- Details
- By Kaili Berg
The Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art will make its debut at EXPO CHICAGO this week, bringing contemporary Native art to one of the most prominent art fairs in North America.
The international event runs April 24–27 at Navy Pier and will feature leading galleries, museums, and curators from around the world.
This marks a significant step for the Indianapolis-based museum, which is using the opportunity to spotlight Native artists and raise awareness about its flagship program, the Eiteljorg Contemporary Art Fellowship.
“We are thrilled to participate in EXPO CHICAGO this year as a way to expand the reach of the Eiteljorg Contemporary Art Fellowship,” Eiteljorg President and CEO Kathryn Haigh said. “This major international platform offers a unique opportunity to spotlight the museum, elevate the voices of contemporary Native artists, and build greater awareness of our Fellowship program within the global art community.”
At EXPO CHICAGO, the Eiteljorg will host a booth featuring works from its collection and information on the 2025 Fellowship, which runs from Nov. 8, 2025, to Feb. 22, 2026.
The booth will also promote other major museum initiatives, including the 33rd annual Eiteljorg Indian Market & Festival (June 28–29) and the 20th annual Quest for the West Art Show and Sale (Sept. 5–6).
Founded in 1999, the Eiteljorg Contemporary Art Fellowship is one of the only programs in the country focused specifically on supporting contemporary Native American artists. Every two years, five artists are selected to receive an unrestricted $50,000 grant and have their work featured in a major museum exhibition.
The museum also commits to purchasing over $100,000 worth of artwork from the group to expand its growing collection of contemporary Native art.
The 2025 Fellowship exhibition, titled Emerging Current, will include opportunities for the public to meet the featured artists during the opening weekend, as well as a full-color catalog highlighting their work.
More Stories Like This
"Your'e No Indian" Examines the Disenrollment IssueAgua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians to Open New Exhibition: Section 14 – The Untold Story
Actor Jonathan Joss, Voice of John Redcorn, Killed in Texas Shooting
Celebrate Summer and Father’s Day at the Chickasaw Cultural Center – June 14
After 30 Years, Berkeley's Turtle Island Monument Foundation Will Be Built
Help us tell the stories that could save Native languages and food traditions
At a critical moment for Indian Country, Native News Online is embarking on our most ambitious reporting project yet: "Cultivating Culture," a three-year investigation into two forces shaping Native community survival—food sovereignty and language revitalization.
The devastating impact of COVID-19 accelerated the loss of Native elders and with them, irreplaceable cultural knowledge. Yet across tribal communities, innovative leaders are fighting back, reclaiming traditional food systems and breathing new life into Native languages. These aren't just cultural preservation efforts—they're powerful pathways to community health, healing, and resilience.
Our dedicated reporting team will spend three years documenting these stories through on-the-ground reporting in 18 tribal communities, producing over 200 in-depth stories, 18 podcast episodes, and multimedia content that amplifies Indigenous voices. We'll show policymakers, funders, and allies how cultural restoration directly impacts physical and mental wellness while celebrating successful models of sovereignty and self-determination.
This isn't corporate media parachuting into Indian Country for a quick story. This is sustained, relationship-based journalism by Native reporters who understand these communities. It's "Warrior Journalism"—fearless reporting that serves the 5.5 million readers who depend on us for news that mainstream media often ignores.
We need your help right now. While we've secured partial funding, we're still $450,000 short of our three-year budget. Our immediate goal is $25,000 this month to keep this critical work moving forward—funding reporter salaries, travel to remote communities, photography, and the deep reporting these stories deserve.
Every dollar directly supports Indigenous journalists telling Indigenous stories. Whether it's $5 or $50, your contribution ensures these vital narratives of resilience, innovation, and hope don't disappear into silence.
The stakes couldn't be higher. Native languages are being lost at an alarming rate. Food insecurity plagues many tribal communities. But solutions are emerging, and these stories need to be told.
Support independent Native journalism. Fund the stories that matter.
Levi Rickert (Potawatomi), Editor & Publisher
