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The American Indian Arts Festival returns today to Griffith Park for its 30th year after a two-year pandemic-induced hiatus.
The festival at The Autry brings together artists from tribes across North America to share both traditional and contemporary art exploring what it means to be Native American today.
Robyn Hetrick, the event director, has been involved with the festival for more than a decade.
“Many of the artists who are coming to this festival… we're now seeing second and third generation artists," Hetrick said. "Some of the artists will have their kids with them who are beginning to be practitioners.”
Hetrick says the event is an opportunity to question our idea of “the American West” and celebrate the “original inhabitants of California:”
“You just have to look around Los Angeles to know that it is a complex, complicated, beautiful tapestry of people and stories and cultures. It is not just what you would think of as the ‘Hollywood Western."
The festival will feature jewelry, pottery, sculpture, carving, beading, and basketry.
It continues through Sunday at the Autry Museum.
Location: 4700 Western Heritage Way
Los Angeles
Hours: Saturday, June 11 and Sunday, June 12: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Tickets: Single day $14 (Seniors and students: $10, children 3-12: $6)
For more information, visit the theautry.org.
