How Are You Creative? Ambassador Program
Program Overview
How Are You Creative? (HAYC?) supports collective approaches to teaching and learning in and through arts and cultures in Alaska with the intention of weaving networks, aligning policies and increasing involvement in Alaska arts and cultures. HAYC? is an initiative of the Alaska State Council on the Arts, and focuses on the following:
- developing outlets to share the value of, and potential for, how creative experiences bring people together;
- discovering ways that teaching and learning in and through the arts and cultures in Alaska support individual, community, and statewide efforts to grow healthy, innovative, and resilient communities.
The How Are You Creative? Ambassador Cohort will consist of educators, artists, culture bearers, early career teachers, and community leaders working across rural and urban Alaska. Cohort members will serve as ambassadors for creativity in their communities and contribute to a growing network of professionals committed to integrating the arts and culture into public education. This statewide ambassador program supports the HAYC? Goals and Values.
September 15, 2025: Call for applications and Nominations!
Applicant Eligibility
The Alaska State Council on the Arts review committee invites Alaska-based artists, culture bearers, educators, and community leaders who are actively practicing, teaching, and/or inspiring
others through arts and cultural traditions across rural and urban Alaska to apply for the 2026 HAYC? Cohort. A circle of six creative ambassadors will each receive $5,000 in support of their artistic, cultural, and community-based work. This program will support two separate cohorts of six ambassadors each through June 2026.
Ambassadors will explore storytelling, network-building, and cultural learning across sectors such as education, community development, and Indigenous knowledge systems. Ambassadors will also help develop a resource directory of statewide arts and cultural outlets, as well as share stories, ideas and opportunities through the How Are You Creative? platform. We seek individuals who:
- Are rooted in their community and active in arts and/or cultural practices
- Are passionate about creativity, cultural knowledge, and relationship-building
- Want to connect with others to explore how arts and culture shape education, belonging, and future visions
- Are interested in contributing to statewide storytelling, sharing promising practices and place-based knowledge
This opportunity is open to artists of all disciplines, educators (formal and informal), cultural leaders, and emerging creatives. You do not have to identify as a professional artist or full-time teacher to apply.
Timeline & Commitment
- Application and nomination period: September 15th – October 20, 2025
- Award notification: November 21, 2025
- Program participation: Cohort 1: January – July 2026, Cohort 2 March – September 2026
- Ambassadors will participate in three cohort meetings during this time, dates TBD
- Ambassadors will be invited to participate in an optional in-person gathering at the Alaska State Council on the Arts Conference in Anchorage, between April 14–17, 2026
- Final reflection and resource sharing documentation due to ASCA: August 30, 2026
Deadline to Apply: October 20, 2025
Grant Award Amount: $5,000 per participant
How to apply:
Contact us at gloria@howareyoucreative.org or call the Alaska State Council on the Arts at (907) 269-6610 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. There are three ways to apply or nominate an Alaskan to join a 2026 How Are You Creative? cohort:
One: Applicants may complete the online form available by clicking here. To make a nomination, go to the form available online by clicking here.
Two: You can also complete this as a paper application or nomination form and mail to the Alaska State Council on the Arts – 161 Klevin Street, Suite 102, Anchorage, AK, 99508 You may also email to gloria@howareyoucreative.org. Applications may be typed or handwritten. Download and start your application or nomination by clicking the link for Microsoft Word or pdf file formats, below.
Application forms for download: Microsoft Word | pdf
Nomination forms for download: Microsoft Word | pdf
Three: Applicants are offered the opportunity to submit the required information in a video or voice recording (max 5 minutes) sent to gloria@howareyoucreative.org. Contact us if you are unsure how to submit your application using video or audio recording, and view the paper forms, above, as a guide.Include answers to the “Contact and Basic Information” section of the application form in the body of your email submission. For nominators, include answers to the “Nominator Information” and “Nominee Information” sections of the paper nomination form in the body of your email submission.
Images included with this post are generously shared with us by the Munartet Project. Learn more about the Munartet Project at https://www.munartet.org/.