Indian Arts Show’s on, but will relocate in 2003

The Lawrence Indian Arts Show may be moving to a new location after this year.

For years, the show has been in the Museum of Anthropology at Kansas University. But in June, KU officials announced that budget cuts would force the museum to close sometime after the Indian Arts Show’s run this fall.

Artist Mark Fischer, left, explains his conceptual interpretation of a copper sculpture to Linda Ptacek, Overland Park, at last year's Indian Art Market at Haskell Indian Nations University.

Maria Martin, longtime organizer of the arts show, said a location for the arts show after this year has not yet been determined. Mary Adair, the museum’s interim director, said in June that the museum would continue to support the show no matter where it might take place.

The 14th Annual Lawrence Indian Arts Show will be Sept. 14-Oct. 20. The show typically contains about 155 items, including paintings, sculpture, jewelry, pottery, beadwork, quillwork and clothing. Last year, 73 artists from 33 tribes were represented.

A benefit opening, with an awards ceremony, art preview and sale, reception and silent auction, will be from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Sept. 13. Admission is $35.

The Haskell Indian Art Market will be from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sept. 14 and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sept. 15 at Haskell Indian Nations University, 23rd Street and Haskell Avenue.

More than 165 artists from across the United States are expected to display and sell traditional and nontraditional art, such as beadwork, pottery, jewelry, sculpture, paintings, textiles, drawings and quillwork.

Attendance at the Indian Arts Show and Haskell Indian Art Market has increased from about 30,000 people in 1999 to about 40,000 in 2001.Each year, a T-shirt and poster are created and sold at the events. This year’s design is by Michael McCullough and is a petroglyph acrylic painting on canvas. The unsigned poster costs $10, while a signed poster is $15. T-shirts are $18 each.