Loyalist College hosts 30th annual Indigenous Arts Festival

Belleville, ON, Dec. 5, 2024 – This Saturday, Dec. 7, Loyalist College will host the annual Indigenous Arts Festival, celebrating its 30th year of showcasing Indigenous entrepreneurship through art, craft, music and food.

“For thirty years, the Indigenous Arts Festival has created space for Indigenous artists and entrepreneurs to share their work and cultural practices, while inviting the broader community to learn, support and enjoy,” says Tewathahá:kwa Jennifer Maracle, Executive Director, Indigenous Initiatives and Reconciliation at Loyalist College. “We are proud to carry this cherished tradition forward and continue celebrating the richness of Indigenous cultures.”

Held in the Shark Tank Pub at Loyalist’s Belleville campus, the festival will feature a bustling marketplace of handcrafted goods from 30 vendors. Guests can browse for regalia, beadwork, ribbon skirts, leather items and more, while enjoying dishes such as soup and buns.

A highlight of this year’s milestone celebration is the return of live entertainment to the festival lineup. Performers include the renowned drum group Red Spirit Singers, which features members of the Ojibway, Oneida, and Dakota nations. The festival will also include singing by Yakothehtón:ni Jennifer E. Brant, a longtime participant from Kenhté:ke, Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory. Highlighting the importance of youth in preserving and sharing cultural traditions, students from the Quinte Mohawk School will attend and perform songs for attendees.

“Loyalist College believes wholeheartedly in its responsibility to facilitate cultural education, connection and understanding within our community,” says Mark Kirkpatrick, President and CEO of Loyalist College. “I want to thank the Tsi Titewaya’taró:roks team and everyone who has contributed over the years to making the Indigenous Arts Festival a lasting and meaningful part of campus life.”

Event Details 

When:  
Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024 
10 a.m. – 4 p.m. 

Where:  
Shark Tank Pub,  
Loyalist College 
376 Wallbridge-Loyalist Rd. 
Belleville, ON

About Loyalist College
Loyalist College is built upon the lands governed by the Dish with One Spoon wampum agreement. We affirm and thank the Haudenosaunee, Anishinaabeg and Huron-Wendat nations for their continued caretaking of the land. At Loyalist, we empower our students with wraparound support services and hands-on training to succeed on any path they choose. Our academic programs are responsive and innovative, designed to solve pressing social and economic challenges and meet the evolving needs of our regional industry and community partners. Our graduates enter the workforce equipped with the knowledge they need to be better global citizens, and with future-focused skills to lead change in their fields. With a presence in Belleville, Bancroft, Port Hope, Tyendinaga and Toronto, we believe our institutional responsibility extends beyond the classroom to seeing the big picture for the communities we serve. Our expertise in applied research and deep connections to local industry support economic development, to the benefit of businesses, entrepreneurs, changemakers and innovators. Our commitment to decolonization, and the pursuit of a more inclusive, equitable world, means we hold ourselves accountable to the diverse perspectives, cultures and experiences that shape our communities.

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Contact: 

Hannah Brown
Director of Marketing and Communications 
hbrown@loyalistcollege.com