FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Jan. 24, 2024
MEDIA CONTACT: Brian Passey | [email protected] | 480-874-4626
SMoCA announces spring events as it celebrates 25 years
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. —Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art (SMoCA) has a full lineup of new and returning, fan-favorite programming as it celebrates its 25th birthday this spring.
“I am thrilled to be continuing our Glow Up @SMoCA series that focuses on self-care and expanding it to include yoga in the museum,” said Julie Ganas, curator of engagement and digital initiatives. “I think that there is a nice balance of programs we are presenting, and it is my hope that SMoCA can be the place to go to for one-of-a-kind experiences in the community.”
Glow Up @SMoCA is a series advocating for self-care and supporting wellness. It features sound baths, yoga and other mindfulness exercises intended to encourage well-being. Each session will be led by skilled practitioners who will guide you through meditative techniques.
Melinda Milton, founder of Alora Wellness, is leading both Glow Up events this spring, including gentle yoga in the museum and a sound bath outside in the “Knight Rise” public artwork, a James Turrell Skyspace accessible via the museum’s courtyard.
“Glow Up allows me to share a sound bath experience unlike any other, where light, color and sound fuse to create a truly magical moment,” Milton said.
In addition to SMoCA’s free 25th Birthday Celebration on Feb. 9 — featuring drinks, treats, performances and activities — the museum will also open two new exhibitions in early February: “Dorothy Fratt: Color Mirage” and “Carolina Aranibar-Fernández: Oleaje.” Scottsdale Arts ONE Members get access to special preview hours for both exhibitions.
The following are events happening at SMoCA and those organized by museum staff in the coming months. All events are held at SMoCA unless otherwise noted.
Dorothy Fratt Member Preview Hour
Saturday, Feb. 3, 2024, 11 a.m.–noon
Tickets: Free with membership; RSVP required
Scottsdale Arts ONE Members are invited to an exclusive preview of SMoCA’s newest exhibition, “Dorothy Fratt: Color Mirage.” A curator-led tour will also be available. Learn more about membership at ScottsdaleArts.org/membership.
Knight Rise at Sunset
Wednesdays, Feb. 7, Feb. 21, March 6, and March 20, 2024; times vary due to sunset times
Tickets: $45In this illuminating event and workshop from Scottsdale Arts Learning & Innovation, participants learn about the artist James Turrell from inside his “Knight Rise” Skyspace while capturing the sunset’s glow with watercolors. Following the experience, attendees will explore the current SMoCA exhibitions and engage in gallery discussions with staff.
SMoCA’s 25th Birthday Celebration + Opening
Friday, Feb. 9, 2024, 7–9 p.m.
Tickets: Free with RSVP
Party like it’s 1999! Join us to celebrate SMoCA’s 25th birthday and new exhibitions with special drinks, tasty treats, music performances and activities with artists and creatives from around the Valley.
Carolina Aranibar-Fernández Member Preview Hour
Saturday, Feb. 10, 2024, 11 a.m.–noon
Tickets: Free with membership; RSVP required
Scottsdale Arts ONE Members are invited to an exclusive preview of SMoCA’s newest exhibition, “Carolina Aranibar-Fernández: Oleaje.” The artist and curator will both be in attendance. Learn more about membership at ScottsdaleArts.org/membership.
Outspoken: Poetry Readings in Celebration of International Women’s Day
Saturday, March 9, 2024, 1–3 p.m.
Tickets: Free with museum admission
Celebrate International Women’s Day by listening to local poets perform original works inside the museum galleries.
Mystery in the Museum
Friday, March 22, 2024, at 6:30 p.m.
Tickets: $45 pair, $30 individual (on sale to ONE Members now; general public on-sale is Feb. 1)
Attendees put on their detective caps to crack cryptic messages and puzzles, following clues throughout the museum to investigate this curious caper, working in pairs or teams to solve riddles and find clues for a night of art, intrigue and fun.
Earth Conversations: Artist Conversation and Workshop
Saturday, April 20, 2024, 12:30 p.m.
Tickets: pay-what-you-wish (details coming soon to SMoCA.org)
Following an artist talk with Carolina Aranibar-Fernández and Gloria Martinez Granados, Borderlands Restoration Network will lead participants in a seed-sowing activity. This will support a milkweed propagation project aimed at enhancing habitat for monarch butterflies and other at-risk insect pollinators along the migratory routes in the Arizona/Sonora borderlands.
Glow Up @SMoCA: Gentle Yoga
Thursday, April 25, 2024, 7 p.m.
Tickets: $20 (on sale to ONE Members now; general public on-sale is Feb. 1)
Participants can find relaxation in this gentle yoga class, led by Melinda Milton, inside the exhibition “Dorothy Fratt: Color Mirage.” This yoga practice is open to all levels and encourages mindfulness and self-awareness through gentle movement and breathwork.
Dorothy Fratt Serigraph Demonstration with Artist John Armstrong
Saturday, May 11, 1 p.m.
Tickets: $10 (on sale to ONE Members now; general public on-sale is Feb. 1)
Artist and master printer John Armstrong, who collaborated with Dorothy Fratt on several serigraphs, demonstrates the unique technical process used to create those works. It is an experience unlike any other with expert insight into Fratt’s color fluency and singular approach. This event will be offsite at the artist’s studio.
Mystery in the Museum: Encore Presentation
Friday, May 31, 2024, at 6:30 p.m.
Tickets: $45 pair, $30 individual (on sale to ONE Members now; general public on-sale is Feb. 1)
Attendees put on their detective caps to crack cryptic messages and puzzles, following clues throughout the museum to investigate this curious caper, working in pairs or teams to solve riddles and find clues for a night of art, intrigue and fun.
Glow Up @SMoCA: Sound Bath at Sunset
Thursday, June 20, 2024, 7:30 p.m.
Tickets: $20 (on sale to ONE Members now; general public on-sale is Feb. 1)
Recognize the summer solstice with a celebration, reveling in a sound bath led by Melinda Milton in “Knight Rise,” the James Turrell Skyspace at SMoCA. A sound bath is a form of meditation that allows the listeners to sink into an immersive experience of sounds and vibrations to induce deep relaxation while promoting healing and well-being.
For more information and tickets, visit SMoCA.org/events.
SMoCA — named “Best Art Museum” by the Phoenix New Times in the 2023 Best of Phoenix awards — is located at 7374 E. Second St., Scottsdale, Arizona 85251. It is open Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and on Thursdays, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Visit SMoCA.org for information.
Admission is $10–$12 for non-members; $7–$9 for students, seniors (65+) and veterans; and free for Scottsdale Arts ONE Members, healthcare workers, first responders, and patrons 18 and younger. Admission to the museum is pay-what-you-wish every Thursday and every second Saturday of the month. Save time and money by booking online at SMoCA.org.
Scottsdale Arts would like to thank the following SMoCA sponsors and partners: City of Scottsdale; Billie Jo Herberger; The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts; Arizona Commission on the Arts; Walter and Karla Goldschmidt Foundation; Virginia M. Ullman Foundation; Andaz Scottsdale Resort & Bungalows; Mountain Shadows Resort; Hotel Adeline; Hotel Valley Ho; Joan Prior and John Armstrong; Adam and Iris Singer; Yares Art, New York; Airpark Signs & Graphics; Christy and Charles Jerz; Nancy and Robert Kravetz Philanthropic Fund; Louise Roman and Will Bruder; Peggy Sharp; and Pazo Fine Art.