Arts Tour: Oklahoma
Oklahoma, where the wind comes sweepin’ down the plain. When most people think of Oklahoma, they picture oil fields, cowboys or the famous Broadway musical, not the visual arts. Yet an arts tour in the Sooner State can give you plenty to sing about.
A latecomer to statehood, Oklahoma was called Indian Territory in its early days. The land run of 1889 opened public lands to homesteading and changed the territory’s destiny. More than 50,000 people crowded the starting points. When the signal was sounded at high noon, they poured into the 2 million acres to stake their claims. Some sneaked in ahead of time to grab choice property; they became known as Sooners. Oklahoma finally entered the union in 1907 as the 46th state.
As settlers made names for themselves and built their wealth in the oil industry, some began to amass impressive art collections. Shopping districts started to grow, and artists took root in welcoming communities. Today, Oklahoma’s arts scene proudly blends rich artistic traditions and up-to-the-minute creativity.
Web Exclusive: Click here for a list of gallery walks, fairs and other happenings in Oklahoma.
