Traditional artist Kevin Locke awarded fellowship for creative achievement

Locke awarded fellowship for creative achievement

By Anne Hatch, South Dakota Traditional Arts Program Manager

“I feel a great indebtedness to the older generations that were able to carry the traditions forward and I work hard to continue that work as well,” Kevin Locke said. And his most recent award from the United States Artists organization in Chicago recognizes and supports his effort.

South Dakotans are familiar with the visionary Hoop Dancer, preeminent player of the Indigenous flute, traditional storyteller, cultural ambassador, recording artist and educator but may not know that he has been awarded with a 2020 United States Artists Fellowship. Locke is one of 50 artists from across the country and all artistic disciplines to be honored for their creative accomplishments this year. These awards aim to promote the work of visionary practitioners to a broader public while allowing them to decide how to best support their lives and pursue ongoing artistic and professional development. Locke joins 2007 awardee Chris Eyre, a Native American filmmaker from Rapid City, as the second South Dakota recipient.

“This award is super prestigious and an honor to receive,” Locke said. “It will go a long way to help me increase awareness of our priceless heritage and traditional arts, specifically the Indigenous flute.”

Locke tightly connects his art to his Lakota and Anishnaabe heritage and beyond by using folk arts to emphasize universal themes that are integral to all peoples. He believes that we each can draw from our individual heritages to create a vibrant, evolving global civilization embracing and celebrating our collective heritage.

Since 2006, United States Artists has awarded more than 600 artists and cultural practitioners with over $30 million of direct support in all disciplines including architecture and design, craft, dance, film, media, music, theater and performance, traditional arts, visual art and writing.

“We are proud to offer this unrestricted award to encourage artists to explore the possibilities of their practices and support their livelihoods,” said United States Artists President and CEO Deana Haggag. “Our annual, unrestricted awards celebrate artists and cultural practitioners who have significantly contributed to the creative landscape and arts ecosystem of the country.”

Locke said this fellowship could not have come at a better time.

“With COVID-19, I have lost 100% of my income,” he said. “I am using the funds from the US Artists Fellowship to put my programs online by creating videos on my phone and figuring out a platform to make them available.”

Aware that his generation is now the one responsible for carrying these artistic traditions forward, Locke hopes his videos are the next step in accomplishing that. Educational programming and performing for student groups has been an important part of Locke’s work to preserve Native traditions.

Educational programming and performing for student groups has been an important part of Locke’s work to preserve Native traditions.