Virginia Native Arts Alliance
About Us
We are a small, deeply collaborative team dedicated to supporting and amplifying the voices of Indigenous artists across Virginia. Our mission is simple but profound: to preserve Tribal history, culture, and traditions for future generations, while creating thriving spaces for today’s Native artists to flourish.
Our guiding philosophy celebrates both the traditional and the contemporary: “Anything made with Indigenous hands is Indigenous art.”
How It All Began…
In 2022, the Pamunkey Indian Tribe was selected to participate in a two-year project to help Native communities strengthen support for artists and culture bearers. Activities were funded by the Ford Foundation through a grant awarded to the Association of Tribal Archives, Libraries, and Museums. As part of the project, the Virginia Native Arts Alliance (VNAA) was formed and tasked with developing an inventory of cultural assets, conducting a needs assessment, and engaging the community in determining priorities. Although 2024 marked the end of the project period, VNAA chose to continue the important work it set out to do.
-
Tribal Citizen’s Day
Pamunkey Nunowam Exhibit
Kenaanee Summer Market
Community Field trip to NMAI
Virtual Webinars
Formation of Artist Directory
Hardywood Native Market
Great Big Greenhouse Market
-
NMAI Collaboration
Virtual Webinars
Cultural Workshops
Artist Surveys
Kenaannee Artist Markets
Expand VNAA Artists
-
Expand VNAA artist membership
Expand and strengthen partnerships with external organizations
External funding
Microgrants for emerging artists
Evaluation of programs and services
Exhibitions for artists
Tsenacommacah Is For Natives. Originally installed in 2022 at Libby Hill Park in Richmond, VA, this piece was created by Pamunkey artists, and VNAA's founders. In 2023, this piece was installed at the Chrysler Museum of Art (Norfolk, VA) in recognition of the land on which it stands.
Tsenacommacah (Powhatan Algonquin) refers to the land commonly known as "Virginia".
Pamunkey citizens, VNAA founders and former Pamunkey Cultural Resource Director, Shaleigh Howells stand in front of the Tsenacommacah installation in Libby Hill Park.
Kenaanee Fall Market 2024 at Hardywood Park Craft Brewery (Richmond, VA).
Kenaanee Fall Market 2024
VNAA and the National Museum of the American Indian (Washington, D.C.) provide tribal members with a behind the scenes tour of Pamunkey collections.
VESSELED exhibit at The Brickhouse RVA March 15-April 5, 2024. Contemporary Indigenous Art Exhibit in conjunction with the National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts 38th Annual Conference.
VESSELED Exhibit. Artist: Ethan Brown.
VESSELED Exhibit. Artist: Layne Cook.