PHOENIX (September 8, 2025) – Phoenix Art Museum announces SOUNDCHECK, a new live-music series that will activate the Museum each Third Thursday of the month from 6 – 7 pm. The monthly event, made possible through the generosity of presenting sponsor Men’s Arts Council, with additional support from Desert Financial Credit Union, brings popular local and regional acts to the Museum for unplugged, can’t-miss performances. SOUNDCHECK will replace the Museum’s former annual music festival, Amplified, in response to visitor feedback and audience demand for more frequent live-music performances at the Museum. The series kicks off on October 16, 2025 with pop/rock duo 76^th Street and hosted by Benaddiction in collaboration with thems. Tickets for October SOUNDCHECK with 76^th Street are available here. Additional tickets for November and December SOUNDCHECK events featuring fearofmakingout and Phoenix Symphony are also now live on phxart.org. The Spring/Summer 2026 Soundcheck lineup will be announced later this fall.

“We are thrilled to announce the launch of SOUNDCHECK, a dynamic monthly evening event at the Museum featuring musical performances by a range of talents, from local artists to international acts,” said Jeremy Mikolajczak, the Sybil Harrington Director and CEO of the Phoenix Art Museum. “SOUNDCHECK aims to provide unique performances for everyone—spanning genres such as pop, rock, singer-songwriters, string ensembles, reggae, jazz, and more. We are deeply grateful to our presenting sponsor, Men’s Arts Council, as well as Desert Financial Credit Union for allowing Phoenix Art Museum to enhance select evenings with live music and performances throughout our campus.” 

“SOUNDCHECK is going to be the perfect blend of music, fun and art,” said Sentari Minor, Board President of Men’s Arts Council. “Our partnership with Phoenix Art Museum runs deep, and we’re very excited to be a part of this new event. We anticipate it will draw the community together by featuring some of the best local artists.”

SOUNDECHECK Lineup | October – December 2025 

76th Street
Thursday, October 16, 2025
Doors open 5:30 | Show at 6 – 7 pm

Nashville-based pop/rock duo 76th Street is the creative force of life-long best friends Haley Gold and Spencer Bryant, whose friendship and musical chemistry began in elementary school. Known for their soul-stirring harmonies and raw, evocative songwriting, 76th Street creates a sound that’s both intimate and anthemic, rooted in self-discovery, fierce independence, and queer joy. Their music is an unapologetic celebration of the LGBTQ+ community, creating a space for people to feel seen, empowered, and authentically themselves and drawing influence from Brandi Carlile, Lady Gaga, and the Indigo Girls. 76th Street released their six-song EP WILD in June 2024, with the breakout single “Girl” that captured the attention of millions. 

This SOUNDCHECK series kick-off event will be hosted by Benaddiction in collaboration with thems. Benaddiction is a drag artist whose work fuses elegance, dark glamour, and playful sass into a powerful form of performance art. With her bold presence and commitment to inspiring the next generation, she embodies creativity, resilience, and the transformative spirit of drag. thems. is a queer-led nonprofit organization that collaborates with artists and arts organizations to nurture talent and amplify queer voices in Phoenix.

 Tickets to 76^th Street’s SOUNDCHECK performance are available here.

fearofmakingout
Thursday, November 20, 2025
Doors open 5:30 | Show at 6 – 7 pm

Celebrate fearofmakingout’s latest album release, “Mi Cielo,” at November SOUNDCHECK at PhxArt. Phoenix-born band fearofmakingout pulls from emotionally resonant indie, moody alternative, and internet-era nostalgia to create music that is vulnerable and sometimes messy on purpose. They’ve always written for real people—for friends, for lovers, for the ones working hard and the ones barely holding it together. Rooted in the desert but reaching far past it, fearofmakingout is proudly tied to the Mexican heritage of some of its members and the city that raised them. They take care with what they share, and when they do, it comes fast and full. No polish. No pose. Ask what kind of band they are, and the answer might change. But it’s always going to be true.  

Tickets to fearofmakingout’s SOUNDCHECK performance are available here.

The Phoenix Symphony
Thursday, December 18, 2025
Doors open 5:30 | Show at 6 – 7 pm

Presented in partnership with The Phoenix Symphony, experience a stirring Baroque performance that pairs perfectly with the Museum’s newest European art exhibition, Florentine Baroque: The Haukohl Collection. This collaboration reflects The Phoenix Symphony’s core mission to provide extraordinary musical experiences that inspire and advance our community. By pairing world-class music with world-renowned art, this program deepens connections across disciplines and offers audiences a richer, more immersive cultural experience. The exhibition coincides with The Phoenix Symphony’s Christmas Baroque Concert, December 20–21, 2025, at the Orpheum Theatre, creating a unique opportunity to celebrate the Baroque tradition through both visual and musical masterpieces.  

