Two Island artists, poet Joy Harjo and entertainer/kumu hula Robert Cazimero, have been named USA Fellows and will each receive a $50,000 grant in recognition of their cultural contributions.

They are among 50 recipients of USA Fellowships for 2008, totaling $2.5 million. The grants recognize and reward a wide range of creativity — in the fields of architecture and design, crafts and traditional arts, dance, literature, media arts, music, theater arts and visual arts.

All 50 awardees were honored yesterday at a celebration at Chicago's Museum of Contemporary Art.

Harjo, a Tulsa-born Native American poet, musician and author, has edited literary journals, written poems, authored screenplays and performed tenor saxophone with the band Poetic Justice.

Cazimero is half of The Brothers Cazimero, a reigning performing and composing duo of Hawaiian music. He is also kumu hula of Halau Na Kamalei. The dance group has been recognized at the Merrie Monarch Festival in Hilo, and performed in a New York City showcase this year.

The 50 awardees come from 21 states, reflecting a range of cultural, ethnic and geographic perspectives.

The grants from the national artists' advocacy organization United States Artists are now in their third year. To date, $7.5 million has been awarded to U.S. artists in the creative and performing arts.

"Artists drive our nation's cultural life and give voice to who we are and where we're headed," said Susan V. Berresford, USA board chair and former president of the Ford Foundation, in a statement. "Many of this country's two million artists struggle to make ends meet and, particularly in this challenging economic climate, it is essential to invest in our nation's finest creative voices."