SWAIA Announces 2026 Gala & Live Auction, Unveils Runway Looks from Eight Native Designers

Events feature culinary experience by Chef Pyet DeSpain, runway looks across two showcases, and performances by Baby Opie and special guests

SANTA FE, N.M., July 1, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Southwestern Association for Indian Arts is pleased to announce the details of this year's Gala & Live Auction, taking place on Saturday, August 15. This year's premier fundraising event features a culinary experience curated by Chef Pyet DeSpain (Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation), founder of Pyet's Plate and winner of Gordon Ramsay's culinary competition, Next Level Chef. The evening's fashion component will showcase a runway presentation of new looks from award-winning fashion designers Patricia Michaels (Taos Pueblo) and Jamie Okuma (Luiseño, Wailaki, Okinawan, and Shoshone-Bannock). Baby Opie (Cree/Anishinaabe), a powwow dancer, singer, and drummer who became an overnight TikTok sensation, will perform at the evening's event along with surprise Native musical performers.

The Live Auction includes exceptional offerings from artists Isaiah Begay (Navajo), Rebecca Lucario (Acoma Pueblo), Frederica Antonio (Acoma Pueblo); a beaded, mini-Birkin by Adrian Stevens (Ute/Shoshone Bannock/San Carlos Apache) and Sean Snyder (Navajo/Ute); and a culinary package and experience with /shed project by chef and ceramicist Johnny Ortiz-Concha. In addition to the live auction offerings, SWAIA's silent auction has more than 50 items on which to bid. Learn more and purchase tickets here.

"We are deeply grateful to our sponsor, Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation, and to the SWAIA Gala Committee, whose generosity and dedication make this celebration possible. This year's Gala is a tribute to Native artistry, culinary excellence, and community. We can't wait to share it with our guests," said SWAIA Executive Director Jamie Schulze.

On Sunday, August 16, the SWAIA Native Fashion Show returns to the Santa Fe Convention Center Ballroom at 3 p.m. SWAIA is thrilled to announce six groundbreaking designers: Himikalas Pamela Baker (Squamish/Kwakiutl/Tlingit/Haida), Jimmy Dean Horn (Chickasaw), Jontay Kahm (Plains Cree), Devon Tso (Diné), Desmon Pack (Plains Cree), and Stephen Paul Judd (Kiowa/Choctaw). Tickets to the SWAIA Native Fashion Show are available here.

ABOUT SWAIA:
The Southwestern Association for Indian Arts (SWAIA) cultivates excellence and innovation across traditional and non-traditional art forms, developing programs and events that support, promote, and honor Native artists year-round. SWAIA creates economic and cultural opportunities for Native artists by producing and promoting the Santa Fe Indian Market ™, the largest and most prestigious Native art market in the world, Native Fashion Week, and Winter Indian Market. www.swaia.org

SOURCE Southwestern Association for Indian Arts