Lakota Funds
  • P.O. Box 340 Kyle, South Dakota 57752 USA
  • (605) 455-2500
  • M-F 8:30am-4:30pm

Art Market & Exhibit Awards Nearly $2,500 in Competition Prizes

Approximately 75 people gathered at the Lakota Prairie Ranch in Kyle for the Lakota Art Market & Exhibit, an event that featured local art vendors, an archery competition, and a youth art contest. Lakota Funds hosted the event in partnership with First Peoples Fund, and distributed a total of $2,425 in awards to archers and artists.

“It is inspiring to see the community pull together to create these opportunities for artists and youth. I’m confident that every year this event will grow and become a center for the artist community to gather and support each other,” says Angela Koenen, Asset Development Specialist at Lakota Funds.

Eighteen archers competed for various prizes ranging up to $500 with Leroy Iron Cloud serving as the coordinator and score keeper.

Youth Archery Division Winners
1st Place - Tayne Puckett
2nd Place - Rylan Puckett
3rd Place - Tamya Two Crow

Adult Archery Division Winners
1st Place - Roy Yankton Jr.
2nd Place - Gus Yellow Hair
3rd Place - Kelly Looking Horse

There were 25 entries combined in the Contemporary and Traditional Categories of the Youth Art Contest, all competing for prizes up to $150. Wade Patton, a local artist, judged the entries. New this year was the People’s Choice Award that was determined by votes cast by event attendees.

Youth Art Contest Winners
Age 5-9 Division, Contemporary Category
1st Place - Ramona Tibbits,
2nd Place - Solarah Thunder Hawk
3rd Place - Dalton Schmidt
People’s Choice Award - Kaia Hunter

Age 10-13 Division, Contemporary Category
1st Place - Nisa Red Cloud
2nd Place - Chance Schmidt
3rd Place - Nisa Red Cloud
People’s Choice Award - Nisa Red Cloud and Charlie Iron Cloud-Baird

Age 14-18 Division, Contemporary Category
1st Place - Hannah Brunsch
2nd Place - Hannah Brunsch
3rd Place - Hannah Brunsch
People’s Choice Award - Hannah Brunsch

Age 10-13 Division, Traditional Category
1st Place - Accalia Baker
2nd Place - Ayana Baker
3rd Place - Accalia Baker
People’s Choice Award - Accalia Baker

Katie Hunter, who photographed the event, says, “The Lakota Art Market is just the type of event our community and youth need. To be able to gather, bring out the children’s creativity, interact with other people, and have a chance to win prize money for their hard work.”

In addition to the competitions, children at the event enjoyed face painting, while adults shopped the handmade jewelry, paintings, woodwork, leather work, and more at the vending tables. A mixed media art class, facilitated by Wade Patton, was also offered on the Rolling Rez bus during the event. In addition to providing the space for all of these activities, Rusty and Shannon Puckett of Prairie Ranch Resort also catered the event.

“Lakota Funds would like to thank the First Peoples Fund staff and others who pulled together to make this event a success. We’d also like to extend our appreciation to all of the community members who participated and came out to the event. We are already planning another great event for next year,” says Koenen.

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