more than 30 years of experience in community engagement having served in leadership roles at the Alaska Native Heritage Center, First Alaskans Institute and Pamyua Inc. He is also a musician and a traditional dancer, has produced music and film projects, and is a past NACF Artist Fellow and a recipient of the Rasmuson Foundation’s Artist Fellowship.

For Stephen, joining NACF as its Senior Arts Manager was a natural and logical next step in his life and career. He believes that his life and work experience have prepared him for this role and is looking forward to engaging with Native artists and communities.

“I’m looking at this role with an artist’s lens. I have the experience of an artist in my truth and my narrative,” he says. “It inspires me that I can be there for our people, and support their work in advancing native traditional and contemporary arts.”

Stephen was among the past NACF Fellows recognized at the 2016 National Fellows Honoring Dinner

In his role, Stephen is reaching out to different communities to offer his support and expertise. Recently, he traveled to Hawaii and New Mexico to connect with indigenous artists and start the conversation about applying for NACF funding.

“It’s such a competitive field: we receive hundreds and hundreds of submissions from across the nation, but can only give out a handful of awards,” says Stephen.

As part of Programs, Stephen will be overseeing NACF’s National Artist Fellowships and part of the Community Inspiration Program. Being a past NACF Artist Fellow himself, he is highly aware of the impact yielding from this kind of support, and is committed to offering continuous support to Native artists and communities.

“My goal is to help artists as much as I can, so I may set them up for success, and provide guidance so they may develop the best proposal,” he says.

Stephen describes himself as a global citizen whose Yup’ik roots guide his leadership and artistic vision. He is Yup’ik Inuit and African-American from the small community of Bethel, Alaska.

“Being born Alaska Native we have a responsibility to fight for our traditions and heritage,” says Stephen.

Meeting up with Arigon Starr, 2016 NACF National Fellow, at the Santa Fe Indian Market in New Mexico

Although his deep appreciation and love for his Yup’ik traditions have been pivotal to his work, Stephen also holds the philosophy that Alaska Native culture is not stagnant. If a culture does not adapt, as we have for thousands of years, it makes it difficult to thrive in its new environment.

“I come from mixed heritage. I grew up with very strong parents: a strong mother who was extremely proud of being Inuit, Yupik specifically. And African-American father who was equally as proud,” says Stephen.

Stephen says that his mixed Yup’ik and Black heritage caused polarization of his identities in his early years. Together with his brother Phillip, Stephen founded the band Pamyua, which blends Inuit drumdance melodies with R&B vocal styling and arrangements.

“Through Pamyua, we were able to bring together our two cultures and heritage through music and dance. It allowed us to lift up both sides of our background,” he says.

“It’s a powerful: to be able to help inspire people to be proud of who they are, completely.”

In his new role at NACF, Stephen is excited about the multitude of possibilities to help indigenous artists advance in their careers, while also increasing visibility and strengthening the reach of NACF across all indigenous communities.

“I would love to see NACF grow and be known as one of the premier organizations that support indigenous artists in the United States so that when people think of Native artists they think of NACF,” he states.

Watch this short video about Pamyua, the internationally recognized band that Stephen co-founded with his brother Phillip.