03/31/2026
Local artists, makers and creators, authors, writers and poets will gather to celebrate and showcase independent media and the impact on culture, media and the arts. IndyCon is an artists, makers and creators fair that will take place on April 18th starting at 12 noon at Pioneer Hall in Downtown Ashland. Local artists, creators and performers will be there to show off their amazing work, create live art and to educate and entertain visitors.
Everyone is invited to this free event which includes artists booths, vendors many activities to explore.
This is a family-friendly event. There will be activities for children, teens and youth alike.
Local artists will be showing their work and creating live art, including paintings, jewelry and poetry.
Hands-on activites include making a “zine” with the Southern Oregon Zine Socety.
Artist Gatore Mukarhinda will host a community art making space. Mukarhinda, has lived all over the world, including the Congo, Rwanda, Ivory Coast, Senegal and France. Mukarhinda’s art includes both drawing and painting, with jazz musicians and their instruments as frequent subjects.
Local cartoonist Curt Evans will offer free drawings for kids and “Scribble Scrabble”, turning random drawing on a piece of paper into a cartoon.
Polly the Pantomime and other performers will entertain in the courtyard and downtown. Visitors can also find refreshments and snacks.
Musical guests will perform throughout the day. There will be lots of swag to collect and prizes to win. Local independent community radio station KSKQ will host live broadcasts and interview with artists and performers.
After 5 pm, visitors will be enjoy food organized by the Ashland Community Peace Meal as local artists and musicans entertain in the courtyard. Performing at 6 pm will be world renoun composer and performer George Man. From Ithica, NY, George Mann sings songs from the labor and social justice movements, and his own songs are powerful and funny takes on the state of the nation.
IndyCon is sponsored by a grant by the City of Ashland, and the support of Southern Oregon Jobs with Justice and the Ashland Lions Club.
IndyCon is more than just an exhibition it’s an opportunity to celebrate and sustain independent creativity and media in our community. Don’t miss this incredible opportunity to connect, learn, and be inspired.
IndyCon comes at a time when independent media is under attack. Legal intimidation, restricted access, financial pressure, aggressive rhetoric from top officials and arrests of journalists and lawsuits against major news outlets have led to a decline in press freedom.
Indycon is part of Ashland's Independent Media Week. In April 2005, the City of Ashland officially proclaimed its first Independent Media Week. Every year since, a coalition of local independent media organizations have petitioned the City of Ashland to proclaim the 3rd week in April, “Independent Media Week”. Ashland mayor and city council plan to reaffirm this proclamation in April.
For more information call Jason Houk at 541-841-8341 or email [email protected].
