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
It was an honor to connect with Allan Heinberg for a video interview about his Tulsa roots and creative journey.
A screenwriter, television writer, comic book writer, showrunner, and producer, Allan has helped shape stories that have resonated around the world. From Tulsa theater stages to Wonder Woman, Young Avengers, and The Sandman, his journey is a powerful reminder that Oklahoma talent continues to leave a lasting mark on popular culture.
At OKPOP, those are the stories we care deeply about preserving and sharing: stories that inspire the next generation to imagine what’s possible. Our mission is to inspire and empower new generations of creators by showcasing the legacy of Oklahomans and their influence on popular culture. 
#OKPOP #AllanHeinberg #Tulsa #OklahomaCreatives #Storytelling PopCulture
It’s that time of year again. 🤠🎻
On Monday, March 9, join us at the Oklahoma State Capitol for our annual Bob Wills Day at the Capitol! Enjoy a full day of western swing bands playing Bob Wills classics in the Capitol rotunda.
🕙 Music starts at 10:00 a.m.
🕓 Plays through 4:15 p.m.
So you might as well “swing” on by. 💃🕺
Hosted by the Oklahoma Historical Society, Oklahoma Arts Council, OKPOP Museum, and the Oklahoma Film + Music Office. Big thanks to our partners for keeping this tradition alive! 
#BobWillsDay #WesternSwing #OKHistory #OKMusic #OKPOP
We’re remembering Bob Wootton, longtime guitarist for Johnny Cash and a member of The Tennessee Three for nearly 30 years.
Bob’s story has strong Oklahoma roots. His family moved to Tulsa when he was a teenager, and he later settled in Oklahoma City, where he played local gigs and studied the distinctive “boom-chicka-boom” guitar style that defined Cash’s music.
In 1968, at a concert in Fayetteville, Arkansas, a chance moment changed his life. Members of Cash’s band were delayed, and when the call went out for someone who knew the songs, Bob stepped forward from the crowd. Having memorized the entire set, he played the show that night and soon became the guitarist who stepped into the band following the passing of original Tennessee Three guitarist Luther Perkins.
From Oklahoma stages to decades of touring and recording with Johnny Cash, Bob Wootton helped carry one of the most recognizable sounds in American music.
#OKPOP #OklahomaMusic #JohnnyCash #TennesseeThree #OklahomaCreatives
It was an honor to connect with Julie O’Keefe, a citizen of the Osage Nation and an Indigenous cultural consultant for film and TV. Julie shared insights from her work on Killers of the Flower Moon and other productions, and spoke to the importance of involving Indigenous communities in the stories that reflect them, on screen and behind the scenes. Her work is helping move the industry toward storytelling that is more respectful, accurate, and human. 
#OKPOP #OsageNation #IndigenousConsultant #FilmAndTV #StoryFirst
Currently spinning: The Ventures’ The Fabulous Ventures (1964).
The band’s DNA is pure Oklahoma: Bob Bogle and Nokie Edwards both hailed from Oklahoma, and that iconic Ventures sound was inseparable from the bite and twang of their Mosrite guitars, designed by Oklahoma-born luthier Semie Moseley.
One standout cut is their take on “The Pink Panther Theme,” a perfect pop-culture crossover. The theme came from the original The Pink Panther (1963) film, written and directed by Oklahoman Blake Edwards.
Oklahoma fingerprints, all over the groove.
#OKPOP #OklahomaMusic #TheVentures #SurfRock #FromTheVault
On March 1, we celebrate Ralph Ellison, born in Oklahoma City in 1913. 
Raised in OKC during a time when jazz and modern art were shaping American life, Ellison came up through local schools (including Frederick Douglass School) and developed as a musician, known as a standout trumpet player before leaving Oklahoma to study music at Tuskegee Institute. 
Ellison would go on to write Invisible Man (1952), a landmark American novel exploring identity, power, and belonging. The book won the 1953 National Book Award for Fiction, a breakthrough moment in American letters. 
Beyond the novel, Ellison’s influence expands through his essays and criticism, including Shadow and Act and Going to the Territory, where he wrote with depth about art, culture, and the complicated story of America. 
At OKPOP, we’re proud to honor Oklahoma creators like Ellison whose work continues to challenge us, connect us, and expand what feels possible. 
#OKC #OklahomaHistory #Literature #RalphEllison #OKPOP
It was great to connect with Sharon Howe-Tabb for an in-depth interview.
A proud El Reno native, Sharon shared her journey from a young artist who loved to draw and paint, to an internationally recognized makeup artist working in film and television — and now Founder & CEO of The Tabb Agency in Oklahoma City.
From early self-taught days in California to major productions like Reservation Dogs, Fancy Dance, Te Ata, Killers of the Flower Moon, and The Lowdown Sharon spoke about persistence, creative grit, and building a thriving career right here in Oklahoma. She also reflected on the collaborative spirit of Oklahoma crews, the growth of our film industry, and her passion for keeping opportunity local.
Her story is one of resilience, artistry, and entrepreneurship — proof that you can build something lasting without leaving home.
Thank you, Sharon, for sharing your journey with us. 🎬✨
#OKPOP #OklahomaFilm #CreativeJourney #WomenInFilm #BehindTheScenes
FROM THE VAULT: Two original posters from Tulsa (1949) — the Technicolor oil-boom drama set right here in Oklahoma.
The film earned an Academy Award nomination for Special Effects at the 22nd Oscars, thanks in part to its unforgettable oil-field fire sequences. 
One of the posters in our collection is especially fun: a Japanese release version that shows how Oklahoma stories traveled far beyond our borders.
#OKPOP #FromTheVault #TulsaOK #MoviePosters #OklahomaFilm
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
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