Art. Heart. Culture.
Amikogaabawiikwe indizhinikaaz. Adrienne Benjamin indigoo. Awaazisii indoodem. Misizaaga’iganing indoonjibaa. Chiminising indaa. Niizh nindaanisag indayaawag, Bagwajikwe naa Zhaawanigiizhigookwe.
Adrienne M. Benjamin is an Anishinaabe artist and cultural educator shaping conversations about Indigenous representation and equity. As a multifaceted creator, she channels her experiences as a special needs mother, GBS survivor, and modern Indigenous woman into powerful, socially conscious work. A passionate advocate for justice, Benjamin champions arts and education initiatives within the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe and beyond. Benjamin’s work as Minnetonka Moccasin’s reconciliation advisor created avenues for Native artists to receive design fees and product royalties. An accomplished arts administrator and avid collector, Benjamin supports Indigenous and BIPOC artists, amplifying voices often marginalized in creative spaces. Her approach centers on restoring cultural dignity, challenging historical narratives, and creating genuine, respectful collaboration
“I am a complete being comprised of the small pieces of all that has been passed down to me and through me; all that I continue to learn, and all that I pass forward from myself is only an extension of the infinite knowledge and essence of my ancestors.
I have been taught and I teach. I have learned and I share. I am the wisdom of my elders and the living dream of my ancestors. My vessel exists to further narrative and further truth; my truth, the truth of my people, and the truth of my experiences.
I find my deep Anishinaabe identity in my past, in current times, and dreams of the future where all three places are undoubtedly connected.”
Accolades
2024-2029 TEDX Ignite Fellow
2024-2025 Taproot Fellow with California Alliance for Traditional Arts
2023-2024 Metropolitan Regional Arts Council Artists Futures Award Winner
2022 MLCV Babaamizinikekwe Award (Entrepreneur of the Year)
2021 Waterer’s Future Building Award
2020 Citizen’s League Minnesota Civic Leader Honoree
2020 Creative Community Leadership Institute Fellow
2019 AFTA Leaders of Color Forum Selection
2019 Artworks Grantreader: National Endowment for the Arts
2018 NCAIED 40 under 40 Award Recipient
2018 Salzburg Global World Seminar 50 Young Cultural Innovators Selection
Class of 2018 University of Pennsylvania; Arts & Culture Strategy
2017 ArtWorks Grantreader: National Endowment for the Arts
2016-2017 National Arts Strategies Creative Community Fellow
Cohort 5 of the Native Nations Rebuilders Program,
Alumnus of the Blandin Foundation Reservation Community Leadership Program.