The 20th Annual SEASAM Art Market Starts Oct. 3rd

The 20th annual Southeastern Art Show and Market (SEASAM), alongside its youth counterpart, SEASAM Youth, is scheduled to commence on Friday, October 3rd, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and continue on Saturday, October 4th, starting at 11 a.m. The celebrated juried art show and market will take place on the grounds of the Chickasaw Nation Historic Capitol Building in Tishomingo, Oklahoma.

SEASAM serves as a dedicated showcase for a diverse array of adult and youth artists hailing from federally recognized Southeastern tribes. Organizers anticipate the participation of more than one hundred artists, who will display and sell works spanning multiple mediums, including jewelry, textiles, sculptures, paintings, photography, and a variety of other unique creative expressions.

The establishment of SEASAM was driven by the vision of Chickasaw Nation Governor Bill Anoatubby, who sought a platform to showcase Southeastern Indian artists during the annual Chickasaw Meeting and Festival. The market was first launched in 2005 and has seen numerous expansions over the past two decades. Artists now display their pieces, meet with patrons, art enthusiasts, Chickasaw citizens, and the public within a dedicated, covered space situated west of the historic Chickasaw Capitol Building. The excellence of the artwork is recognized across twenty-two different categories, with awards presented to the best entries at the event.

The art market is a major component of the broader 2025 Chickasaw Annual Meeting and Festival, which is itself a week-long celebration of Tribal heritage. The festival officially begins on Friday, September 26th, with a social stickball game at 7 p.m., followed by a traditional stomp dance at 8 p.m. at Kullihoma, located east of Ada, Oklahoma.

The extensive roster of activities includes the coronation of tribal princesses, various athletic competitions such as a 5K and 1-mile fun run, archery, senior and junior Olympics, golf, horseshoes, pickleball, and cornhole tournaments, among others.

A key cultural event, the Chickasaw Cultural Evening, is scheduled for Thursday, October 2nd, at the Chickasaw Cultural Center in Sulphur, Oklahoma. This evening will host the Arts and Culture Awards, where Chickasaw citizens are recognized for their preservation efforts, and the top SEASAM awards are formally presented.

This year marks the significant 65th Chickasaw Annual Meeting and the 37th Chickasaw Festival. A highlight of the weekend is Governor Anoatubby’s traditional State of the Nation Address, set for 9 a.m. on Saturday, October 4th, at the Aiitafama' Ishto (the large meeting place) on the Capitol grounds in Tishomingo. A complete schedule of events and locations is available online, though organizers advise that the schedule is subject to change. Further information specific to the SEASAM art show is also available online.