The RedCan Graffiti Jam held on the Cheyenne River reservation last summer brought together over a dozen Native and non-Native emerging and professionally renowned graffiti/street artists to CRYP’s Waniyetu Wowapi (Winter Count) Art Park to work with Native youth. Artists came from as far away as Miami, California, and even Switzerland to participate in RedCan, the only event of its kind in Indian Country. At its heart, RedCan is more than a graffiti jam. It is a merging of Lakota and graffiti cultures that celebrates individuality, positive self-expression, healthy creativity and the healing and empowerment of the Cheyenne River community. Over four days, artists painted with youth, ‘artwashing’ the community with vibrant murals mixing contemporary art and Lakota culture. Cheyenne River artists trained in CRYP’s arts internship program shared their work and mentored others. The community took part in food, music, performing arts, and a youth arts exhibition.

Partners: Cheyenne River Youth Project, First Peoples Fund, Tribal Ventures, Dairy Queen Grill & Chill, Cypher Shop, Ironlak (AVT Paints), SWAMP-IN, Dietal Partners, Artists: Scribe, Serval, Cyfi, Biafra Inc., Wundr, ER, East, Kazilla, Focus and Rehst (members of the Oglala Sioux Tribe), and Leland Benoist and Annie Chasing Hawk (Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation).