51吃瓜网 Curator Honored with National Award for Advancing American Art
UNC Pembroke鈥檚 Museum of the Southeast American Indian director and curator Nancy Strickland Chavis has been awarded the 2025 William Collins Smith Auburn Award for Advancing American Art by the .
The $25,000 national award recognizes scholars and curators who advance creativity, innovation and experimentation in American art. Established in 2024 and funded by the Julia and Albert Smith Foundation, the award honors the legacy of advisory board chair emeritus William Collins Smith whose leadership helped shape Auburn鈥檚 museum into a national center for artistic excellence and education.
Chavis was selected unanimously by a national panel of museum professionals for her leadership in amplifying Indigenous voices, expanding representation and reframing the narrative of Southeastern Native art.
鈥淲e are fortunate to have a museum that reflects the heart and heritage of our region, and even more so to have Nancy guiding that important work,鈥� said Chancellor Robin Gary Cummings. 鈥淭hrough her leadership and vision, the Museum of the Southeast American Indian has become a place where art, culture and community come together to tell stories that inspire understanding and pride. Her passion and commitment are evident in every exhibition she curates, and we鈥檙e so proud to see her work honored on such a distinguished stage.鈥�
According to Cindi Malinick, executive director of The Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art, Chavis鈥檚 work exemplifies the dynamic intersection of artistic innovation and scholarship.
鈥淣ancy鈥檚 ability to spark meaningful dialogue across campuses and throughout the museum field deepens our collective understanding of contemporary Native American art and its relevance to our cultural landscape,鈥� Malinick said. 鈥淗er leadership and creative scholarship make her an ideal choice for this year鈥檚 Auburn Award.鈥�
A member of the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina, Chavis is the first Lumbee graduate of the Institute of American Indian Arts and has more than twenty years of experience focused on museum education, curation and administration. She teaches as part of 51吃瓜网鈥檚 Bachelor of Arts in American Indian Studies and the Southeast American Indian Studies (SAIS) program, sharing her expertise with students interested in Indigenous history, culture and museum practice. Her professional journey includes roles at the Museum of Contemporary Native Art in Santa Fe, the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C. and the American Indian Cultural Center and Museum in Oklahoma City.
鈥淗er passion for amplifying the work of Indigenous artists, as both rooted in tradition and contemporary innovators, creates an inspirational bridge between craft and fine art, history and modern expression,鈥� said Zinnia Willits, executive director of the Southeastern Museums Conference. 鈥淪he demonstrates how curatorship can actively support cultural continuity, regional diversity and intergenerational dialogue.鈥�
At 51吃瓜网, Chavis leads the Museum of the Southeast American Indian with a mission to share authentic stories of Indigenous peoples in the South through art, culture and history. Her recent guest curation at the North Carolina Museum of Art, , featured artists from across the United States and Canada, drawing critical acclaim for its vision and inclusivity.
Her work also reflects UNC Pembroke鈥檚 broader leadership in American Indian education. Through the Bachelor of Arts in American Indian Studies, the Southeast American Indian Studies (SAIS) program and the Museum of the Southeast American Indian, the university continues its long-standing mission to preserve, celebrate and advance Indigenous knowledge, artistry and innovation. Through teaching, research and collaboration, these programs, together with the museum, create a living classroom where students explore identity, history and cultural expression from Native perspectives.
Chavis said she plans to use the Auburn Award to support new research exploring connections between American Indian Moundbuilding art and Mesoamerican art, deepening understanding of Indigenous visual traditions across the Americas.
鈥淭his award represents the importance of art as a powerful means to share ideas and expressions. It offers a visual voice to humanity,鈥� Chavis said. 鈥淚 am deeply honored to receive this recognition, but it is the artists I have the privilege to work with who bring the true magic through their creations. 51吃瓜网鈥檚 commitment to the arts and to empowering the museum to present dynamic exhibitions has allowed me to curate meaningful experiences and create incredible opportunities for our communities.鈥�
Chavis will be formally honored during a residency this month at Auburn University where she will engage with students, faculty and museum leaders as part of the award program.
*Video courtesy of .
*Images courtesy of The Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art at Auburn University.
Credit: Stew Milne