Note: Attendees to this performance will also receive a special discount code to attend the Symphony’s Christmas Baroque performance at the Orpheum Theatre on December 20 and 21, 2025.  

Tickets to Phoenix Symphony’s SOUNDCHECK performance are available here.

High-resolution photography with image credits can be downloaded here. To request interviews, contact the Communications Office of Phoenix Art Museum at press@phxart.org. For more information on the Men’s Arts Council, contact Lindsay Hansen at 480.205.6195 or lindsay@ldhconsulting.net.    

About Phoenix Art Museum

Since 1959, Phoenix Art Museum (PhxArt) has engaged millions of visitors with the art of our region and world. Located in Phoenix’s Central Corridor, PhxArt creates spaces of exchange and belonging for all audiences through dynamic exhibitions, collections, and experiences with art. Each year, 300,000 guests on average engage with critically acclaimed national and international exhibitions and the Museum’s collection of more than 21,000 works of American and Western American, Asian, European, Latin American, modern, and contemporary art and fashion design, along with vibrant photography exhibitions made possible through the Museum’s landmark partnership with the Center for Creative Photography at the University of Arizona in Tucson. PhxArt also presents live performances, outstanding examples of global cinema, arts-education programs and workshops, an art+music festival, and more for the community. To learn more about Phoenix Art Museum, visit phxart.org, or call 602.257.1880.

About Men’s Arts Council

The Men’s Arts Council (MAC) of Phoenix Art Museum, founded in 1967, is a 501(c)3, non-profit organization that supports the Museum’s programs and activities through its unique events such as the Copperstate 1000 and the Copperstate Overland, a vintage off-road rally. The Men’s Arts Council’s efforts enable the organization to make annual contributions to Phoenix Art Museum’s operating budget and financially sponsor exhibitions. For more information, visit https://mensartscouncil.com/.  

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PHOENIX (April 21, 2025) – Phoenix Art Museum (PhxArt) announces that Betsy Fahlman, PhD, will retire on June 30, 2025, following nine years of service as the institution’s Adjunct Curator of American Art, a joint appointment between Phoenix Art Museum and the School of Art in Arizona State University’s (ASU) Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts. Fahlman was the inaugural appointee to the role, which was established in 2016 to deepen collaboration between Phoenix Art Museum, the leading art museum in the southwestern United States, and The School of Art at the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts at ASU, one of the largest comprehensive art programs at a public research university in the U.S. Since joining the Museum, Fahlman has split her time teaching at ASU and organizing numerous exhibitions at PhxArt, where she has also expanded the Museum’s holdings in American and Western American art. Following her retirement, Fahlman will remain an advisor on the Museum’s American and Western American art collection and exhibition programs. PhxArt will announce a new Adjunct Curator of American Art in Fall 2025.

“On behalf of our staff, our volunteers, and our community, we extend our deep gratitude to Dr. Fahlman for her service and commitment to Phoenix Art Museum and our larger Valley arts community,” said Jeremy Mikolajczak, the Museum’s Sybil Harrington Director and CEO. “Dr. Fahlman has made an indelible impact not only on the Museum’s American Art exhibition, publications, and collection programs, but also on the lives of countless students, administrators, and arts advocates and supporters with whom she has worked during her time at Arizona State University. We wish her well in retirement and look forward to working with her as a trusted advisor into the future.”

A scholar of the art history of Arizona and the American Southwest, with particular interest in public art, American modernism, the New Deal era, and industrial archaeology, Fahlman has served as an educator and administrator at the School of Art at Arizona State University for 35 years. At PhxArt, Fahlman oversaw the American art department’s permanent collection installations and special exhibitions, acquisitions and donations, and scholarly research, developing numerous exhibitions and collection installations that illuminated the relationship between industry and art, explored the influence and legacy of American modernism, and examined the representation of gender in American art. Highlights include The Collection: American Modern (2024); William Herbert “Buck” Dunton: A Mainer Goes West (2023), organized by PhxArt in partnership with the Hardwood Museum of Art; The Muses of New Mexico (2023); Landscapes of Extraction: The Art of Mining in the American West (2021); Philip C. Curtis and the Landscapes of Arizona (2021); and Transcendent Transcendentalists (2019), among others. Fahlman also served on the curatorial team that led the 2021 reinstallation of the Museum’s Art of the Americas galleries, which placed works from the American, Western American, and Latin American art collections in dialogue to demonstrate how artists across North, Central, and South America reacted against abstract styles in favor of representational modes.

