The Keomailani Hanapi Foundation (KHF) was established in August of 1998 and received their federal 501 (c) 3 tax exempt status in January, 2001. KHF’s mission is “to increase the number, accessibility, and visibility to native Hawaiian art and artists.” The physical location of KHF is in Waimea, Hawai’i in the rural south Kohala district of the Big island of Hawai’i.
Past KHF Projects included three panel discussions, two on defining Hawaiian art and recently one on Intellectual Property (IP). KHF has sponsored and cosponsored eight exhibits of Hawaiian and indigenous art from 2003 to the present. KHF has been the fiscal sponsor for grants awarded by the PU’A Foundation and the County Product Enrichment Program for the annual Hawaiian cultural festivals held at Hawai’i Volcanoes NP, Pu’uhonua o Honaunau NHP and Pu’ukohola Heiau NHS all on the island of Hawai’i. In 2005 KHF was one of the founders of the Maoli Arts Alliance, with the Bishop Museum and the PA’I Foundation which began the successful MAMo Festivals in Honolulu, O’ahu. Recently, KHF gathered support from over 25 organizations in Hawai’i, the US and internationally, to successfully host the fifth gathering of indigenous visual artists known as the 2007 PIKO Gathering. The gathering was held in Waimea, June 15 to 23 on the campus of the Hawai’i Preparatory Academy in South Kohala, Hawai’i. KHF’s fiscal budget ranged from under $25,000.00 for the initial years of operation to $300,000.00 over the last two-year operations to plan and host the 2007 PIKO Gathering from 2005 to 2007.
KHF is now working towards their long term goal to develop native Hawaiian fine-art education and artist residency programs, as well as establish an annual Maoli Arts Market in Waimea. KHF supports the growing economic trend in native Hawaiian arts and it’s influence on community well-being.
Please take some time to explore our web site.
Me ke aloha pumehana,
The Keomailani Hanapi Foundation
Board of Directors
Mahalo to the Office of Hawaiian Affairs for the funding to build this web site.
