15 Art Happenings in Scottsdale This Fall

Fall arts and culture offerings are looking good in Scottsdale, where you can explore work by local and international artists in galleries, museums, and outdoor settings. We’ve found 15 happenings to help you get started – including a workshop where you can help rewrite the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and an exhibition featuring works by local artists’ children. Here’s a look at what to expect on the Scottsdale arts scene this season.

Artist Talk: Carla Fernández and Pedro Reyes
Thursday, October 25
Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art
Hear the Mexico-based artists discuss their new collaborative exhibition titled “Double Agents,” which uses sculpture, video, fashion, photography, and protest posters to imagine an alternative future. The 7 p.m. talk follows a 6 p.m. workshop with Reyes, in which participants will help to rewrite the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. Both events are free.

Fall Opening Party
Friday, October 26
Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art
Celebrate the museum’s newest exhibitions, which include “Nmake,” featuring 48 works by the late Cuban printmaker Belkis Ayón. The free event, which runs from 7 to 9 p.m., includes performance by M. Jenea Sanchez, a multidisciplinary artist based in the U.S./Mexico borderlands. While you’re there, check out the new mural painted in the SMoCA courtyard by Phoenix-based artist Janel Garza.

Camelback Studio Tour
Friday, November 2, to Saturday, November 3
Locations vary
Take a free, self-guided tour of six studios, where you can meet more than two dozen artists and explore their works in diverse media including metal, glass, painting, and more. Participating artists include sculptor Kevin Caron, recent winner of the 2018 Phoenix Mayor’s Arts Award for visual arts. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday.

Canal Convergence Launch Party
Thursday, November 8
Soleri Plaza at Scottsdale Waterfront
Get a first look at light-based Canal Convergence installations starting at 5 p.m., during a free launch party that includes the Sara Robinson Band opening for the New Orleans-based Dirty Dozen Brass Band. While you’re there, check out an array of food trucks, plus the wine and beer tent. Then return for Canal Convergence, happening along the Scottsdale Waterfront from Friday, November 9, through Sunday, November 18.

Art One 25th Anniversary
Thursday, November 8
Art One Gallery
Explore works by dozens of emerging and established artists, in this gallery space dedicated to showing work by Arizona-based student artists. Today, several of the artists who first showed work there as students are well-known on the Valley art scene, but continue to show at the gallery – including Judith Dauncey, Jennifer Gross, Luster Kaboom, Megan Koth, Kyllan Maney, and many more.

Scottsdale International Film Festival Opening Night
Friday, November 2
Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts
Calling on his own experience growing up in Mexico, director Alfonso Cuarón explores the life of a young domestic worker living with a middle class family during a period of political upheaval in the early 1970s in Roma, the opening night film of the Scottsdale International Film Festival. Roma screens at 7:15 p.m. (following a 6:15 p.m. reception). The festival continues through Sunday, November 11, at Harkins Shea 14 Theatre.

The EVE Project
Saturday, November 10
Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts
For this celebration of the 100th anniversary Tof the 19th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which granted women the right to vote in 1920, Martha Graham Dance Company performs a trio of classic Martha Graham works, along with pieces by leading contemporary choreographers. Tickets to the 8 p.m. event start at $39. A free related event called “In Conversation” happens at 7 p.m. on Friday, November 9.

Contemporary Focus ArtWalk
Thursday, November 15
Old Town
Explore exhibitions of diverse contemporary artworks, including the "Litmus" exhibit featuring works by Christine Cassano at Gebert Contemporary, the "Shades of Evening" exhibit featuring works by Cam DeCaussin at Royse Contemporary, the "Kids in Focus" exhibit at Fiat Lux, and many more. Most galleries will be open 7-9 p.m.

The Jealous Curator Podcast
Saturday, November 17
Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art
Meet Canada-based artist and Jealous Curator podcast creator Danielle Krysa, who will be recording a podcast with local artists starting at 3 p.m. Afterwards, she’ll do signings for her book titled A Big Important Art Book – Now With Women. Tickets are $10.

Rural Route Film Festival
Sunday, November 25
Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts
No Festival Required and Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts present short films exploring diverse topics related to rural life, from global warming to the slow food movement. Festival director and founder Alan Webber will do a Q & A via Skype following the 1 p.m. screening. Organizers note that “scenes of farming/rural practices and animated violence are realistically depicted and may be upsetting to some audience members.” Tickets are $12.

Documentary Video Art Festival
Thursday, November 29
Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art
See diverse documentary works by intermedia students at ASU School of Art, who explore a variety of personal, social, and cultural themes. The videos will be introduced by artist and ASU faculty member Muriel Magenta. The free event starts at 7 p.m.

Local Light
Through Monday, December 31
Old Town
Scottsdale Public Art presents a new initiative that places works of temporary art around the Scottsdale Gallery District in Old Town. Nearly a dozen local artists created works for Local Light – including Mike Butzine, Casey Farina, Lisa Von Hoffner, Craig Randich, Lily Reeves, and Danielle Wood. You’ll spot their work in several locations, including On the Edge Gallery and Scottsdale Public Art’s storefront space on Fifth Avenue.

Artists' Children
Through February 3, 2019
Young @ Art Gallery
Explore works in several media by artists’ children, who range from toddlers to young adults. Nearly two dozen Arizona creatives have children featured in this free exhibition – including Kristin Bauer, Laura Spalding Best, Brian Boner, Saskia Jorda, Julio César Morales, Lara Plecas, and Randy Slack. Text panels help viewers learn more about each child’s creative parent/s. The gallery is located inside Scottsdale Center for the Arts. Hours vary.

“New Beginnings”
Through September 22, 2019
Western Spirit: Scottsdale’s Museum of the West
See more than 100 works created by 70 artists working in diverse media during the early 20th century in Taos and Sante Fe, New Mexico. The exhibition, titled “New Beginnings: An American Story of Romantics and Modernists in the West,” is included with museum admission, which is $15 for adults.

Sun and Moon
Ongoing
Scottsdale Airport
Head to the Scottsdale Airport Aviation Business Center to see a new Scottsdale Public Art installation featuring three works by British architectural glass artist Martin Donlin, including a tall stained-glass window titled Sun and Moon and a pair of large-scale glass panels. His works include imagery culled from Scottsdale and the desert landscape, plus poetry by indigenous artists Ofelia Zepeda and Natalie Diaz, as well as Richard Shelton.