FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Marie Butterline | 405-951-0000 | mbutterline@okcontemp.org
Oklahoma City, OK (March 5, 2024) — Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center is pleased to announce it has received a $10,000 grant from Oklahoma Humanities. The grant will be used to assist in funding the Oral History Exchange between artist Edgar Heap of Birds and Oklahoma Contemporary Adjunct Curator Pablo Barrera, recorded and edited by Heap of Birds’ former student Kiona Wooten Millirons, which will allow Oklahoma Contemporary to provide access to, and resources for, the humanities in our community.
The Oral History Exchange will feature recorded conversations with Heap of Birds, offering insights into the individual works and panels included in the retrospective, as well as their personal and broader historical significance. These recordings will be shared with institutions such as the Cheyenne and Arapaho Nation Community Center, the Oklahoma Historical Society, the Tia Collection and the University of Oklahoma, ensuring the project’s lasting impact and accessibility.
After just five years in its spectacular Downtown Oklahoma City location, Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center has taken bold strides toward claiming its place in the national arts landscape. The center and its mission driven exhibitions, performances, classes and other offerings are also further cementing the center of the United States as an arts and cultural powerhouse, along with institutions like Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, its Bentonville, Arkansas, neighbor to the northeast. At its core, the multidisciplinary contemporary arts organization is an inclusive space. Exhibitions and most programs are free.
“Oklahoma Contemporary is honored to receive this support from Oklahoma Humanities, which enables us to amplify Edgar Heap of Birds' powerful and resonant work through this oral history project. This collaboration not only deepens the understanding of his artistry but also preserves and shares the rich narratives that connect his pieces to personal and historical significance,” said Oklahoma Contemporary Executive Director Trent Riley. “This project ensures that the history and culture that have inspired Heap of Birds work remains accessible to future generations while celebrating the profound impact of Indigenous voices in contemporary art.”
Funding for this program is provided in part by a grant from Oklahoma Humanities (OH) and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH). Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this program do not necessarily represent those of OH or NEH.
About Oklahoma Humanities
Oklahoma Humanities (OH) is an independent, nonprofit organization whose mission is to strengthen communities by helping Oklahomans learn about the human experience, understanding new perspectives, and participate knowledgeably in civic life through humanities disciplines such as history, literature, film studies, art criticism, and philosophy. As the state partner for the National Endowment for the Humanities, OH provides a free educational magazine, Smithsonian Institution exhibits, reading and discussion groups, and other cultural opportunities for Oklahomans of all ages. OH engages people in their own communities, stimulating discussion and helping them explore the wider world of human experience.
About Oklahoma Contemporary
Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center, formed at the Fairgrounds in 1989 as City Arts Center by Christian Keesee and Kirkpatrick Foundation Director Marilyn Myers, is a nonprofit organization committed to providing the community with quality, accessible and affordable arts programming and education. Through corporate funding and private donations, Oklahoma Contemporary is able to educate Oklahomans through adult classes and workshops, art camps and classes for local youth, art exhibitions, lectures and additional educational programming. With a mission to encourage artistic expression in all its forms through education, exhibitions and performance, Oklahoma Contemporary is committed to instilling in the public a lifetime appreciation of the arts and enthusiasm for creative practice.
