Events

 Artist interactions, performances, food, cultural experiences drew thousands to museum

Wednesday, July 1, 2026

INDIANAPOLIS — One of the biggest art markets and cultural events in the Midwest region, the 34^th annual Eiteljorg Indian Market & Festival on June 27-28 featured 134 American Indian, Alaska Native and First Nations artists, and drew more than 4,000 guests. Visitors enjoyed Native performances, food by Native-owned vendors, and opportunities to shop for art directly from Native artists.

Artists sold their remarkable jewelry, sculptures, 2-dimensional works, beadwork, basketry, carvings, and innovative pieces during the weekend market and festival, with artist booths inside the museum and outside on the Eiteljorg lawn under tents. During unforgettable performances, the acclaimed dance troupe Indigenous Enterprise thrilled the crowd with their high-energy dance steps, and the Lyons Sisters Métis Jiggers shared their distinct dance style of western Canada. Especially memorable for audiences was Turtle Island: From the Creation Story of the Haudenosaunee, which featured aerial puppetry with a giant-sized Turtle inflatable. Turtle Island by G. Peter Jemison and Plasticiens Volants features choreography by William Crouse Sr., and performances by Skywoman Iroquois Dance Theater. It is produced by Sonia Kozlova Clark, Unicycle Productions and Plasticiens Volants.

“The 34th annual Indian Market & Festival once again demonstrated the extraordinary power of art to bring people together across cultures and generations,” Eiteljorg President and CEO Kathryn Haigh said. “Throughout this vibrant celebration of Native arts and cultures, visitors had the opportunity to meet exceptional artists, hear their stories and experience the creativity, traditions and innovation that continue to shape Native communities today. We are deeply grateful to the artists, performers, vendors, volunteers, Board members, sponsors and Eiteljorg staff whose passion and dedication made this year’s festival such a meaningful and memorable experience.”

In addition to selling their works, artists entered pieces into a juried competition. A panel of experts in Native arts judged entries in 10 divisions that incorporated many categories. Top awards were presented June 27 during the Eiteljorg Market Morning Breakfast, sponsored by the Friends of Indian Market & Festival; the awards ceremony was held next door in the atrium of the Indiana State Museum. More than $41,000 in total prize money, as well as ribbons, went to those artists with winning entries.

The annual Harrison Eiteljorg Purchase Award was presented for three works the museum acquired during Indian Market to add to its permanent collections:

 

 

 

This year, the Margot L. Eccles Best of Show Award went to Carrie Moran McCleary (Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa Indians of Montana) for her beaded textile, Reclaiming the Sisterhood of the Tuppie.

Supported by The Margot L. Eccles Arts and Culture Fund, a fund of the Central Indiana Community Foundation, the Best of Show Award is named for the late Margot Eccles, a civic leader, philanthropist, art collector, Eiteljorg Board member and past chair of Indian Market & Festival. The artist whose work wins the award receives a $10,000 prize.

Here are other annual awards presented at the 34^th annual Eiteljorg Indian Market and Festival:

The Helen Cox Kersting Award is presented to artists whose work exemplifies the highest quality of execution and innovation within a traditional Native art medium. Presented by Donnarae and Paul Freyermuth, this year’s Kersting award carries a $1,000 prize. The Helen Cox Kersting award went to Mary Louise Tafoya (Santo Domingo Pueblo) for creating Bird of Paradise, a necklace.

 

The Margot L. Eccles Youth Award encourages the next generation of young artists. The award for ages 13 to 17 went to Aydrian Day (Ho-Chunk / Anishinaabe / Lakota), for Masazka Win.

 

The Best of Division awards are sponsored by the Margot L. Eccles Arts & Culture Fund, a CICF fund. Artists with the winning entries in each division are:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The signature image for the 34^th annual Eiteljorg Indian Market & Festival was Turtle Drum by David Martin (Pokagon Band of Potawatomi). The Turtle Drum image also appeared on commemorative Indian Market & Festival T-shirts.

Throughout the weekend, Native-owned food vendors offered popular items such as delicious fry bread. In the museum’s studios, artist Carrie Moran McCleary (Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa Indians of Montana) conducted art demonstrations throughout the weekend. She will be an Eiteljorg artist in residence this autumn. Youth artist Josie Cirullo (Miami Tribe of Oklahoma) also did art demonstrations.

The 34^th annual Eiteljorg Indian Market & Festival was sponsored by the Margot L. Eccles Arts & Culture Fund, a CICF fund, PNC Bank, Barnes & Thornburg LLC and Friends of Indian Market & Festival, with in-kind support from Mirror Indy and Needler’s Fresh Market.

About the Eiteljorg

For 37 years, the Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art has been an integral part of the cultural fabric of Indianapolis and scenic White River State Park. The Eiteljorg Museum explores the intersection of the arts, histories and cultures of the past and present by sharing the diverse stories of the American West and the  First Peoples of North America. Located on the Central Canal at 500 West Washington St., the Eiteljorg is a 501c3 nonprofit organization.

 

Media Contacts

Bryan Corbin
Public Relations & Content Manager
317.275.1315
bcorbin@eiteljorg.com

 

Katie Warthan
Director of Communications and Marketing
317.275.1317
kwarthan@eiteljorg.com