YWCA Minneapolis is proud to announce Heid E. Erdrich as the 2025 recipient of the Camille J. Gage Fellowship. The fellowship recognizes Minnesota-based artists whose creative work is rooted in community impact and activism. The fellowship honors the legacy of Camille Joy Gage, a visionary artist and activist for climate change, women’s reproductive rights, racial justice and housing justice. Her artwork lives on in collections of the Minneapolis Institute of Art and Weisman Art Museum.
“We are honored to recognize such a distinguished artist with this fellowship,” said Shelley Carthen Watson, YWCA Minneapolis president and CEO. “Heid’s work as the first Poet Laureate of Minneapolis, commissioning 20 poems from Native communities, leading dozens of free workshops and readings and weaving hundreds of voices into a crowd-sourced poem demonstrates how art fosters connections and is a reflection of Camille’s enduring legacy.”
“I loved and admired Camille Gage. She encouraged me and included me. When I became Poet Laureate, she was the person I most wished to talk to,” Erdrich said. “She was a tremendous force for good, especially in the American Indian community. Imagine if our public art helped us all understand the deep cultural and ecological connections between our neighborhoods and waterways. That’s the kind of impact Camille envisioned.”
Erdrich will use the Fellowship to collaborate with YWCA Minneapolis, along with other poets and artists, throughout the year to elevate the role of art in advancing justice.
Comments
No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here