The Crow’s Shadow Institute was founded in 1992 with a mission to provide "educational, economic and social opportunities for Native Americans through artistic development." The nonprofit institute encourages cross-cultural understanding by offering many of its art instruction services to the general public. Crow’s Shadow operates a printmaking studio, gallery, photographic darkroom and computer graphics lab.

The UO Arts and Administration Program, the UO Department of Art and the Crow’s Shadow Institute formed a partnership in 1999 to establish an internship program, as well as an art workshop for UO students and Native American artists at the institute. The partnership is made possible through a $5,000 grant from the Lake Oswego-based Lamb Foundation.

Funding from the Lamb Foundation sponsored a 10-week internship for a UO graduate student that fulfilled a master’s degree requirement and provided her with valuable experience in rural arts management. While at Crow’s Shadow, the student assisted with marketing and career development workshops for artists, marketing plans for Crow’s Shadow’s studio program and other projects.

Foundation funding also made possible visits by institute staff to the UO Arts and Administration Program in Eugene. At the UO, institute staff recruited for the internship position, consulted with UO faculty, and assisted arts management students in understanding the complexities associated with rural arts management and community development. This discussion also addressed rural arts management and arts education on a Native American reserve.