TCU Art Galleries Receive $10,000 Grant from National Endowment for the Arts 

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NATIVE LAND (MOTHERLAND) from Harjo's "Indian Removal Act II: And She Was" serves as the second installment in the three-part exhibition series.

NATIVE LAND (MOTHERLAND) from Harjo’s “Indian Removal Act II: And She Was” serves as the second installment in the three-part exhibition series.

Congratulations to The Art Galleries at TCU on receiving a $10,000 Grants for Arts Projects award from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). This grant will support “Indian Removal Act III,” an exhibition and publication by artist Joe Harjo. As part of its 2025 grants program, the NEA recently announced the distribution of 1,127 Grants for Arts Projects nationwide, totaling over $31.8 million.

A portrait of a man with a beard and mustache, wearing a red Adidas jacket and a black shirt. He has his hair tied back and stands in front of a blue painting.

Joe Harjo

The Art Galleries at TCU are a vibrant cultural hub, featuring unique exhibitions and projects by School of Art students, faculty and invited guest artists. The galleries highlight exceptional artistic practice while fostering experimentation and innovation with a thoughtful curatorial approach rooted in research, creative collaboration and interdisciplinary partnerships. 

“It’s fantastic to see Joe’s practice being supported in this way and we are thrilled to be able to present this significant project at TCU,” said Sara-Jayne Parsons, director and curator. “This opportunity will enable our students to engage with critical conversations about Native Culture and envision a future that is characterized by empathy, respect and collaboration.” 

“Indian Removal Act III” is the third and final installment in a powerful exhibition series by multidisciplinary artist Joe Harjo, a member of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation of Oklahoma, who currently teaches at the University of Texas at San Antonio.

A man wearing a black hoodie and jeans stands with his head bowed, wrapped in a patterned blanket and draped with long red fabric. He wears blue sneakers with orange laces, and a black backdrop with clamps is visible behind him.


Mourning the Motherland (Praying) from Indian Removal Act II: And She Was.

The title of Harjo’s work references the Indian Removal Act of 1830, which forcibly displaced Native nations, including Harjo’s own Muscogee Nation, to lands west of the Mississippi River. Through his art, which includes sculpture, video installation, large-scale text, photography and textile work, Harjo addresses the misrepresentation, homogenization and undervaluation of Native culture. His exhibition brings visibility to the contributions, resourcefulness, adaptability and ongoing presence of Native people in contemporary spaces.

“The NEA is proud to continue our nearly 60 years of supporting the efforts of organizations and artists that help to shape our country’s vibrant arts sector and communities of all types across our nation,” said NEA Chair Maria Rosario Jackson, Ph.D. “It is inspiring to see the wide range of creative projects taking place, including Joe Harjo’s exhibition ‘Indian Removal Act III.’”