Oconaluftee Institute for Cultural Arts will celebrate its new home at 70 Bingo Loop Rd. in Cherokee with an Open House Thursday, May 21, from 4-7 p.m.
Through a partnership with Southwestern Community College, which provides the instruction and accreditation, and the Eastern Band of Cherokee, which provides the funding, students can earn an associate's degree in fine arts. They study both traditional Cherokee art and foundations for contemporary interpretation. Students who graduate from the OICA program can transfer, through an articulation agreement, to Western Carolina University as juniors and pursue a bachelor of fine arts degree. Or they may transfer to any other public university in the state with up to 65 hours of credit.

OICA is the only Native American Institution of higher education east of the Mississippi River dedicated to Native American arts. For more information, call 497-3945.

See photos from Open House - click on thumbnail to view larger image

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