In addition to these projects, Fahlman oversaw and contributed to various scholarly publications, including William Herbert “Buck” Dunton: A Mainer Goes West (2023), Landscapes of Extraction: The Art of Mining in the American West (2021); and Western Art Associates: Celebrating 50 Years (2018). She also helped the Museum acquire notable works such as The Chasm of Bingham by Erika Osborne; select drawings by Frederic Remington; A Fool and His Money are Easily…. by Philip C. Curtis; Taos Night Scene by Oscar Edward Berninghaus; Ranchos de Taos Church by Emil Bisttram; The Rebel (Elizabeth Ruskin) by Lew Davis; and Deer in the Forest by Marguerite Zorach.

“Dr. Fahlman has made a profound impact on the Museum’s legacy, including its ability to bring historical and contemporary American artworks to wider audiences,” said Donald Opatrny, chair of the Museum’s Board of Trustees. “On behalf of the Board of Trustees, I extend a heartfelt thanks to Dr. Fahlman for her service in stewarding the Museum’s American art collection and exhibition program.”

Fahlman will continue supporting PhxArt as a consultant for the Museum’s American and Western American art program, working on such special projects as the development, refinement, and publication of a forthcoming collection catalogue, as well as the reinstallation of the Museum’s Art of the Americas galleries in Fall 2025. An ASU faculty event honoring Fahlman and other retirees will be hosted at PhxArt on May 2.

PhxArt will begin a search for its next Adjunct Curator of American Art this summer. The new appointee will be responsible for managing all aspects of the Museum’s American and Western American art collections, including organizing original exhibitions, conducting scholarly research, contributing to publications, designing compelling installations that advance contemporary approaches to the study of American and Western art, and more. The recruitment posting will be available at www.phxart.org/aboutus/careers.

About Phoenix Art Museum
Since 1959, Phoenix Art Museum (PhxArt) has engaged millions of visitors with the art of our region and world. Located in Phoenix’s Central Corridor, PhxArt creates spaces of exchange and belonging for all audiences through dynamic exhibitions, collections, and experiences with art. Each year, 300,000 guests on average engage with critically acclaimed national and international exhibitions and the Museum’s collection of more than 21,000 works of American and Western American, Asian, European, Latin American, modern, and contemporary art and fashion design, along with vibrant photography exhibitions made possible through the Museum’s landmark partnership with the Center for Creative Photography at the University of Arizona in Tucson. PhxArt also presents live performances, outstanding examples of global cinema, arts-education programs and workshops, an art+music festival, and more for the community. To learn more about Phoenix Art Museum, visit phxart.org, or call 602.257.1880.

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Image courtesy of the artist.

PHOENIX (October 1, 2024) – On Saturday, January 25, 2025, from noon–10 pm, sound and art will converge at PhxArt Amplified Vol. 4, an all-day, all-ages art+music experience at Phoenix Art Museum. The annual event, made possible through the generosity of presenting sponsor Men’s Arts Council, will kick-off with a special performance by The Phoenix Symphony in the Dorrance Sculpture Garden and be headlined by retro pop, Bolerglam band Daniel, Me Estás Matando, whose Tiny Desk Concert with NPR aired in late September. Throughout the day, attendees can enjoy performances from musical artists across genres, including afrobeats/dancehall, ambient, experimental, R&B, and indie rock. Early-bird tickets are on sale here, with discounted pricing valid through October 19, 2024.

“We are excited for the return of PhxArt Amplified Vol. 4,” said Jeremy Mikolajczak, the Sybil Harrington Director and CEO of Phoenix Art Museum. “This year’s lineup of musicians and artists promises to be another outstanding showcase of diverse acts from across our region and beyond. We are deeply grateful to our presenting sponsor Men’s Arts Council, as well as our many community partners whose support of events like Amplified allow Phoenix Art Museum to create unique opportunities for audiences of all ages to experience live music and soundscapes within the backdrop of amazing visual art.”

