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Updated 3/31/2025

Justin Beatty

  • Massachusetts

    MA

Institution/Business Type: Artist / Creative (Individual)

Justin Beatty is a multi-disciplinary artist of Native American (Ojibwe, Saponi) & African-American descent. He holds a B.A. from UMass-Amherst with a concentration in Indigenous Policy, Culture, & Art, a self-created interdisciplinary curriculum. Justin's visual artwork includes digital art, drawing, painting, & clothing. Much of his visual art is dedicated to a deeper look at cultural, political, spiritual, and social issues affecting Native American & First Nations people. The works frequently alternate between challenging the stereotypes of Indigenous people as relics of the past, creating new images around traditional symbology, & exploring tropes, misconceptions, & erroneous beliefs about Indigenous people in N. America & the Caribbean. His work has been featured in "Boundless" at the Mead Art Museum including a permanent installation outside the museum, the Town of Athol's "Windows on Main" installation, & 50 Arrow Gallery, & Urbana Art Studio.

A well-known Native American intertribal powwow singer in New England and founding member of Urban Thunder, a powwow drum group for which he is drum-keeper & lead singer. Urban Thunder has been host drum at various powwows including Harvard, UMass-Amherst, North American Indian Center of Boston (NAICOB), UMass-Boston, and the Mass Center for Native American Awareness (MCNAA). They have also been featured in the movie "Crooked Arrows" & the video game "BioShock: Infinite". Justin also sings with the Iron River Singers, Rez Dogs, & on occasion with the Mystic River Singers.

As a cultural educator, Justin does presentations at schools & organizations across New England. He emcees numerous powwows & cultural events such as powwows for the Aquinnah Wampanoag, Nipmuc Nation, UMass-Amherst & UMass-Boston, Brown University, UNH, Mt. Kearsarge Indian Museum & many others. He has given talks & lectures, moderated, & participated in panel discussions at Mt. Holyoke, UMass-Amherst, Northfield-Mount Hermon, Smith, Springfield Coll., BSU, AIC, Connecticut Coll., Native American Lifelines, Connecticut River Conservancy & for the Mohegan Tribe. 

Justin worked at Truelements Music with DJ/Producer JPeriod on projects for The Roots, The Isley Brothers, Mary J. Blige, the Rock Steady Crew, & others. He was the DJ & backing vocalist for NewMerika & had songs featured on TV shows, documentaries, & the sizzle reel of director Naheem Adio.     

Find Me

Justin Beatty
Job Title: Artist/Powwow Singer/Educator/Music Maker
Address:
52 Roosevelt Street
Hadley, MA 01035

Social Media:

Additional Content:

  • J. Beatty Digital Visuals Website

    The J. Beatty Digital Visuals Website features a curated selection of art, clothing, & accessories created by Justin Beatty. Purchases can be made on this website or by contacting Justin directly via email (jbdigitalvisuals@gmail.com)

  • The J. Beatty Digital Visuals Facebook Page

    This site features a large archive of Justin's artwork as well as information on discounts, special sales, and events.

About

Overview

Institution/Business Type:

Artist / Creative (Individual)

Legal Status:

Commercial / For profit - Sole proprietorship

Year Founded:

2015

Overview

Institution/Business Type:

Artist / Creative (Individual)

Legal Status:

Commercial / For profit - Sole proprietorship

Year Founded:

2015

Disciplines

Primary Discipline:

Multi-Disciplinary

Additional Disciplines:

  • Visual/Crafts - General
  • Music - Dance / DJ
  • Music - Electronica
  • Music - Native American Drum
  • Music - Pop / Rock
  • Music - R&B / Soul
  • Music - Rap / Hip-Hop
  • Visual/Crafts - Mixed Media
  • Visual/Crafts - Painting
  • Visual/Crafts - Sculpture

Activities and Services

Activities and Services:

  • Art Sales
  • Cultural Preservation
  • Public Art Projects (In Free, Public Spaces)
  • Artist Market
  • Exhibitions
  • Performance / Concert / Reading
Seasons Active: spring, summer, fall
Events Per Year: 8

Communities

Populations Engaged:

  • Adults
  • Businesses
  • Elders
  • General Public
  • LGBTQ Populations
  • Native American Tribes
  • Nonprofits
  • People with Disabilities
  • School Groups
  • Veteran/Active Duty Military Personnel

Languages Available:

  • English

Geographic Reach:

  • Town / City
  • County
  • Multi-County Region
  • State
  • Multi-State Region
  • National
  • International

Accessibility of Services

Accessibility of Services:

  • Access accommodations for people who use a wheelchair and have limited mobility

Media Gallery

Native American Woman's Fancy Shawl dancer, dancing in front of a bodega as a man walk by behind her.
A young Native American boy in eastern-style traditional regalia stands next to a large, protective bear who is looking down at the boy.
Two Native American men in their Grass Dancer regalia stand in front of a Brownstone apartment building.
A winding path makes its way through the forest in late autumn.
A Native American woman Jingle Dress Dancer holding a fan as she dances. Her regalia is made up of stars and nebulae giving the appearance that it is made of the cosmos itself.
Turbulent swirls of colors in various hues and shades.
Four Native American traditional plains-style dancers stand in a line each in front of a background representing the elements of earth, wind, fire, and water.
A make Aztec dancer stands proudly in the midst of neon signs and technology in a space reminiscent of NYC's Times Square.
A rectangular sign in red and white stating "No Colonizing Anytime", above a red arrow pointing bot left & right.
A rectangular sign in red, white, and blue stating "No Colonizing" with a Native American woman and man in blue dancing in a circle of white. Below the circle the words "Dept. of Indigeneity" are printed in white.