The Future of Our Past
The OKPOP Foundation has officially completed the $18 million Heart & Soul Campaign, and the State Treasurer has now approved and certified the pledges, releasing the state’s matching funds. This milestone marks the beginning of OKPOP’s next chapter: exhibit design, fabrication, and the build-out of Oklahoma’s first museum dedicated to the global creative impact of its people.
Hello Friends and Potential Donors,
“You know, this whole campaign wasn’t just about raising $18 million – it was about backing a mission that means something. OKPOP is here to celebrate the crazy amount of creativity that comes out of Oklahoma, to tell the stories of the folks who shaped music, film, and art, and to fire up the next generation to chase their own big dreams. The way people showed up to support this blows me away. Oklahoma should be proud of what’s coming.”
Honorary Campaign Chair
A big thank-you to our wonderful summer interns: Zoey Hughes (The University of Tulsa), Regan Vann (The University of Tulsa), and Ally May (the University of Central Oklahoma)!
Throughout the summer, they worked across every OKPOP department, gaining a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to build a museum while it is still in development.
Along the way, they gained hands-on experience creating custom housings for objects, working with collections-management and cataloging software, conducting exhibit research, supporting museum operations, and helping curate media.
We’re grateful for their curiosity, creativity, hard work, and willingness to jump in wherever they were needed. Thank you, Zoey, Regan, and Ally, for being part of Team OKPOP!
Join us for OKPOP-IN: The Creative Impact of Stephen Hillenburg at OKPOP on Friday, August 7, 2026, as we celebrate the Oklahoma-born creator of SpongeBob SquarePants and his enduring influence on animation, storytelling, humor, and popular culture.
Special guests will include Tom Kenny, the Emmy Award-winning voice of SpongeBob SquarePants, and Derek Drymon, longtime SpongeBob SquarePants creative collaborator, writer, director, and producer. Additional guests will be announced soon.
Guests will receive a first look at selected materials from The Stephen Hillenburg & SpongeBob SquarePants Collection & Archive at OKPOP, followed by a public conversation exploring Hillenburg’s creative life, the making of SpongeBob SquarePants, and the roles imagination, collaboration, curiosity, and humor play in the creative process.
EVENT SCHEDULE
5–7:30 p.m. | OKPOP
Panel discussion featuring Tom Kenny, Derek Drymon, and additional guests, followed by a meet-and-greet opportunity.
Special event merchandise is also planned, including a limited-edition commemorative poster.
9:30 p.m. | The Vanguard
The celebration continues just down the street with a performance by Tom Kenny & The Hi-Seas. Led by Kenny, the band brings a high-energy mix of rock, soul, rhythm and blues, and party music to the stage.
Concert tickets will be sold separately.
Public ticketing information, media credentials, additional guest announcements, concert details, and merchandise availability will be released soon.
#OKPOP #StephenHillenburg #SpongeBobSquarePants #TomKenny #DerekDrymon @tomkennyog @derekdrymonart
Today, on what would have been his 90th birthday, OKPOP remembers Saginaw Grant—actor, musician, powwow dancer, speaker, U.S. Marine Corps veteran, and hereditary chief of the Sac and Fox Nation.
Born in Pawnee and raised near Cushing, Grant carried Oklahoma with him throughout a remarkable life and career. On screen, he brought warmth, dignity, and unforgettable presence to productions including The World’s Fastest Indian, The Lone Ranger, and Breaking Bad. Beyond acting, he traveled the world sharing Native culture, advocated for American Indian veterans, and earned recognition as an award-winning musician.
His legacy reaches far beyond his filmography. Saginaw Grant was a storyteller, cultural ambassador, and respected elder whose life reflected humility, strength, and a deep connection to his Oklahoma roots.
Remembering Saginaw Grant on his birthday—and celebrating the stories, culture, and wisdom he shared with the world.
#SaginawGrant #OKPOP #OklahomaHistory #NativeAmericanHistory #OklahomaFilm
Remembering Karen Dalton on her birthday.
Raised in Enid, Oklahoma, Karen Dalton carried one of the most unmistakable voices of the 1960s folk revival. With a twelve-string guitar or banjo in hand, she drew from folk, blues, country, and traditional music while creating a sound entirely her own—raw, intimate, and impossible to imitate.