“This event always brings together the community for a day of fun, music, and art,” said Art Harding, Men’s Arts Council board president. “It’s a popular event because the community gets to experience all the Museum has to offer! It draws diverse artists and musicians from Arizona, Mexico, and across the Southwest region. This is an outstanding event and one we always look forward to being a part of, in support of Phoenix Art Museum and our larger community.”

A Mexico City-based, Daniel, Me Estás Matando was founded in 2018 by Daniel Zepeda and Iván de la Rioja. The Boleroglam band’s music effervesces the romantic souls of their listeners, with a strong influence of old bolero, Latin American songs, romantic lyrics, sweet-caramel voices, and the electro-psychedelic glamour of different eras. Daniel, Me Estás Matando has played in practically every state of the Mexican Republic more than once, regularly selling out their concerts, and was recently featured on Alt.Latinos ‘El Tiny,’ a takeover series based on the wildly popular Tiny Desk program on NPR’s All Songs Considered.

Amplified Vol. 4 will feature three performance stages, including a special stage and activation from La Campesina 101.9. Attendees can also enjoy outdoor visual-art installations, food vendors, and hands-on art programming in a festive environment suitable for the whole family. A full list of musical acts and artists will be provided at a later date. For the most up-to-date information as additional acts and programming are confirmed, visit https://phxart.org/amplified/.

// LINEUP*

Musical Artists
Daniel, Me Estás Matando (@danielmeestasmatando)
• Valgur (@soyvalgur) • Phoenix Symphony (@phoenixsymphony) • AFROPIANO (@afropianooo) •
Celica (@ce7ica) • KJade (@niggapasta) • Sanje (@mijaresantiago)

*As of October 1, 2024
Full listing of music, visual + performing arts, and vendor lineup coming soon.

Early-Bird Tickets
(Pricing valid through October 19, 2024)

GENERAL PUBLIC PRICING
$40 // Adult
$30 // Senior
$10 // Youth
PHXART MEMBERS
$20 // Adult
Free // Youth

Regular Tickets
(Pricing from October 20, 2024 – January 25, 2025)

GENERAL PUBLIC
$50 // Adult
$40 // Senior
$20 // Youth
PHXART MEMBERS
$30 // Adult
$10 // Youth

Tickets available here.

PhxArt Amplified Vol. 4 is made possible through the generosity of Men’s Arts Council, with additional support from The Colibrí Collective. In-kind support provided by Best Life Presents, Ranch House Media, La Campesina 101.9 FM, Zia Records, CALA Alliance, Wren House Brewing Co., and Visit Phoenix.

High-resolution photography with image credits can be downloaded here. To request interviews, contact the Communications Office of Phoenix Art Museum at press@phxart.org. For more information on the Men’s Arts Council, contact Lindsay Hansen at 480.205.6195 or lindsay@ldhconsulting.net.

About Phoenix Art Museum
Since 1959, Phoenix Art Museum (PhxArt) has engaged millions of visitors with the art of our region and world. Located in Phoenix’s Central Corridor, PhxArt creates spaces of exchange and belonging for all audiences through dynamic exhibitions, collections, and experiences with art. Each year, 300,000 guests on average engage with critically acclaimed national and international exhibitions and the Museum’s collection of more than 21,000 works of American and Western American, Asian, European, Latin American, modern, and contemporary art and fashion design, along with vibrant photography exhibitions made possible through the Museum’s landmark partnership with the Center for Creative Photography at the University of Arizona in Tucson. PhxArt also presents live performances, outstanding examples of global cinema, arts-education programs and workshops, an art+music festival, and more for the community. To learn more about Phoenix Art Museum, visit phxart.org, or call 602.257.1880.

About Men’s Arts Council
Men’s Arts Council of Phoenix Art Museum is a 501(c)3, non-profit organization that supports the programs and activities of the Museum through its unique events: the Bell Lexus North Scottsdale Copperstate 1000 vintage car road rally, the Copperstate Double Gun sporting clays target shooting event for people who appreciate and collect fine double shotguns, and the Copperstate Overland vintage off-road rally. For more information, visit https://mensartscouncil.com/.

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Award-winning CFDA designer Christian Siriano has established himself as a tour de force in the fashion world since launching his eponymous collection in 2008 following his studies in London under Vivienne Westwood and Alexander McQueen. Siriano’s designs have been worn by today’s biggest names, including current FLOTUS Dr. Jill Biden, former FLOTUS Michelle Obama and VPOTUS Kamala Harris, Angelina Jolie, Oprah, Zendaya, Ariana Grande, Julianne Moore, Lady Gaga, Tiffany Haddish, Billy Porter, Cardi B, Whoopi Goldberg, Julia Roberts, and Jennifer Coolidge, to name but a few. 

