The Alaska Native Arts Foundation (ANAF) is a charitable organization formed in September 2002 to introduce Alaska Native art to a wider, appreciative audience, thereby informing more people about Alaska Native people, cultures, and artwork. These aims combined with artist development and education, and encouraging cultural and economic sustainability form the framework of the Foundation's activities.

Over the last several months, members of ANAF's board have laid groundwork for the organization and traveled around Alaska, developing an inventory and relationships with artists. The Foundation is now moving into higher gear with special activities designed to target potential buyers in new markets, combining informative events with sales of ANAF's carefully selected collection.

These activities include a collaboration with the Alaska State Council for the Arts and various New England museums to restore and exhibit "Eskimo Dolls," a collection of Inupiat, Yup'ik, Cup'ik, and St. Lawrence Island Yupik dolls in several museums on the East Coast during July and August. Next a large reception is scheduled for September 18, 2003 at Neiman Marcus Tysons Galleria in the greater Washington, D.C. area, to be followed by a week of public sales of Alaska Native art. Also in the works is the re-editing and screening of a short film on the Alaska Native experience.

An important component of the Foundation's goals is the development of a sophisticated Web site with strong educational and artist outreach components, through which individuals will be able to make secure purchases of artwork. This site will be fully functional by 2004.

Development of artist advancement and cultural educational efforts are in progress, and the Foundation is engaged in active discussion on how best to utilize resources.

Members of ANAF's board of governors include Alaska Native artists who understand art and past efforts to market Native art, Native business and community leaders, people with a broad understanding of Alaska, and people with established connections to new potential markets.

· Susie Bevins - Barrow/Anchorage, AK
· Perry Eaton - Anchorage, AK
· Willie Hensley - Kotzebue/Juneau/Anchorage, Alaska / Arlington, VA
· Sonya Kelliher Combs - Nome/Anchorage, AK
· Barbara Overstreet - Arlington, VA
· Alice Rogoff Rubenstein- Bethesda, MD
· Gail Schubert - Unalakleet/Anchorage, AK (counsel)
· Veronica Slajer - Ketchikan/Juneau/Anchorage, Alaska / McLean, VA
· Terri Ellis Smith - Ketchikan/Juneau/Anchorage, AK

ANAF also has a very important artist advisory board to guide the board toward artistic excellence and better understanding of the needs of the artists in Alaska. This board consists of Alaska Native artists who represent each geographical region and culture of Alaska. Foundation staff is, and will remain, small and streamlined with representation in Alaska and in the Washington, D.C. area.

In April 2003 ANAF became the proud recipient of its first grant, which will assist in development of the Web site and in general awareness building. The one-time grant of $250,000 was sponsored by Senator Stevens in the federal budget which was the result of an idea initiated by the U.S. Department of Commerce Export Assistance office in Anchorage to help create new markets outside of Alaska for Alaskan artists' work. The foundation has begun aggressive private fundraising to build on momentum generated in the last year.

For more information about the Alaska Native Arts Foundation, please visit our Web site: www.alaskanativearts.org or contact:

Priscilla Hensley (202) 262-7742
priscilla@alaskanativearts.org

Gretchen Sagan (907) 350-0324
gretchen@alaskanativearts.org