DAWNLAND FESTIVAL OF ARTS & IDEAS
The Abbe Museum is excited to announce the premiere of its Dawnland Festival of Arts and Ideas on July 12-14, 2024, at the College of the Atlantic (COA). This unique multi-day event is an evolution of our popular Abbe Museum Indian Market (AMIM) and Native American Festival that featured invitation-only Native arts markets and performances. The Dawnland Festival of Arts & Ideas includes those elements but will also spotlight conversations by Wabanaki and other Indigenous leaders on some of the biggest questions of our time, including climate, democracy, and food systems.
“Native arts and cultures cannot be separated from Native ways of knowing. The Dawnland Festival of Arts & Ideas continues to celebrate the Native creative economy on Wabanaki homelands while lifting up Indigenous thought leadership vital to the conversation on a healthy planet and society for us all.”
Betsy Richards (Cherokee), Executive Director & Senior Partner with Wabanaki Nations
The Festival will be free to the public and is being supported by the Henry Luce Foundation and the Maine Office of Tourism, along with a partnership with College of the Atlantic. Among the speakers will be attorney and author Sherri Mitchell (Penobscot), James Beard Award-winning Chef Sherry Pocknett (Mashpee Wampanoag), and Native rights attorney Michael-Corey F. Hinton (Passamaquoddy). Musician Firefly the Hybrid (Penobscot) will also take the stage for a one-of-a-kind performance during the weekend. More than 50 leading Native American artists from across the U.S. and Canada will share artwork ranging from ash baskets, beadwork, textiles, painting, fashion, and pottery representing the breadth and excellence of Indigenous art.
Known for its stunning coastal beauty and vibrant cultural scene, Bar Harbor is a significant place to the Tribal Nations of the Wabanaki Confederacy (Maliseet, Mi'kmaq, Passamaquoddy, and Penobscot): a site of exchange and waterways that connected all of the Nations together. For many visitors, this will be an opportunity to engage Wabanaki thought leaders and artists – alongside their national counterparts for a weekend of inquiry, creativity, and celebration. We will communicate more details about the Dawnland Festival of Arts & Ideas, including presenter, performer, and vendor profiles, on our website in the coming weeks!
The Dawnland Festival of Arts & Ideas is FREE and open to the public.
This event is supported in part by grants from the Maine Office of Tourism and the Henry Luce Foundation along with a partnership with College of the Atlantic.
MARK YOUR CALENDAR!
Date: July 12-14, 2024
Location: College of the Atlantic in beautiful Bar Harbor, Maine
Contact: Dawn Spears, Festival Producer (dawn@abbemuseum.org | 207.288.3519 )
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS: DOWNLOAD / PRINT PDF
PROMOTIONAL IMAGERY
FESTIVAL SCHEDULE
The schedule is subject to change.
FRIDAY, JULY 12, 2024
6:30 pm - Opening Reception on the Patio of Gates Community Center
8:00 pm - Featured Performance in Gates Auditorium: Firefly the Hybrid, Penobscot
SATURDAY, JULY 13, 2024
10:00 am - Welcome and Market Opens
Performance on the Market Stage: Burnurwurbskek Singers, Penobscot
11:00 am - Panel in Gates Auditorium: Arts Transforming Our Futures
1:00 pm - Guest Performance on the Market Stage
2:00 pm - Panel in Gates Auditorium: Weaving a Sustainable Environment
4:00 pm - Featured Performance in Gates Auditorium: Jennifer Kreisberg, Tuscarora
5:00 pm - Market Closes
SUNDAY, JULY 14, 2024
10:00 am - Market Opens
10:00 am - Performance on the Market Stage: Jennifer Pictou, Mi’kmaq
11:00 am - Panel in Gates Auditorium: Savoring Native Food Wisdom
1:00 pm - Performance on the Market Stage: JJ Otero, Navajo/Hopi
2:00 pm - Panel in Gates Auditorium: Recognizing Sovereignty as a Stepping Stone to an Enduring Democracy
3:30 pm - Performance on the Market Stage: Hawk Henries, Nipmuck
5:00 pm - Market Closes
FESTIVAL PARTICIPANTS
ARTISTS/VENDORS: More than 50 leading Native American artists from across the U.S. and Canada will share artwork ranging from ash baskets, beadwork, textiles, painting, fashion, and pottery representing the breadth and excellence of Indigenous art. ARTISTS FESTIVAL PROFILES >
PANELISTS: Panel conversations will address some of the biggest questions of our time, including:
Arts Transforming Our Futures
Candice Hopkins, Jared Lank, Frances Soctomah
Weaving a Sustainable Environment
Dr. Suzanne Greenlaw, Honor Keeler, Sherri Mitchell
Savoring Native Food Wisdom
Chef Sherry Pocknett, Chef Joe Robbins, Lisa Sockabasin
Recognizing Sovereignty as a Stepping Stone to an Enduring Democracy
Corey Hinton, Donna Loring, Dr. Darren Ranco
Panelists include scientist and author Dr. Suzanne Greenlaw (Maliseet); attorney Corey Hinton (Passamaquoddy); curator and Forge Project Executive Director Candice Hopkins (Carcross/Tagish First Nations); attorney and Brown University visiting professor Honor Keeler (Cherokee Nation); filmmaker, photographer and educator Jared Lank (Mi’kmaq); author, radio host, and former legislator Donna Loring (Penobscot); author and attorney Sherri Mitchell (Penobscot); James Beard Award-winning Chef Sherry Pocknett (Wampanoag); anthropologist and scholar Dr. Darren Ranco (Penobscot); James Beard Award-nominated Chef Joe Robbins (Penobscot); Co-CEO of Wabanaki Public Health and Wellness Lisa Sockabasin (Passamaquoddy); artist and arts and culture leader Frances Soctomah (Passamaquoddy).
