Plains Indian people have always turned to the arts as a means of expressing and communicating cultural knowledge, beliefs and values, tribal histories, and understandings about the land and universe as a whole. From generation to generation, Plains artists have creatively incorporated new ideas and materials with historical and traditional designs as powerful expressions of cultural identities and their own lives and experiences.

The 2005 Plains Indian Museum Seminar of the Buffalo Bill Historical Center will address the theme: Memory and Vision: Native Arts of the Great Plains. Suggested topics for presentation include Plains cultural artistic traditions, the work of particular artists, museum interpretation and public artistic presentations, trade and influences of the marketplace, arts education, and contemporary artistic expressions. Presentations that address new areas of Native American scholarship are encouraged.

Individuals interested in participating in the Seminar are invited to submit a 250 word abstract along with a resume by April 28, 2006. Scholars and educators from tribal colleges and communities are especially invited to participate.