Every year imagineNATIVE works with an Indigenous artist to create an image for our Festival Tote Bag. The Tote Bag is offered to all delegates attending the Festival and is also available for purchase as part of our official Festival merchandise. The production of the bag is supported by Miziwe Biik. Screen printed at Rezonance Printing in London, ON.
The 2026 design by Tsista Kennedy aka Hotdog Water Art illustrates four people with their minds connected, both to each other and to the raised fist in the top centre. This raised fist serves as a focal point, with iconographic people standing hand in hand and bold shades of red and yellow radiating from it. Everyone in the design is gathering, sharing, and connecting with one another.
In terms of the broader composition of this artwork, Kennedy decided to go with a “less is more” approach for global Indigenous representation so all Nations can see themselves reflected in some way.
Tehatsistahawi (Tsista) Kennedy is an Anishinaabe Onyota’a:aka artist belonging to Beausoleil First Nation and Oneida Nation of the Thames. He is a self-taught artist and often creates his work digitally. Tsista also creates original art pieces with other mediums, such as etching on birch bark.
Photography by: Autumn Powless
Model: Mia Jones