OPENING AT POJOAQUE’S POEH CENTER CELEBRATES INDIGENOUS ART, COMMUNITY AND A FIRST LOOK AT THE 2026 PATHWAYS FESTIVAL
PUEBLO OF POJOAQUE, N.M. (May 28, 2026) — Just north of Santa Fe, the Poeh Cultural Center and Museum will throw open the doors of its Tower Gallery on Thursday, June 5, for Braiding Our Connections, a new exhibition by Indigenous artist Chad L. Yellowjohn. The free opening reception runs from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. and is open to the public.
Operated by the Pueblo of Pojoaque, the Poeh Cultural Center is one of the first tribally owned and operated cultural centers and museums in the country, dedicated to the arts, history, and living cultures of the Pueblo people of northern New Mexico.
The evening is billed as more than an art opening, a celebration of the ways people connect through community, culture, storytelling, and art. Alongside the exhibition, guests will enjoy a special hoop dance performance, music by DJ Ill Audia, and food from Shudine’s Fry Bread Stand. The night will also mark the first public unveiling of the featured artwork for the 2026 Pathways Indigenous Arts Festival, the Poeh Center’s signature summer gathering, which returns August 14–16.
Guests will also see a screening of the Pathways Festival documentary by filmmakers Ashley Browning of the Pueblo of Pojoaque and Charine Gonzales of the Pueblo of San Ildefonso.
A Shoshone and Spokane inspired artist who grew up near the Kalispel Tribal community, Chad “Little Coyote” Yellowjohn is a graduate of the Institute of American Indian Arts, where he earned a Bachelor’s in Cinematic Arts and an Associate’s in Studio Arts. His work celebrates storytelling and the modern-day experiences of Indigenous communities. Drawing on his own childhood, when superheroes rarely looked like him, Yellowjohn makes art meant to help Indigenous people of all ages feel seen, included, and proud of who they are.
“I create art that empowers Indigenous people of all ages to feel seen, included, and proud of who they are,” Yellowjohn said. “I call it optimistic activism, protecting and uplifting through art. I hope to share joy, laughter, and representation with audiences everywhere.”
“When we braid our connections, we are doing what our people have always done, weaving ourselves together through art, story, and one another,” said Karl Duncan, executive director of the Poeh Cultural Center and Museum. “This evening is an invitation to gather as relatives, to celebrate the creativity living in our communities, and to look toward what we are building together with Pathways. We hope everyone will come and be part of it.”
The opening is free, family-friendly, and open to all.
If You Go What: Braiding Our Connections — exhibition opening by Chad L. Yellowjohn When: Friday, June 5, 2026, 5:00–7:00 p.m. Where: Poeh Tower Gallery, 78 Cities of Gold Road, Santa Fe, NM 87506 Admission: Free and open to the public Information: poehcenter.org or (505) 455-5041
About the Poeh Cultural Center and Museum The Poeh Cultural Center and Museum is a center of the Pueblo of Pojoaque dedicated to the preservation, continuation, and celebration of Pueblo arts, culture, and history. Through exhibitions, education, arts programming, and community gatherings, the Poeh Center serves the Pueblo communities of northern New Mexico and visitors from around the world.
