The 2026 National Heritage Fellows will be honored Wednesday at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., recognizing artists who have helped preserve and pass on traditional American arts and cultural practices.

The National Endowment for the Arts selected nine fellowship recipients or artist groups for this year's National Heritage Fellowships, the nation's highest honor for folk and traditional arts. The 2026 class represents traditions including Mexican folk music, Tejano fiddling, Latin percussion, Chamoru dance, Hawaiian basketry, folklife documentation and traditional craftsmanship.

The awards ceremony is scheduled for September 30 at the Library of Congress, where the recipients will receive medals and take part in remarks and musical performances. The event will also be livestreamed by the National Endowment for the Arts.

Among this year's honorees are Mexican folk musicians Juan Díes and Victor G. Pichardo, Tejano fiddler Belen Escobedo, Latin percussionist Giovanni Hidalgo, and Chamoru dancer and choreographer Frank Rabon. Hawaiian twined basketry artists Lloyd Harold Kumulā‘au Sing Jr. and May Haunani Balino-Sing are also being recognized.

The fellowship program has recognized 502 artists and groups since 1982, covering more than 200 different art forms. The 2026 ceremony highlights the continuing role of traditional arts in preserving cultural knowledge and community heritage across the United States.