Oklahoma Center for the Humanities

09/08/2026

“Art as Sovereignty” Symposium: Event Spotlight ✨

As part of the “Art as Sovereignty” two-day symposium, join us Friday, Sept. 11 for an evening featuring a special live performance by award-winning Sicangu Lakota musician, songwriter, and educator Frank Waln.

Frank Waln is a Sicangu Lakota multi-genre music artist, songwriter, and educator representing the Lakota Nation from the Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota. His work has garnered worldwide recognition and numerous honors, including three Native American Music Awards, the Native Arts & Cultures Foundation Artist Fellowship, and the Chicago Mayor’s Award for Civic Engagement. His work has been showcased at institutions including the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian, the Kennedy Center, the Linden Museum in Germany, and the Field Museum in Chicago. For the past decade, Waln has toured colleges and universities around the world to present, perform, and guest lecture, and has held artist residencies at institutions including Stanford University, Harvard University, and Western Michigan University.

📅 Friday, Sept. 11
🕕 6:00–9:00 PM
📍 101 E. Archer St.

The "Art as Sovereignty" two-day symposium is FREE and registration is encouraged, not required. Let us know you’re coming here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/art-as-sovereignty-symposium-tickets-1995123212235?aff=oddtdtcreator&keep_tld=true ✨

09/03/2026

Join us tomorrow, September 4, at 101 Archer for the First Friday Art Crawl! 🎨

We’ll kick things off at 5:00pm with an artist talk featuring illustrator Brent Learned and book sales by Magic City Books. At 6:00pm, enjoy two new gallery exhibitions, live music by Aryn Ward, and light bites and a cash bar.

Free and open to all. We hope to see you there!

08/27/2026

“Art as Sovereignty” Symposium: Event Spotlight ✨

As part of the “Art as Sovereignty” two-day symposium, join us Friday, Sept. 11 for an evening featuring an Indigenous fashion show presented by INDIGICHIC and Native Fashion Arts Collective co-founders Jessica Moore Harjo (Otoe-Missouria/Osage/Pawnee/Sac & Fox) and Veronica Pipestem (Otoe-Missouria/Osage).

The evening will also feature a special live performance by Frank Waln (Sicangu Lakota).

📅 Friday, Sept. 11
🕛 6-9 PM
📍 101 E. Archer Street

The “Art as Sovereignty” Symposium continues September 12. Registration and the full symposium schedule can be found here:
https://humanities.utulsa.edu/art-as-sovereignty-symposium-101archer/

08/27/2026

Artist and illustrator Brent Learned (Cheyenne-Arapaho) joins the Oklahoma Center for the Humanities for a conversation and audience Q&A about his work creating the original illustrations for the critically acclaimed Indigenous horror anthology "Never Whistle at Night Part II: Back for Blood."

This free event will take place at 101 Archer at 5pm.

After the talk, stay for the First Friday Art Crawl and experience the new exhibition, “Back for Blood: Never Whistle at 101 Archer,” featuring all 21 illustrations from the anthology. Don’t miss this unique opportunity to learn about Brent’s creative process, the collaboration behind the book and how his artwork brings these powerful stories to life.

Magic City Books will be on-site selling copies of both anthologies.

08/25/2026

Looking forward to hosting this incredible event with Magic City Books and Bob Dylan Center!

Bob Dylan Center, Magic City Books, and The University of Tulsa's Oklahoma Center for the Humanities are delighted to host a special event with Kevin Dettmar for his new book, Punk in 50 Pieces. This free event will take place at 101 Archer, 101 E. Archer Street in the Tulsa Arts District on Tuesday, October 6, 2026 at 7:00pm.

Kevin Dettmar will be in conversation with Bob Dylan Center Senior Director Steven Jenkins about his new book, which celebrates the 50th anniversary of punk rock. They will discuss the history and impact of punk rock, as well as answer questions from the audience about everything from his choice of 50 songs to the meaning of punk for music and for culture more broadly.

Punk in 50 Pieces releases on September 8, 2026, and you can purchase a copy through Magic City Books ahead of time or at the event.

08/20/2026

Don’t forget to mark your calendars for the “Art as Sovereignty” Symposium! Join us Friday, Sept. 11 and Saturday, Sept. 12 at 101 E. Archer St.

We are excited and honored to kick off the symposium with a keynote address by Gerald Torres.

Keynote Address: “Sovereignty and the Aesthetic”
🗓Friday, September 11
🕛6:00 p.m.
📍101 E. Archer St.

Gerald Torres is the Dolores Huerta & Wilma Mankiller Professor of Environmental Justice at the Yale School of the Environment, with a secondary appointment at Yale Law School. He is a former President of the Association of American Law Schools and has served as Counsel to the U.S. Attorney General on environmental matters and Indian affairs.

Professor Torres has served on the Board of the Environmental Law Institute and the EPA’s National Environmental Justice Advisory Council. He is Board Chair of Earth Day and a trustee of the Natural Resources Defense Council. He has also consulted with the United Nations on environmental matters.

An internationally recognized scholar of Indian law, Professor Torres has written extensively on agricultural law and policy, water resource management, environmental regulation, and cooperative resource management. He is a life member of the American Law Institute and the Council on Foreign Relations.

The registration link and full symposium schedule can be found on our website: humanities.utulsa.edu

08/18/2026

Never Whistle at Night, Part II is out NOW!! Head to your favorite local bookstore and get your paws on a copy ASAP.

And don’t forget: our exhibit, “Back for Blood: Never Whistle at 101 Archer,” debuts at 101 Archer on Friday, September 4th, during the Art Crawl.

The anthology’s illustrator, Brent Learned, will be joining us before the Art Crawl at 5:00pm for an artist talk and Q&A - a unique opportunity that you won’t want to miss!

Excited to be back….... for blood 🩸

08/13/2026

The Oklahoma Center for the Humanities is thrilled to announce our 2026-27 WONDER Fellows! Following a record application turnout, we've selected three experts from a variety of fields to join three The University of Tulsa professors and four students for a semester-long seminar exploring WONDER.

This year's class includes:
⭐ Dr. Jesse Wren, Educator
⭐ Dr. Marianna Rubino, Asst. Professor of Communication Sciences & Disorders
⭐ Morgan Myers, Computer Science and Data Science Student
⭐ Dr. Jingyi Chen, Professor in Geosciences
⭐ Whitney Breshears, Therapist
⭐ Maryalice Carroll, Ceramic Artist
⭐ Isaac Castleberry, Film Studies and Media & Communications Student
⭐ Annolee Thompson Schwartz, Third-Year Law Student
⭐ Christopher Rondeau, English PhD Student
⭐ Matt Cooper, Applied Asst. Professor of American Sign Language

Please give our fellows a big "congrats!" in the comments and check back to learn more about their work.

08/11/2026

Thanks to everyone who came out to First Friday! And a special shout out to Travis Linville for the stellar tunes 🎶🎶🎶

07/24/2026

Save the date(s) and celebrate the power of Indigenous storytelling at OCH! 📚✨

Join us for a series of events featuring Indigenous writers and artists as they explore Indigenous futurisms, horror, drama, and children's literature. From book launches and author talks to panel discussions and exhibition openings, there’s something for everyone. We're also excited to partner with our friends at Magic City Books on several of these programs!

Plus: Do you need more Indigenous creativity in your life? If your answer is yes, then snag and pre-order these featured titles and join OCH’s "Anti-social Social Book Club"! Discussions take place online, but you'll also have the opportunity to meet many of these authors at our upcoming events in Tulsa. Follow to join the conversation and shop these titles at your favorite local bookstore like Magic City Books.