IndigiPalooza MT: Indigenous Arts & Storytelling Festival

Celebrate the rich diversity and enduring power of Indigenous storytelling at IndigiPalooza MT: Indigenous Arts & Storytelling Festival, a dynamic two-day event hosted by Missoula Public Library and community partners on August 1 & 2. Visit ipfestmt.com for the full schedule and event details.

This event is made possible with the support of the Missoula Public Library Foundation, Sandra Roe, the Henry Family Foundation, the Montana Historical Society, the Potlatch Fund, and many other generous community members.

August 1

The first day kicks off at the Missoula Public Library with an Indigenous Art Show curated by the Missoula Art Museum and culminates in a keynote poetry reading featuring Joy Harjo, (Mvskogee/Creek), the first Native U.S. Poet Laureate, at 6:30 p.m. in the Montana Theatre at the University of Montana PAR-TV Building. Joy Harjo’s work is grounded in Native rights, cultural renewal, and the strength of memory, community and spiritual connection. She reflects a commitment to celebrating the power of voice, language, and story in Indigenous communities and to honoring these stories on the lands from which they come.

August 2

On Saturday, the library’s fourth floor transforms into a lively celebration of Indigenous expression, featuring cooking demos, an art market, panel discussions, and presentations from artists, writers, musicians, and makers from across Native communities. From ancestral traditions to contemporary creativity, IndigiPalooza MT invites all to gather in honor of story, voice, and cultural connection.

Presenters include:

• Joy Harjo (Mvskogee/Creek)
• Denise Lajimodiere (Turtle Mountain Chippewa)
• Chris La Tray (Little Shell Chippewa)
• Sasha taqwsablu LaPointe (Upper Skagit and Nooksack Indian Tribe)
• John Isaiah Pepion (Blackfeet), Carrie Lowry Schuettpelz (Lumbee)
• James Vukelich Kaagegaabaw (Turtle Mountain Chippewa)
• Carrie Moran McCleary (Little Shell Chippewa)
• Aspen Decker (Salish), Mariah Gladstone (Blackfeet & Cherokee)
• Diane Wilson (Dakota)
• Foreshadow (Salish/Blackfeet)
• Supaman (Apsaalooke)
• Stella Nall (Apsaalooke)
• Jesse DesRosier (Amskapi Pikuni)
• Shane Doyle (Apsaalooke).