Welcome to the Jay Redbird Indigenous Arts Pavilion

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The Jay Bell Redbird Indigenous Arts Pavilion at Artfest Kingston is a vibrant and inclusive space that celebrates the creativity, traditions, and cultural contributions of professional and aspiring Indigenous artists from across Turtle Island. Since its founding in 2017 by the late Jay Bell Redbird (1967–2019), the Pavilion has grown into a meaningful gathering place where artists share not only their artwork but also their stories, songs, and cultural knowledge. 

This year, we are proud to announce the 2025 theme: Roots of Resilience. This theme honours the strength, dedication, and creativity of Indigenous artists who are sustaining and revitalizing a wide range of traditional and contemporary art forms for future generations. These artists remain rooted in their cultures and continue to inspire through their resilience, passion, and artistic expression.

The 2025 Pavilion host is Liv Rondeau, an artist of mixed Kanyen’kehá:ka and French-Canadian heritage and the proud owner of Flint and Maple. Liv also designed this year’s pavilion logo featuring the Tree of Peace—the white pine tree. Rooted in Haudenosaunee teachings and world view, this symbolizes unity in our efforts to honour and uplift a variety of art forms and voices. In tribute to Flint and Maples Haudenosaunee heritage, we are reminded of the importance of grounding this work in strength, peace, and a good mind. These teachings will guide the work we do this year in the pavilion, bringing forward the strength and resilience of our ancestors.

We invite you to explore this year’s Pavilion, meet the artists, and experience the connections between cultures, creativity, and community. The Pavilion is a living tribute to Jay Bell Redbird—an extraordinary artist, visionary, and leader—whose dream of showcasing Indigenous arts and storytelling at national art festivals continues to flourish.