Phoenix Rises to become a Cultural Destination

Museums and Art Culture Thrive in the Valley of the Sun

May 13, 2009

Phoenix and Scottsdale are known for sun, golf and spas, but never culture. . Happily for visitors to the Valley of the Sun, that isn't the case anymore.

Since the mid 1980s, Scottsdale has had a robust public art program when it adopted a one percent for art ordinance. Its programs have won many local, regional and national awards. Art can be found in a variety of places around town from the walls of the Pima Freeway to traditional sculptures like Ed Mell’s Jack Knife. Projects underway include work by Paolo Soleri, Donald Lipski, and Al Price, each creating works for the Arizona Canal.

Art Museums Gain Prominence in the Valley of the Sun

The Phoenix Art Museum garnered attention with a well-received, modern building expansion several years ago. The 203,000 square-foot space houses work from diverse artists like Rembrandt, Norman Rockwell and Annie Leibowitz. The museum is known for its 18,000 plus works of Western American, American, Asian, European, Latin American, modern art and fashion design. The museum is featuring three special exhibitions running through early summer including; Medievalism—Fashion’s Romance with the Middle Ages, The Art of Ernest L. Blumenschein and Charting the Canyon—Photographs by Klett & Wolfe.

The Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art (SmoCA) is the only Arizona museum dedicated to the art, architecture and design of our time. The building, designed by local award-winning architect Will Bruder, houses five galleries that feature changing exhibitions. Running through mid-August is At the Crossroads of American Photography: Callahan, Siskind and Sommer. The exhibition features 151 prints of three seminal, self-taught photographers. Seriously Funny shows how humor helps people understand the world. The playful exhibit runs through June 5.

Internationally Renowned Heard Museum is still Phoenix's Cultural Gem

The Heard Museum has always been the city’s cultural icon. Established in 1929, the Heard is internationally recognized for its collection of Native American art. There are 10 galleries featuring cultural objects, fine art, jewelry and fashion. The museum boasts over 39,000 works of art. Key areas of exhibition include textiles, katsina dolls, baskets and pottery, cradleboards and sculptures and paintings. The Mothers & Daughters, Stories in Clay special exhibition runs throughout the year and features 20 works by seven women who are all part of the Naranjo family from Santa Clara Pueblo, New Mexico.

Phoenix Leads the Nation in Attendance on First Fridays focused on Art and Culture

Phoenix boasts one of the largest First Friday events of any city in the country. From 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. on the first Friday of every month downtown galleries open their doors to visitors partaking in the self-guided art walk. In addition to traditional galleries, alternative art spaces, music venues and street vendors and musicians add to the eclectic vibe. The people watching is top notch as well!

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