About

Sisters United, in collaboration with the Great Falls Public Schools Indigenous Education Department, has created a new collaborative project called NEST — Nurturing Emerging Storytellers and Traditions.

Through this project, we will host Indigenous artists to share their skills, stories, cultural practices, and creative resources with Indigenous students across Great Falls Public Schools and Great Falls College. Depending on the artist and medium these groups will vary in size and age. 

The goal of NEST is to provide students with a meaningful, immersive experience rooted in Indigenous knowledge and creativity; helping them connect with tradition, explore their own voices, and carry these stories forward in both new and traditional ways.

2025/2026 School Year

NEST welcomed six Indigenous artists into classrooms across Great Falls Public Schools and Great Falls College: Nina Sanders (museum and curation), Brandon Gomez (carving, Alaska), Mariah Gladstone (chef and food sovereignty), Chris Latray (author), Della Stump (fashion design), and John Pepion (ledger artist).

Over the course of the year, 1,200 students and 155 staff and community members connected with Indigenous knowledge, creativity, and tradition through NEST programming.

We are grateful to every artist who shared their gifts, and to every student who showed up.

2026/2027 School Year

We are inviting Indigenous artists from around the Country to be apart of the NEST Program. Each residency includes; 3 full school day working with students and 2 evening events. $3800 plus travel, lodging and materials needed for workshops. Please find application below.