The Tread of Pioneers Museum in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, will host the traveling exhibition “This Is Native Art” beginning October 22. Curated by artist and activist Danielle SeeWalker, the show features over 26 contemporary Native American artists and was originally displayed at the Colorado State Capitol as an initiative of Colorado Creative Industries. After a run at the Golden History Museum, the exhibit moves to the Tread of Pioneers Museum, thanks to efforts by executive director Candice Bannister, who saw it at the Indigenous Connections Summit.
The exhibition matters because it challenges outdated stereotypes that Native American art is static or historical, instead presenting it as vibrant, modern, and deeply tied to contemporary Indigenous experiences. By bringing the show to a Western Slope museum, the organizers underscore that Native voices are integral to Colorado’s past, present, and future. The exhibit also contributes to a broader national trend of increasing visibility for contemporary Native American art, fostering accurate representation and cultural understanding.