Artpark & Company announces FREE Family Saturdays as part of the summer 2021 season on Saturdays from June 19, 2021-August 28, 2021, from 12pm-4pm at the Artpark Amphitheater, 450 S 4th St, Lewiston, NY 14092.

Summer is for families at Artpark, where afternoons are filled with creative hands-on discovery (arts and crafts, stories and workshops) and live performances for all ages. This year, the series’ popular activities of pottery and hands-on crafts will be enhanced with a new program curated by Artpark’s Indigenous Arts Producer Michele Elise Burnette: Indigenous Ways of Knowing, a slew of educational fun activities for all ages; Treaty teachings & Wampum bracelets workshops, soap carvings, Sonic storytelling, Haudenosaunee dance performance, Corn Husk Doll workshop, as well as a performance “Branche” by an innovative circus company Cirque Barcode.

Storytelling is what preserved our past, maintains our present and is the key to our future” – Perry Ground

The Family Stage is more than a place to play; it will be a place where the audience will experience Indigenous Ways of Knowing with expressive Native American Culture through interactive, land-based workshops, storytelling and teachings by well-respected local knowledge keepers in their disciplines. Visitors will explore, discover and be part of the unique culture, traditions, and passed-down heritage of the People of Turtle Island at The Family Stage every Saturday. Talking Turtle Stories will kick off the season with Traditional Master Storyteller and Turtle Clan member of the Onondaga Nation Perry Ground, who will share several Haudenosaunee Stories which have been passed down from time immortal, with a very energetic, fun, engaging style and makes the audience part of the story experience.

This program is sponsored in part by Perry’s Ice Cream with additional support from The John R. Oishei Foundation and First Niagara Foundation in collaboration with KeyBank.

Admission and parking is free and all lots are accessible to the Amphitheater. For more information and to register, visit artpark.net.

Schedule:

Saturday, June 19, 2021: Art of Niagara and Onondaga

Pottery: 12-4pm

Free Paint: 12-4pm

Family Stage at 1pm and 3pm:

Traditional Master Storyteller, Perry Ground: “Stories from the People of the Longhouse” traditional Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) legends

Saturday, June 26, 2021: Art of Clay

Pottery: 12-4pm Free Paint: 12-4pm Family Stage:

Soapstone Carving for Kids: Pre-registration is required and limited to 20 registrants per session. Guests will learn the basic techniques of stone and antler sculpture from renown Antler Carver, Hayden Hanes. Sessions are: 1-2pm and 3-4pm

Saturday, July 3, 2021: Art of Paint

Pottery: 12-4pm

Free Paint: 12-4pm

Family Stage at 1pm-1:45pm and 3pm-3:45pm:

Acoustic Storytelling – Tonemah.

Award winning Tuscarora singer-songwriter will share Native stories from his experiences and relationships he has made along his journey. His organic storytelling style has become his trademark. Tonemah’s life experiences of growing up on, and off, reservations coupled with his professional undertakings have given Tonemah a truly unique perspective that he brings to his songwriting and stories.

Saturday, July 10, 2021: Art of Water

Workshops under the awnings:

Gyotaku Fish Prints, Boats that Float, Mermaids, Aquatic Wind socks

Pottery: 12-4pm

Free Paint: 12-4pm

Family Stage:

Antler and Bone Uses of the Haudenosaunee: Pre-registration is required and limited to 20 registrants per session. Guests will learn the basic techniques of bone and antler sculpture from renown Antler Carver, Hayden Hanes. Sessions are: 1-2pm and 3-4pm

Saturday, July 17, 2021: Art in Motion

Workshops under the awnings: Mobiles, Kites, Planes, Pin-wheels Pottery: 12-4pm

Free Paint: 12-4pm

Family Stage:

Wampum Belts with Dr Richard Hamell

Display, history, demonstration and workshops: Two Row Wampum beading workshop. Pre-registration is required and limited to 20 registrants per session.

Sessions 12:30- 1:30 and 2:00 – 3:00pm

Saturday, July 24, 2021: Art illuminated

Workshops under the awnings:

“Stained Glass” windows, Cyannotypes, X-Rays

Pottery: 12-4pm

Free Paint: 12-4pm

Family Stage:

12:30-2:30pm – Kehala Smith: Corn Husk Doll workshop and teachings.Pre-registration is required and limited to 20 registrants

3 -3:45pm – Art of Haudenosaunee Dance performance with Jordan Smith

Saturday, July 31, 2021: Art of Animals

Workshops under the awnings:

Paw Prints, jellyfish, birds that bobble

Pottery: 12-4pm

Free Paint: 12-4pm

Family Stage at 1pm and 3pm:

Traditional Master Storyteller Perry Ground: Haudenosaunee Stories: Tricky Fox and other Animal Tales & “Powerful Women”

Saturday, August 7, 2021: Art of Disguise

Workshops under the awnings:

Mustachio, Masquerade Masks, Glorious Glasses, Wearable accessories,

Pottery: 12-4pm

Free Paint: 12-4pm

Family Stage at 1pm and 3pm: Stone Carving Demonstration with Hayden Haynes

Saturday, August 14, 2021: Art of Sound

Workshops under the awnings:

Shakers, Music Makers, Wind Chimes

Pottery: 12-4pm

Free Paint: 12-4pm

Family Stage:

Wampum Belts display, Haudenosaunee Four Sacred Direction and Mother Earth beading workshop with Dr Richard Hamel. Pre-registration is required and limited to 20 registrants per session.

Sessions 12:30- 1:30 and 2:00 – 3:00pm

Saturday, August 21, 2021: Art of Monsters

Workshops under the awnings:

Creature Planters, Monster Plush, Peek-a-boo puppets, toy box theater

Pottery: 12-4pm

Free Paint: 12-4pm

Family Stage: Branche by Cirque Barcode

Pottery Lawn at 1pm and 3pm:

Traditional Master Storyteller Perry Ground: Stories from the Haudenosaunee ” Life in a Longhouse Village & Hero and Heroine Tales

August 28: Art of Nature

Workshops under the awnings:

Leaf prints, Sand plaster molds, pet rocks, walking sticks Pottery: 12-4pm

Free Paint: 12-4pm

Family Stage:

Family Stage:

Acoustic Storytelling – Tonemah.

Award winning Tuscarora singer-songwriter will share Native stories from his experiences and relationships he has made along his journey. His organic storytelling style has become his trademark. Tonemah’s life experiences of growing up on, and off, reservations coupled with his professional undertakings have given Tonemah a truly unique perspective that he brings to his songwriting and stories.