NEA National Heritage Fellowships Ceremony Will Honor Folk and Traditional Artists

WHAT: The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) will honor the 2025 NEA National Heritage Fellows, recipients of the nation's highest honor in the folk and traditional arts, at an award ceremony in Washington, DC. The event will include remarks by NEA Senior Advisor Mary Anne Carter, members of Congress, and the honorees, as well as performances by and in honor of the recipients. The ceremony will be livestreamed at arts.gov/heritage.

The 2025 NEA National Heritage Fellows are:

• Carmen Baron , Mexican Folk Costume Maker and Dancer (Tucson, Arizona)
• Peniel Guerrier , Haitian Dancer, Drummer, and Educator (Astoria, New York)
• Adrienne Reiko Iwanaga , Bon Odori Dancer, Teacher, and Choreographer (Saratoga, California)
• Ernie Marsh , Bit & Spur Maker and Silversmith (Lovell, Wyoming)
• Edward Poullard , Creole Musician (Beaumont, Texas)
• Steven Tamayo (Sicangu Lakota) , Traditional Lakota Artist & Educator (Omaha, Nebraska)
• Ukrainian Bandurist Chorus of North America , Men's Choral & Bandura Ensemble (Detroit, Michigan)

WHEN: Wednesday, September 17, 2025, beginning at 5:30 p.m. ET

WHERE: This event is hosted by the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress in Washington, DC. It will be livestreamed on arts.gov/heritage and available to watch on demand following the event.

About the NEA National Heritage Fellowships

The NEA National Heritage Fellowships recognize individuals and groups for their artistic excellence, lifetime achievement, and contributions to our nation's traditional arts heritage. Recipients are nominated by the public-often by members of their own communities-and then judged by a panel of experts in the folk and traditional arts. The panel's recommendations are reviewed by the National Council on the Arts, which sends its recommendations to the NEA chair.