Needs to be addressed by this project

The project will address the need for indigenous artists to deepen and strengthen an international network of indigenous artists. The network helps address the issues of artists working in isolation due to geographic barriers, the need to create new economic opportunities for artists, the need to provide an opportunity to enhance artists' technical skills in a given art form to develop expertise in a new medium and interact with artists of like-mind with similar social and political issues.

Hosts of past gathering have noted the increase in their native artists attending other gathering and have seen the increase in quality and quantity of artwork produced. Participants of the PIKO gatheringwill be able to further their education and make connections for expanding their art nationally and internationally through the economic opportunities inherent in the gatheringprocess.

Other goals of the 2007 PIKO gatheringare to encourage the perpetuation and foster respect of Hawaiian and other indigenous art forms and cultural expressions through apprenticeships of novice artists with masters of traditional and contemporary arts. The project will develop and sustain economic opportunities for indigenous artists by producing situations for networking at national and international levels via the use of technology and in-person communication: lectures and panels on the current status of national and international indigenous art in the market place as well as exhibition venues; and strategies for furthering the work of Hawaiian and other indigenous artists.

The PIKO gatheringwill continue dialogues from past gathering that have proven effective for sustaining development of economic and educational opportunities for indigenous artists. Through new gallery venues of collaborative national and international shows and exhibits to initiating more artist-in-residence programs at the University level. The benefits to indigenous artists have been increased productivity, learning, and educational outreach and cultural experiences affecting both the gatheringparticipants and the larger public through expanding contact with other communities. The dialogues at the PIKO gatheringwill focus on not only marketing and education but social and political strategies of understanding recent successes and how to strengthen on-going ties to new markets and education. These dialogues form the basis of new directions and an evolution for indigenous art and artists, an important benefit for present and future generations.

"The foremost challenge for native Hawaiian artists today is to build capacity and art excellence. The gatherings are an important catalyst to doing this as well as understanding our connection to the larger indigenous art community." Hiko'ula Hanapi

Previous Page "Participants"

Next Page "Exhibition"