SHI opens art contest for Celebration 2026 design

Southeast Alaska Native artists invited to submit designs based on theme “Enduring Strength”

Sealaska Heritage Institute (SHI) is calling on Northwest Coast Native artists to submit design proposals for Celebration 2026, a major dance-and-culture festival held biennially in Juneau since 1982.

The theme of Celebration 2026 is "Enduring Strength." The winning artist will create a piece that best interprets or conceptualizes the idea of enduring strength, which will serve as the visual symbol for the event and appear on Celebration materials. The artist will receive $1,000.

The theme speaks to how Southeast Alaska Native cultures and cultural values have carried people through many challenges over thousands of years in their homelands. Those challenges have included environmental and climate challenges; loss of lands; public policies that suppressed Native cultures and attempted to assimilate people into Western culture; and epidemics that diminished populations.

“After centuries of forces attempting to dismantle our way of life, our culture and cultural values have offered us ‘Enduring Strength’ that has supported our cultural survival and vitality,” said SHI President Rosita Worl, Ph.D.

Artists must submit a sketch and a written description of how their piece reflects the theme. The sketch does not need to be a finished product, but must be clear enough for reviewers to interpret the concept. The final design must have no more than seven colors or inks to ensure it reproduces optimally as a graphic.

Submissions are due Jan. 12, 2026. Artists retain copyright to their work, while SHI will receive a full license to use the image in perpetuity. The winning artist will be credited in the Celebration program, which will include an article about the illustrator.

In accordance with the Indian Arts and Craft Act and SHI policy, eligibility is limited to:

• Southeast Alaska Natives who are defined as “Native” under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act; or

• Descendants of Alaska Natives enrolled to Sealaska Corporation; or

• Southeast Alaska Natives who are defined as “Native” under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act.

  
  

Proposals will be judged on artistic creativity, integrity of Northwest Coast formline design, the strength of the design and its ability to convey the theme.

For details and submission guidelines, see the Celebration 2026 Design Contest Application or contact Jay Zeller at jay.zeller@sealaska.com or (907) 586-9186.