
- Details
- By Chickasaw Nation Media
The 20th annual Southeastern Art Show and Market (SEASAM) and SEASAM Youth kicks off Friday, Oct. 3 from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. and Saturday, Oct. 4, at 11 a.m. on the grounds of the Chickasaw Nation Historic Capitol Building in Tishomingo, Oklahoma.
A juried art show and market, SEASAM features an array of adult and youth artists from federally recognized Southeastern tribes. More than 100 artists are expected to participate, displaying jewelry, textiles, sculptures, paintings, photography and much more.
Chickasaw Nation Governor Bill Anoatubby’s vision of showcasing Southeastern Indian artists led to the establishment of SEASAM in 2005 during the Chickasaw Annual Meeting and Festival.
The art show and market has expanded many times in the past two decades. Artists display their work and meet with patrons, art enthusiasts, Chickasaw citizens and the public in a dedicated, covered space west of the Chickasaw Capitol Building.
Awards are presented for the best art at SEASAM in 22 different categories.
The 2025 Chickasaw Annual Meeting and Festival begins Friday, Sept. 26, with a social stickball game at 7 p.m. and stomp dance at 8 p.m. at Kullihoma, east of Ada, Oklahoma. A week of activities are planned, including the coronation of tribal princesses, a 5K and 1-mile fun run, archery, senior and junior Olympics, golf, horseshoes, pickleball and cornhole tournaments, and more.
Chickasaw Cultural Evening will take place Thursday, Oct. 2, at the Chickasaw Cultural Center, Sulphur, Oklahoma, along with the Arts and Culture Awards, where Chickasaws are recognized for preserving Chickasaw culture and SEASAM top awards are presented.
This year marks the 65th Chickasaw Annual Meeting and 37th Chickasaw Festival.
Governor Anoatubby’s State of the Nation Address is set for 9 a.m., Saturday, Oct. 4, at the Aiitafama' Ishto (large meeting place) on the grounds of the Capitol in Tishomingo, Oklahoma.
A complete schedule of events and locations is available online at AnnualMeeting.Chickasaw.net
For more information about SEASAM, visit SEASAM.net.
More Stories Like This
Leonard Peltier Mourns the Loss of Longtime Ally Robert RedfordFinal Curtain Call: Trend Alaska Fashion Show Takes Its Last Bow on Sept. 20
A Pop-Up Book Brought to Life: First Americans Museum to Launch FAMily Discovery Center on Sept. 20, 2025
The Autry Museum of the American West Presents New Exhibition Creative Continuities: Family, Pride, and Community in Native Art
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