Cherokee Nation invests in art community with opening of the Ani Art Center in Stilwell

WHAT:
Join Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr., Deputy Principal Chief Bryan Warner and other Cherokee Nation leaders as they celebrate the grand opening of the Ani Art Center

WHEN:
Tuesday, August 11 at 11 a.m.

WHERE:
Ani Art Center
406 B W. Locust St.
Stilwell, Oklahoma

WHO:
Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr.
Deputy Chief Bryan Warner
Council of the Cherokee Nation
Cherokee Nation Cabinet

STILWELL, Okla. - Cherokee Nation is celebrating its latest investment in preserving and advancing Cherokee arts and culture with the grand opening of the Ani Art Center.

Named after the Cherokee word for strawberry, the center honors Stilwell's legacy of being the "Strawberry Capital of the World," and offers a dedicated gallery for rotating exhibits and reservable space for cultural classes. It also boasts 15,000 square feet of storage to safely secure the tribe's growing art collection.

Funding for the center was made possible through the Cherokee Artist Recovery Act, originally enacted in 2022 and extended in 2025 by Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. The historic legislation allocated a total of $4 million to purchase artwork from Cherokee artists, support market access, and create opportunities for artists to showcase their work and expand their reach. Part of that includes up to $1.6 million to support artist-related capital projects like the Ani Art Center.

The Ani Art Center is located at 406 B W. Locust St. in Stilwell and is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

For more information, go to www.AniArtCenter.com.