The Walker Youngbird Foundation, a Native-led nonprofit, has launched a new residency program in collaboration with Lite Brite Neon Studio in Kingston, New York, aimed at giving Indigenous artists the opportunity to create work in neon for the first time. The inaugural resident is Sarah Rowe (Ponca Tribe of Nebraska), a painter and installation artist selected from over 100 applicants. The residency is valued at around $50,000 per cycle, covering fabrication, travel, lodging, a $10,000 stipend, and full ownership of the artwork and intellectual property. The program was inspired by foundation founder Reid Walker's acquisition of neon works by artists such as Watt and Jeffrey Gibson.
This initiative matters because it directly addresses the high technical and financial barriers that prevent many artists—especially Indigenous artists—from working in neon, a medium that requires specialized equipment and expertise. By providing full funding, hands-on collaboration with a professional studio, and no requirement for prior experience, the residency opens up new creative possibilities for Native artists to expand their practice into public, light-based art. It also reflects a growing trend of targeted support for Indigenous artists within the broader art world, ensuring their voices and visual languages are represented in contemporary mediums.