The Cheyenne River Youth Project has announced that its RedCan Invitational Graffiti Jam was represented at this year’s Smithsonian Folklife Festival, with two CRYP youth artists painting alongside RedCan headliner Hoka on the National Mall this past week. The nonprofit youth organization also has released its official lineup of youth activities, special events and performances for RedCan 2025, which kicks off Wednesday, July 9 and continues through Saturday evening, July 12.
Art students Antonio Eagle Bear and Kai’Len Turning Heart arrived in the nation’s capital for the Smithsonian Folklife Festival on June 30 with instructor-mentor Hoka and chaperone Wambli Quintana, a CRYP alum who now serves as Youth Employment Initiative coordinator. Prior to painting, they had an opportunity to visit the National Museum of the American Indian’s National Native American Veterans Memorial.
“It was so cool,” Quintana said. “We got a nice tour and learned about the history of the memorial.”
He also noted that the youth artists were thrilled to be painting on the National Mall during the festival, which ran July 2-7. Both Eagle Bear and Turning Heart reported that the festival was “awesome” and a great experience for them both.
“Since 2015, RedCan has been a groundbreaking force in both CRYP’s youth programming and the broader community,” said Julie Garreau, founder and chief executive officer. “We were incredibly honored to have the Smithsonian recognize its impact and invite us to participate in this prestigious festival.”
Tomorrow, just one day after the Smithsonian Folklife Festival concludes, RedCan artists, volunteers and guests will converge on CRYP and the city of Eagle Butte for the 11th Annual RedCan Invitational Graffiti Jam, which begins on Wednesday morning. During the first two days, activities will take place at designated sites around the city, and then the action moves to CRYP’s Waniyetu Wowapi (Winter Count) Art Park for the final two days.
On Wednesday, July 9 and Thursday, July 10, children can enjoy arts and crafts activities at 11 a.m. at the 7th Generation Cinema, followed by a second session at 2 p.m. at Dairy Queen. Volunteers will provide cotton candy, popcorn, flavored lemonade and hot dogs for all participating youth.
Meanwhile, RedCan’s featured artists will be working at their large-scale mural sites across the city. Returning artists include Cyfi, a Yaqui and Azteca artist from Minneapolis; 179, a Latine artist from Seattle; Hoka, an artist of Oneida, Oglala Lakota and La Jolla Band of Luiseño descent from Albuquerque; TamiJoy, a Cheyenne River Lakota artist; Minneapolis-based artists Biafra and Wundr; and Amp, a Ponca artist from Kansas.
Joining RedCan for the first time is Lady Rise, P’urhépecha from Michoacán, México. Born in California to a family of migrant farmers and raised amid the Chicago graffiti art scene, the artist currently lives in Phoenix, Arizona.
As East unfortunately cannot attend RedCan this year, CRYP also has announced a second new RedCan artist: J.Duh, a Nicaragüense artist and muralist from San José in California’s Bay Area. For more than a decade, he has painted murals, created traditional hand-painted signs and designed public artwork across the West Coast.
On Friday, July 11, the fun in the art park starts with children’s art activities at 11 a.m. At noon, aspiring youth artists can create their own murals in the park with chalk paint and spray paint, and at 1 p.m., one of RedCan’s most popular youth activities begins — skateboard painting.
“We’ll host Field Day games and a traditional Lakota dance exhibition at 2 p.m.,” said Jerica Widow Jones, CRYP’s programs director. “Then, at 3 p.m., our visiting Lakota poet and storyteller, Taté Walker, will lead their writing workshop participants in a spoken-word performance on the Waniyetu Wowapi Art Park stage.”
Walker, an award-winning Two Spirit Lakota storyteller, will perform for the community at 5 p.m. that evening. At 6 p.m., Bazille will take the stage; this popular Cheyenne River Lakota and Crow Creek Dakota rap artist, producer and sound designer last performed at RedCan in 2023.
Finally, Saturday, July 12 will start with art activities in the park at 11 a.m.,chalk and spray painting at noon and skateboard painting at 1 p.m. At 2 p.m., acclaimed Mvskoke Creek/Seneca hoop dancers The Sampson Brothers will lead a hoop-dancing class in the art park, and then young people can enjoy a series of water games at 3 p.m.
“The Sampsons will perform for the community at 6 p.m., which is always a major highlight of the RedCan experience,” Jones said. “Their performance will bring RedCan 2025 to a close.”
As always, the Cheyenne River-based Wakinyan Maza drum group will begin and end each day with songs and a blessing.
The RedCan Invitational Graffiti Jam has become a significant event on Cheyenne River’s annual calendar. During RedCan last year, 616 youth participated in art activities, 436 people enjoyed free community dinners in CRYP’s art park, 535 people directly engaged with artists at their mural sites, and more than 8,600 people walked, rode or drove past as the murals came to life.
To learn more about RedCan 2025, this year’s nine featured artists and special guests, and how to help support this groundbreaking event in Indian Country, visit www.lakotayouth.org/redcan. Additional details and a full schedule of events will be available in the coming weeks.
To learn more about the Cheyenne River Youth Project and its programs, and for information about making donations and volunteering, call (605) 964-8200 or visit www.lakotayouth.org. And, to stay up to date on the latest CRYP news and events, follow the youth project on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
The Cheyenne River Youth Project, founded in 1988, is a grassroots, not-for-profit organization dedicated to providing the youth of the Cheyenne River reservation with access to a vibrant and secure future through a wide variety of culturally sensitive and enduring programs, projects and facilities that ensure strong, self-sufficient families and communities.