7th Annual Seeds Philly Celebration!
September 19 & 20, 2026
Cherry Street Pier
7th Annual Seeds Philly Celebration! September 19 & 20, 2026 Cherry Street Pier
INDIGENOUS ARTS. CULTURES. FUTURES.
Celebrating contemporary Indigenous arts & cultures in Philadelphia
About Seeds
We Are the Seeds of CultureTrust celebrates and educates about contemporary Indigenous arts and cultures; creates expansive and holistic opportunities for Indigenous artists, storytellers, and culture bearers; and advances positive, accurate representation of Indigenous peoples through the arts, public humanities, and community-centered initiatives.
As a Native-led organization, our priority is to serve Indigenous communities throughout the Northeast by designing programs that address gaps in the representation of East Coast Indigenous artists and makers and strengthen Indigenous visibility at the national and global levels. Through cultural programming, storytelling, land stewardship, and collaborative artistic practice, we create spaces that uplift connection, learning, and belonging.
We continually challenge Indigenous erasure and invisibility, creating safe spaces to exist as we are: beautiful, thriving peoples with important histories and even stronger futures.
Our work
We Are the Seeds Philly
An annual, two-day celebration of Indigenous arts and cultures features presentations, live painting, short films, creative workshops, and a vibrant Indigenous art show. Visitors will enjoy fine art, incredible shopping opportunities, interactive art-making, learning with artist talks, and more.
From Here, With A View Podcast
A podcast that centers Indigenous perspectives on life, art, and everything in-between. In celebration of who we are as contemporary Native peoples, the podcast affirms our place in the world and shares our visions for Indigenous futures. Available now on Apple Podcasts and your favorite podcast platforms.
Seeds Indigenous Listening Garden
An Indigenous-led garden and multimedia space in West Philadelphia. In its inaugural year of planting and development, the garden celebrates Indigenous ecological knowledge, community-driven storytelling, and public art while creating opportunities for people to connect with the land and one another.
this situation: an examination of myth and memory
Using Penn’s Treaty with the Indians as a conceptual anchor, this multimedia theater piece centers contemporary Indigenous presence, creativity, and joy while confronting historical erasure and ongoing threats to sovereignty. The work invites audiences to reflect on how myths become monuments and who those myths serve.
Our Team
Tailinh Agoyo is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of We Are the Seeds, an Indigenous arts and culture organization based in Philadelphia. Since co-founding Seeds in 2016, she has led its growth, producing eight large-scale cultural events and more than 200 creative and educational programs while building partnerships and resources that directly support Indigenous artists, culture bearers, and communities.
Her work with Seeds includes Seeds Art Market and From Here, With a View: A We Are the Seeds Philadelphia Podcast, initiatives that expand visibility, opportunity, and connection.
Before founding We Are the Seeds, Tailinh served as Head of Design for the West Coast offices of a global consulting firm and as Director of Public Relations, Marketing, and Programming for SWAIA Santa Fe Indian Market. She co-founded the Indigenous Fine Art Market and produced EAST, an Indigenous art show presented in partnership with the Mashantucket Pequot Museum and Northeast Indigenous Arts Alliance. Her own creative practice encompasses photography, writing, performance, and storytelling.
Across her work as an artist and cultural producer, Tailinh is committed to creating equitable platforms for Indigenous artists, challenging erasure, and making space for Indigenous stories, creativity, connection, and joy.
Zachariah Julian is Seeds’ Director of Artistic Production. Since Seeds’ inception, he’s curated diverse, balanced, and engaging performances. He produces and hosts From Here, With a View, develops content across We Are the Seeds’ social media channels, and composes original music for various Seeds’ productions. A musician and theater maker with more than 20 years of experience, he brings deep expertise in production, sound design, and stage management.
Zachariah began composing at age 16 and studied Music Theory & Composition at the University of New Mexico. His 2021 album Oblique features tracks such as In Braid, Paper Ghost, Tattoo, Symphony, and the title track Oblique. In 2024, he released the single Skin (feat. Brian Burton). His evolving body of work spans genres, continually pushing the boundaries of composition and performance.
Michelle St. John is Seeds’ Managing Director of Content and Production as well as the Executive Producer of the From Here, With a View podcast. She supports Seeds’ strategic decision-making, grant writing, team management, and developing Seeds programming, creative content and special projects.
An award-winning artist and producer, Michelle brings more than 40 years of experience across film, television, radio, theater, and music. Her acclaimed documentary Colonization Road earned a Golden Sheaf Award from the Yorkton Film Festival and a Canadian Screen Award nomination for the Donald Brittain Award for Best Social/Political Documentary. Michelle’s storytelling practice reflects a lifelong commitment to dismantling colonial narratives, honoring Indigenous continuance, and ensuring representation that is both truthful and transformative.
Xiao Hui Star (pronounced shao way) is the Manager of New Initiatives for We Are the Seeds. She leads strategy, project management, and execution for the Seeds Indigenous Listening Garden as well as manages operations and artist onboarding and engagement for Seeds Art Market. Previously, she managed strategy and implementation for The Ashawaug Project.
Xiao Hui brings 20 years of collaborative leadership, design, and implementation experience as a project manager (PMP) and permaculture designer (PDC). She has worked with several impact-centered organizations, including climate media firm Plot Shift Media and design research consultancy Dalberg Design. Xiao Hui has a passion for supporting our re-connection to land by actualizing visionary ideas into implementation through creative collaboration and a service mindset.
Tchin is a key Artist-Partner for Education and Cultural Programs. He is an internationally known, multi-award-winning artist, educator, and cultural leader whose wisdom and experience have helped guide We Are the Seeds since its founding. His dedication to the organization continues to shape its direction.
Tchin supports educational programming and strategy for We Are the Seeds, helping to develop opportunities rooted in Indigenous knowledge for learners of all ages. As an Elder and educator, he continues to share knowledge and inspire the next generations through workshops and mentorship. Tchin teaches jewelry at the School of Visual Arts in New York City and regularly leads workshops in flute making and playing, corn husk doll making, basket weaving, storytelling, and other traditional arts.
Cassie Rose Mitchell is Seeds’ Community Engagement Coordinator. She contributes to program development and events, supports public relations, and leads social media coordination and strategy for the organization, helping to amplify Indigenous voices and bring greater visibility to our work.
A dedicated environmental advocate, she works to raise awareness about critical water and land issues affecting her Indigenous homelands in the Pacific Northwest - a cause that has been central to her life and activism. She believes that art and awareness go hand in hand, and that creative work can speak across generations and geographies, making a lasting impact. As an artist, Cassie incorporates her peoples’ ancient Indigenous designs and deep cultural meanings into her work, honoring tradition while helping to shape a more just future.
Arts + Culture Programs and Workshops
We Are the Seeds offers a variety of Indigenous art and culture programs to institutions, schools, companies, and organizations. Share more about your interest or request, and we’ll get back to you!
Thank you to
U.S. based "Native American" and/or "Indian" artists that sell artwork at We Are the Seeds events are in compliance with The Indian Arts and Crafts Act (Act) of 1990 (P.L. 101-644). These participating artists are "defined as a member of any federally or officially State recognized tribe of the United States, or an individual certified as an Indian artisan by an Indian tribe."
We Are the Seeds is a project of CultureTrust Greater Philadelphia, a charitable 501(c)(3) trust supporting diverse cultural practices in the Philadelphia region. CultureTrust Greater Philadelphia provides a charitable home and affordable shared management resources for arts and heritage programs of diverse disciplines and cultural traditions.