PERFORMERS: The Festival will feature concerts by award-winning musicians Firefly the Hybrid (Penobscot) and Jennifer Kreisberg (Tuscarora), as well as performances by Penobscot Nation drum group Burnurwurbskek Singers; Eastern Woodlands flutist Hawk Henries (Nipmuc); singer/songwriter JJ Otero (Navajo/Hopi); and storyteller/artist Jennifer Pictou (Mi’kmaq).
DIRECTIONS TO THE FESTIVAL
College of the Atlantic - Event Partner
105 Eden St, Bar Harbor, ME 04609 (Map & Directions)
Native Arts Market - North Lawn
Indigenous Panels, Opening Reception, and Featured Performances - Thomas S. Gates Jr. Community Center
VOLUNTEER
As a volunteer you will experience the Dawnland Festival of Arts and Ideas in a way the average visitor will not. You'll meet interesting people, be inspired by amazing artists, and learn about different Indigenous cultures from across North America. All while supporting a great cause and giving back to your community!
Volunteer opportunities are listed below. If something catches your eye please fill out the volunteer form using the button below. If you have any questions contact Jill Sawyer at volunteer@abbemuseum.org or 207-288-3519.
Thank you in advance for your support, we are excited to work with you!
ARTIST LIAISON
Saturday, July 13 \ Sunday, July 14
This role will ensure the artists attending the Market are taken care of. This encompasses anything from set-up and breakdown to handing out snacks, giving them breaks, or just chatting with them about their experience—a little bit of your time will have a big impact!
STAGEHAND
Friday, July 12 \ Saturday, July 13 \ Sunday, July 14
Get a behind-the-scenes look at the performances and panels by volunteering as a Stagehand! In this role, you will be assigned to help the Abbe Staff and Panel Stage Manager. This could involve anything from ushering to stage set-up and assisting panelists/performers as they prep.
FESTIVAL PRESS & TOOLKIT
OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE (PDF - DOWNLOAD HERE)
11 x 17 POSTER (PDF - DOWNLOAD HERE)
8.5x11 FLYER (PDF - DOWNLOAD HERE)
FACEBOOK IMAGE (DOWNLOAD HERE)
INSTAGRAM SQUARE IMAGE (DOWNLOAD HERE)
Need a file? Graphic Designer: Thierry H. Bonneville (BC – Agency) thb@bonnevilleconsulting.com | (207) 433.0212
THIS EVENT IS ORGANIZED BY THE ABBE MUSEUM
The Abbe’s mission is to illuminate and advance greater understanding of and support for Wabanaki Nations’ heritage, living cultures, and homelands. At the core of our work are decolonizing museum practices including: collaboration with Tribal communities; privileging Native perspectives, voice, and values; a focus on dialogue; inclusion of the full measure of history; and ensuring truth-telling. This is also reflected in the Museum’s governance structure that includes a Wabanaki-majority Board and a Tribally-appointed Advisory Council, resulting in a tremendous institutional power shift. This commitment allows the museum to amplify the art, cultures, histories, and contemporary lives of Wabanaki peoples in ways that serve Tribal communities and activate audiences. Through the Wabanaki Council and community consultation, we work with Wabanaki Tribal Nations to share authority for the interpretation of their living cultures and history, privileging Native voice.
The Abbe was founded in 1928 as a small trailside museum at Sieur de Monts Spring in Lafayette National Park (today Acadia National Park) with a focus on the archaeology of the Wabanaki Nations. The Abbe soon expanded its scope to include Wabanaki material culture and now features a substantial contemporary art collection. In 2001, the Museum expanded to the downtown Bar Harbor location, creating a 17,000-square-foot museum with spacious exhibition galleries, a research lab, and state-of-the-art collections storage. In 2013, the Abbe Museum became the only Smithsonian Affiliate in Maine and contributes to global conversations through work with the International Coalition for the Sites of Conscience. Learn More | Support
FESTIVAL SPONSORS - THANK YOU!