Having just celebrated the brand’s 15 year anniversary, the Siriano design studio continues to celebrate beauty and diversity in this ever-changing fashion industry. As a result, Christian’s work has been featured in a multitude of prestigious museum exhibitions, including his first ever solo work retrospective titled Christian Siriano: People Are People at SCAD in Savannah and Atlanta, respectively, as well as The Memphis Brooks Museum of Art. He’s also contributed pieces to Kensington Palace’s largest exhibition to date titled Crown to Couture; the Fashioning Masculinities: The Art of Menswear exhibition at the V&A; Grit to Glamour at the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, and The MET Costume Institute, where he broke a Met Gala record for having three separate looks featured in the 2021 exhibition In America: A Lexicon of Fashion. Christian himself was also named among Time’s 100 Most Influential People in 2018 for his leading contributions to body diversity on the runway and red carpet, was a member of Forbes’ 30 Under 30 class of 2015, and was the youngest person to ever appear on Crain’s 40 Under 40 list at age 24. 

Apart from his thriving fashion empire, Christian has been the host and mentor for Bravo’s hit series Project Runway and recently added best-selling author (Dresses to Dream About and Dresses to Dream About: Deluxe Edition) and interior designer (Siriano Interiors) to his impressive list of credits. This past spring, he launched the second collection of his furniture line, and this fall, he’ll release a new book called CHRISTIAN SIRIANO: THE NEW RED CARPET. 

In addition to a fashion presentation from Christian Siriano, attendees of the 2024 ACI Holiday Luncheon will enjoy a champagne reception, luxury item raffle and lunch. Table Hosts who purchase a table at $7,500 or higher, and single ticket purchasers at the VIP level, will receive (1) one invitation to a private VIP event prior to the luncheon. 

Seating for the 2024 ACI Holiday Luncheon is limited. Tickets will be available online on Monday, September 30, with table and sponsorship opportunities also available. 

About Arizona Costume Institute 
Arizona Costume Institute was founded in 1966 to support the fashion department of Phoenix Art Museum through the acquisition and preservation of garments and accessories of historical and aesthetic significance and through events and fundraising efforts that support and deepen awareness of the Museum’s fashion exhibitions and education programs. ACI’s support of this collection area depends on the enthusiasm of dedicated volunteers. The ACI Board of Managers 2023-2025 president is Joy Sprink. To learn more about Arizona Costume Institute, visit arizonacostumeinstitute.org. 

About Phoenix Art Museum 
Since 1959, Phoenix Art Museum (PhxArt) has engaged millions of visitors with the art of our region and world. Located in Phoenix’s Central Corridor, PhxArt creates spaces of exchange and belonging for all audiences through dynamic exhibitions, collections, and experiences with art. Each year, 300,000 guests on average engage with critically acclaimed national and international exhibitions and the Museum’s collection of more than 21,000 works of American and Western American, Asian, European, Latin American, modern, and contemporary art and fashion design, along with vibrant photography exhibitions made possible through the Museum’s landmark partnership with the Center for Creative Photography at the University of Arizona in Tucson. PhxArt also presents live performances, outstanding examples of global cinema, arts-education programs and workshops, an art+music festival, and more for the community. To learn more about Phoenix Art Museum, visit phxart.org, or call 602.257.1880.   

About the Fashion Collection of Phoenix Art Museum 
The Fashion Collection at Phoenix Art Museum strives to tell an accurate history of fashion and is actively pursuing works that represent a broader and more inclusive glossary of designers. Comprising nearly half of the Museum’s permanent holdings, the collection houses nearly 9,000 examples of fashionable dress and accessories from five centuries of style. With everything from a pair of 17^th-century sueded-leather gloves to 21^st-century couture runway looks, the collection explores the art of dressing and seeks out the rarest examples of these dress traditions. Celebrated for its quality and comprehensiveness, the collection boasts strengths in 19^th-century womenswear as well as works by 20^th-century designers, with significant examples from major representatives of European and North American fashion history. Special archives within the collection include the Ann Bonfoey Taylor wardrobe of more than 200 examples by mid-century couture designers, The Emphatics Archive of more than 400 works from avant-garde designers, and the Geoffrey Beene Archive, with more than 300 evening gowns and custom designs. 

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