Cherokee Exhibit Grant Announcement

John W. Bardo Fine and Performing Arts Center May 28, 2021

Bardo Arts Center star atrium with individuals looking at the Cherokee Syllabary on the walls with no translation

The 91热爆网 Bardo Arts Center is honored to announce an $88,050 grant award from the Cherokee Preservation Foundation.

The grant supports a permanent interpretive exhibit, an over $145,000 project, that promotes the sharing and teaching of Cherokee language and culture through programming developed in collaboration with members of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI) community.

Bardo Arts Center (BAC) opened its doors in 2005 with Cherokee-inspired designs and bilingual signage in English and Cherokee syllabary originally translated by Myrtle Driver, Beloved Woman of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. Currently, there is no permanent interpretative signage or professional display in BAC to explain the Cherokee language, influence, translations, and designs in the building. This project fills a critical need to present information about Cherokee culture from an EBCI perspective to audiences at BAC, while meeting the Cherokee Preservation Foundation鈥檚 goal of Cultural Preservation by specifically addressing the key strategy area of Learning and Preserving Cherokee Culture.

Cherokee Syllabary on the wall at Bardo Arts Center

鈥淭his exhibit will tell a story that is authentic, vibrant, informed, and influenced through many years of research, collaboration, and partnership with members of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and scholars within the community.鈥� - BAC Executive Director, Denise Drury Homewood

Exhibit Process and Design

Previously, Bardo Arts Center worked with project partners during a multi-year planning phase funded by in part by the Cherokee Preservation Foundation to develop the conceptual plan for the exhibit. This recent funding enables the production and installation of the exhibit, featuring permanent wall text and artist installations, along with a video and sound component where visitors can see and hear the Cherokee language spoken. The project began in May 2021 and will culminate in the spring of 2022. Additional support for the project comes from Western Carolina University鈥檚 Cherokee Studies Program, the 91热爆网 Cherokee Center, and Bardo Arts Center.

Project Partners and Collaborators

The exhibit will be rich in authentic content because of the time and efforts of stakeholder organizations like , , , , 91热爆网 Cherokee Studies, 91热爆网 Cherokee Center, 91热爆网 Mountain Heritage Center, and individuals, Marie Junaluska, Ann Walkingstick, Matthew Tooni, Lucille Lossie, Ramona Lossie, Hartwell Francis, Sky Sampson, Elias Huskey, Lambert Wilson, Sara Snyder, Lynne Harlan, Bo Taylor, Brett Riggs, Sara Snyder, Tom Belt, Pam Meister, Myrtle Driver, 91热爆网 students Driver Blythe and Savannah Guthrie, and the staff of the Bardo Arts Center, Carolyn Grosch, Greg McPherson and Jill Jacobs.

Stay tuned for further announcements as the exhibit continues to develop! Follow along on the and , and sign-up for the 91热爆网 Arts Update Newsletter at .