Dalton never fit neatly within the machinery of the music business, and much of the recognition her work deserved came after her lifetime. Over the years, carefully curated reissues and archival releases from labels including Light in the Attic Records and Delmore Recording Society helped introduce her music to new generations of listeners. Long-unavailable recordings, live performances, photographs, and personal materials offered a fuller picture of an artist whose influence continued to grow long after her final recordings.
Today, musicians and listeners around the world still find something deeply human in her work: vulnerability without polish, sorrow without spectacle, and beauty without pretense.
We remember Karen Dalton as one of Oklahoma’s most singular and enduring musical voices.
#KarenDalton #OklahomaMusic #FolkMusic #WomenInMusic
We recently connected with Oklahoma costume designer Amy Higdon for a video interview at OKPOP, exploring the creativity, research, collaboration, and cultural responsibility behind her work.
Raised near Tecumseh, Amy traced her journey from Oklahoma State University’s theater department to film and television projects including Killers of the Flower Moon, Stillwater, and Fancy Dance. She shared how her Citizen Potawatomi identity shapes the way she approaches storytelling, and how thoughtful costume design begins with deep research, strong relationships, and an understanding of the people behind the clothes.
Amy also reflected on the resourcefulness required to work within tight budgets, the many artists and technicians who make up a costume department, and the importance of staying humble throughout a creative career:
“Always be willing to sweep the floor… Recognize that it’s a team sport and a team effort.”
We’re grateful to Amy for sharing her story, her creative process, and her insight with the Oklahoma Historical Society archives and future OKPOP exhibits.
#AmyHigdon #CostumeDesign #FancyDance #OklahomaFilm @amy.higdon
Happy Birthday to Oklahoma’s own Heather Langenkamp!
Born in Tulsa, Heather became a horror icon as Nancy Thompson in A Nightmare on Elm Street. She later returned to the franchise in A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors and Wes Craven’s New Nightmare, while also building a career behind the scenes in special effects.
Today, we’re celebrating her Oklahoma roots and lasting impact on horror and popular culture.
Happy Birthday, Heather! 🎂🔪🌙
#HeatherLangenkamp #ANightmareOnElmStreet #HorrorHistory @langenkamph
It was an honor to connect with Jeremy Skinner for a video interview about his father, the late, great Oklahoma songwriter, musician, and song interpreter Tom Skinner.
Jeremy reflected on Tom’s creative origin story, from growing up with church music to playing with his brothers in Santa Fe, a popular Stillwater bar band that later became the backing band for Garth Brooks before his move to Nashville. He also shared stories of Tom’s role as a mentor to generations of Oklahoma songwriters.
Through the Farm, the Wednesday Night Science Project, and countless songs shared with others, Tom helped build more than a music scene. He built a community rooted in generosity, collaboration, and the belief that a good song should be passed along.
Tom Skinner’s legacy is an essential part of the Red Dirt story, but it reaches far beyond any single genre. It is a story of Oklahoma songwriting, storytelling, musicianship, mentorship, and the lasting power of bringing people together through music.
We’re grateful to Jeremy for helping us preserve and share it. #tomskinner #oklahomamusic #reddirt @jlawesomest @tomskinnermusic @tomskinners_scienceproject
Happy SpongeBob Day! 🍍🧽🌊
July 14 marks SpongeBob SquarePants’ birthday, and today we’re celebrating Stephen Hillenburg, the Oklahoma-born creator who brought Bikini Bottom to life.
Born at Fort Sill in Lawton, Hillenburg combined his love of marine biology, art, and animation to create a world that has inspired laughter, imagination, and plenty of nautical nonsense for generations.
From the OKPOP vault, here are a few selections of concept art from the show, offering a glimpse into the creativity behind one of pop culture’s most beloved characters.
#SpongeBobDay #StephenHillenburg #SpongeBobSquarePants #OklahomaPopCulture #OKPOP
Donate
Your charitable donation directly contributes to OKPOP’s future, we are grateful for your support! Donations to support the OKPOP Museum may be made to the OKPOP Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Donations are tax deductible as allowed by law.
Donations may be made through the secure online donation form or mailed to:
OKPOP Foundation
422 North Main Street
Tulsa, Oklahoma 74103
If you have questions about additional gifting options, please contact Abby Kurin at akurin@okpopfoundation.org
*Required fields.
Note: Fees for online processing are a necessary part of online giving and vary based on donation amount and type of card used. The fees charged by the credit card processor will be subtracted from the donation amount.