Native Artist Professional Development Training by CPCDC and First Peoples Fund

Name: Native Artist Professional Development Training by CPCDC and First Peoples Fund
Start: 2025-11-07T09:00:00-06:00
End: 2025-11-07T16:30:00-06:00
Location: 1899 Gordon Cooper Drive, Shawnee, OK, United States, Oklahoma 74801

Schedule

Fri Nov 07 2025 at 09:00 am to 04:30 pm

UTC-06:00

Location

1899 Gordon Cooper Drive, Shawnee, OK, United States, Oklahoma 74801 | Shawnee, OK

This training, provided by the Citizen Potawatomi Community Development Corporation and First Peoples Fund, is a free two-day workshop for emerging and seasoned Native artists designed to teach them how to navigate the arts industry and be successful entrepreneurs. Artists will learn how to identify their vision & values, plan a calendar, market and price their work, develop a business plan, engage with the community and assess their leadership skills. They will also have the opportunity to present their artwork in a showcase and elevator pitch. The workshop is from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. each day at the CPN Cultural Heritage Center, and lunch will be provided.
Instructors:
Leslie Deer (Mvskoke Nation of Oklahoma) is an apparel designer and artist known for elegant silhouettes, vibrant color palettes, and intricate appliqué work inspired by Southeastern mound-builder motifs. She began her career creating regalia and has earned national recognition, including a 2016 First Peoples Fund Artist in Business Leadership Fellowship and 2017 Best of Division and First Place awards at Santa Fe Indian Market. Her work is part of the permanent collection at the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian.
Felecia Freeman (Citizen Potawatomi Nation) known as Jiqwes kwe (“Little Thunder Woman”), is a commercial loan officer and certified credit counselor with the Citizen Potawatomi Community Development Corporation, where she has helped provide over $40 million in loans to Native entrepreneurs. She also leads credit counseling for CPN members and serves on several local and national boards supporting Native and community development.
Register online at formstack.io/86FD3.
Questions? Contact Rachel Heberling, Native Artist Professional Development Program Manager, First Peoples Fund, at [email protected] or 717-220-5702 or Felicia Freeman, Commercial Loan Officer, CPCDC, at [email protected].
First Peoples Fund is a national values-based organization that honors and supports the Collective Spirit of First Peoples artists and culture bearers. By supporting artists and culture bearers, First Peoples Fund helps Native communities heal and thrive. Collectively, we approach our work with rootedness, intuition, listening, humility and deep relationships. For further information about First Peoples Fund, please visit www.firstpeoplesfund.org or contact us at [email protected].