Litchfield Park Native American Fine Arts Festival Awarded $10,000 NEA Challenge America Grant

The Litchfield Park Native American Fine Arts Festival - The Gathering - which will celebrate its 25th anniversary on Jan. 14 and 15, has been awarded a $10,000 Challenge America grant from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA).

This week, NEA Chair Jane Chu announced the awarding of more than $30 million in grants as part of the NEA's first major funding announcement for fiscal year 2017.

The Challenge America category supports primarily small and mid-sized organizations for projects that extend the reach of the arts to underserved populations - those whose opportunities to experience the arts are limited by geography, ethnicity, economics or disability.

"The arts are for all of us, and by supporting organizations and events like The Gathering, the National Endowment for the Arts is providing more opportunities for the public to engage with the arts," Chu said. "Whether in a theater, a town square, a museum or a hospital, the arts are everywhere and make our lives richer."

The 25th anniversary Litchfield Park Gathering will feature an estimated 100 of the Southwest's finest Native American artists and artisans in a new location with no admission fee. Festival hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on both Saturday, Jan. 14 and Sunday, Jan. 15, 2017.

"We are deeply grateful for the generous support from the NEA through this grant that underscores the importance of continuing to bring the rich heritage and traditions of the Native American community to Arizona in a family friendly and welcoming environment," said Sonny Culbreth of The Gathering.

In the tradition of a street festival, The Gathering will move to the center of town where artist booths will line Old Litchfield Road south of Wigwam Blvd as well as across the lawn of the Litchfield Park Library, 101 W. Wigwam Blvd., and on the nearby Gazebo lawn.

The 25th Anniversary Celebration will continue a tradition of sharing how Native American heritage is celebrated through the arts with active teaching, demonstrations and presentations throughout the weekend.

The invitation-only festival features artists and artisans representing numerous tribal affiliations through a balance of art forms including traditional and contemporary beadwork, clothing, jewelry, paintings and prints, pottery, sculptures and weaving.

Artwork by renowned artist Amado Peña, who will be at the Festival, has been selected as the poster art for The Gathering. "Mestizo Series: Tesoros del Pueblo," defined by Peña's classic use of bold color and form and dynamic composition, features five Native American women seated near a Santa Fe-style mission, one weaving a blanket and the others either displaying or painting traditional pottery.

The festival is presented by the City of Litchfield Park with funding, in part, from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Arizona Commission on the Arts and the Arizona Office of Tourism. Additional sponsors include Sun Health La Loma Village and The Wigwam as well as cooperation from the Heard Museum and the West Valley Arts Council.

For more information, visit www.litchfieldparkgathering.com.

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