The Alaska State Council on the Arts' mission is to foster the development of the arts for all Alaskans through education, partnerships, grants, and services.

The Master Artist and Apprentice Grant in Traditional Alaska Native Arts mission is to support and encourage the preservation and perpetuation of traditional Alaska Native art forms. Grants underwrite serious one-on-one study between an apprentice and a recognized master artist in any traditional Alaska Native art form. Art forms include visual arts, traditional crafts, music, dance, storytelling, song and the creation of traditional functional objects.

The Alaska State Council on the Arts places the highest priority on apprenticeships in which an apprentice will be studying within his/her own cultural traditions, and the majority of the grant funds are assigned to the Master artist's fee. The apprentice does not receive payment for their work.

MAA grant funds may not be used for the purchase of tools or equipment, academic scholarships or tuition assistance, high school or college level credit, the purchase of materials inventory, pay for studio rent, or to underwrite a business.

The Alaska State Council on the Arts believes learning within the immediate family should occur without the assistance of ASCA public arts funds. However, an MAA application may be considered if the Master artist and apprentice are immediate family, only if the skill and understanding of the art form or technology is traditionally transferred exclusively within a family or if the art form or technology is endangered. "Member of immediate family" is a person who is a spouse, sibling or blood relation up to and including the second degree of kinship (parents, grandparents, children and grandchildren, or a regular household member).

The apprentice is responsible for working with the Master Artist to prepare and submit the MAA application and support materials. Project documentation and final grant reporting is apprentice's sole responsibility. An MAA application must include required support materials or will be considered incomplete and ineligible for funding consideration. Support materials must include the artist's name, the title of the piece if this applies, description of the piece including the materials used, and the date the work was completed. Support materials that are not uploaded electronically must be postmarked by the posted grant deadline.

Visit the GoSmart system for full guidelines and application.

Contact Patti Lillie at 907-269-7978 or patti.lillie@alaska.gov with questions, concerns or for technical assistance; in particular, please contact us right away if the application materials and requested submission process present a barrier to access for an eligible applicant.