Elevating Hawaiʻi Island’s Emerging Artists

This year, the ʻOAKA Youth Art Fellowship brought together 12 emerging artists from across Hawaiʻi Island, creating a space where young creatives could learn, experiment, and build confidence in their artistic identities. Led by Seb Choe, the fellowship was intentionally designed as an implementation of Vibrant Hawaiʻi’s Economic Development Strategy, which identified the creative and performing arts as a critical driver of community well-being, workforce opportunity, and a resilient local economy. Supported by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, the fellowship offered monthly gatherings that blended hands-on learning with mentorship from local creatives, cultural practitioners, and industry professionals.

Fellows participated in a structured training series that addressed both the creative and practical realities of sustaining an artistic practice. Sessions included Business Essentials, which focused on business fundamentals and grantwriting—equipping artists with tools to pursue fellowships, commissions, and funding opportunities often most accessible in their early 20s. Additional training emphasized interpersonal and professional skills, including conflict resolution and nonviolent communication, recognizing that collaboration, contracts, and community relationships are central to long-term success in the arts.

Beyond technical skills, the fellowship intentionally created an environment for connection and belonging among participants. As Anela Ming-Yue Oh, ʻOAKA Art Fellow, reflected, “So much of life can feel isolating when we’re searching for connection. Art is meant to live in community, and this space made it possible for us to come together, build pilina, and reconnect with one another.” This emphasis on relationship-building helped fellows see their creative journeys not as solitary paths, but as part of a shared ecosystem.

Marketing and promotion workshops addressed the realities of working as an artist in Hawaiʻi, including navigating scarcity mindsets and competition in small markets. Fellows were encouraged to build supportive peer networks, develop shared visibility, and see other artists as collaborators rather than competitors—laying the groundwork for a stronger, more connected creative ecosystem on Hawaiʻi Island.

Creative practice was equally grounded in place. Through native plant dye workshops and fiber arts exploration, fellows deepened their relationship with the natural environment and learned how artistic traditions across cultures have long been rooted in reciprocal relationships with plants and ʻāina. This place-based approach reinforced the understanding that creative work can honor ancestry, ecology, and sustainability while contributing to contemporary artistic expression.

As the program came to a close, fellows presented their final projects—sharing not only their work, but the growth, reflection, and personal stories behind it. These presentations highlighted the depth of talent rising across Hawaiʻi Island and underscored the importance of cultivating creative spaces where young people feel supported, seen, and able to imagine a future that includes their art. 

Find out more about our artists through their work displayed across the island at Hawaiʻi Community College, Locavore Store and so much more! Interested in learning more about the ʻOAKA Art Fellows or connecting with their work? Email us at contact@vibranthawaii.org