Delbert Anderson

Twelve jazz artists and groups receive grants up to $15,000 from South Arts’ national initiative to tour their work across the United States.

Atlanta —February 20, 2023— Today, South Arts is pleased to announce the Winter 2023 Jazz Road Artists—12 artists and ensembles receiving funding from the Jazz Road Tours initiative to promote and tour their artistry around the nation.

Relaunched in 2022 by South Arts with funding from Doris Duke Foundation and the Mellon Foundation, Jazz Road Tours annually supports approximately 50 jazz artists with grants ranging from $5,000 to $15,000 to cover a portion of tour expenses and tighten the pay gap between artists and presenters. Some of these expenses include venue and travel fees, equitable pay for the artists, or costs of management, coordination, and promotion.

Farmington, New Mexico - First Peoples Fund, the oldest national Native-led organization dedicated to supporting Indigenous artists, has selected 12 individuals from across the country as recipients of the 2023 Cultural Capital Fellowship.

Local artist Delbert Anderson (Diné) was named as one of the fellows. An artist whose art forms include performance, education, composition and mentorship. Anderson will receive a $10,000 project grant, technical support and professional training over the year.

First Peoples Fund President Lori Pourier (Oglala Lakota) said, “We deeply believe in the transformative power of artists and culture bearers to strengthen and uplift communities. No matter their medium, each artist shares a story reflecting the incredible range of Indigenous cultures across the United States. Whether growing their entrepreneurial spirit or revitalizing, reconnecting and reclaiming ancient Indigenous practices, their work illuminates what is possible and inspires others. Their success creates a ripple effect that impacts their community and beyond.”

Awarded annually, the Cultural Capital Fellowship program aims to increase artists’ capacity to succeed and impact their communities by supporting individuals whose work focuses on passing down ancestral knowledge.

"The 2023 fellowship cohort is an exciting and empowering mix of artists and culture bearers who are ensuring cultural and ancestral knowledge continues to be practiced in their communities.” said First Peoples Fund Fellowships Program Manager, Rachael Nez (Diné).

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D'DAT attended WOMAD 2022 South Africa Safari to represent the United States and it's Indigenous culture. Before attending DDAT was working on a project with South African percussionist, Dan Chiorboli and 2x Grammy Winning producer, John Lindemann. DDAT's next album will feature DDAT compositions and their collaborations with many South African artists. On another project, DDAT backs up a collaboration between Zulu artist Nelisiwe Mtsweni and Diné artist, Alex Rose Holiday. The feature of the WOMAD festival was our project of Zulu and Diné collaborations. The composition featured was called Grandma's Song composed by Alex Rose Holiday. The piece is the very first and start of the acknowledgment of tribal Matriarch. Through the project, Nelisiwe and Alex will compose pieces together about their journeys as Indingeous women and the importance of Indigenous Matriarch.

Alexandria  Holiday and Delbert Anderson were selected for this years 2022 Think Tank from the Lewis Prize for Music. 

Anderson a mentor to Holiday embarked on a series of evaluations to help understand the youth development efforts of the Indigenous program "Build A Band". In 2016 Holiday was in the Build A Band program and was the first to graduate the program along with her ensemble Sacred Sound. Alex grew beyond the program and began to create her own band, sing traditionally, model and would become a Navajo princess in 2017. In recent news, Anderson asked Holiday to join their ensemble to the World Festival, WOMAD South Africa Safari. Holiday made a huge statement and impact while in South Africa and was able to connect to another Indigenous woman in the Zulu tribe. Nelisiwe Mtsweni and Alex Holiday are now collaborating creating songs about the Importance of Indigenous Matriarch. Holiday and Mtsweni premiered a song called, Grandma's Song a composition by Holiday arranged by Anderson. This song will be released before December 2022. Anderson is very honored to be a part in the Holiday's arts venture. As Build A Band starts with newly founded youth group, Third Hour, Holiday will also share her experience with the new participants and explaining the path to success.