Apr, 20, 2026
Media AlertsSpecial Events and Programs
Phoenix Art Museum celebrates Mother’s Day; hosts First Friday, SOUNDCHECK, anda two-day symposium on the art of miniatures
PHOENIX (April 20, 2026) – This May, Phoenix Art Museum (PhxArt) hosts a wide range of programming, anchored by First Friday festivities and the institution’s first Small Symposium, a gathering of world-class artists, academics, and authors who explore the massive impact of the miniature. The Museum also brings Florentine fun to all moms and mother figures this Mother’s Day, while the next edition of monthly music series SOUNDCHECK showcases Dirt Rhodes. Additional event details and ticket links are provided below.
FEATURED EVENTS
Small Symposium
Saturday and Sunday, May 2-3, 2026
Are you captivated by the excruciating detail of a dollhouse, or the strange charm of a mini-Heinz ketchup bottle? Join us for the Small Symposium at PhxArt, hosted by the Lemon Art Research Library and featuring world-class artists, academics, and authors who reveal the massive impact of the miniature.
Tickets and information are available here.
Small Symposium is made possible by Cathie Lemon.
Saturday Symposium Line-Up May 2, 2026
Access to all talks is included with general admission
Miniature Model Making 101 with Jorge Ruiz
May 2, 10 am in Singer Hall
Join local artist Jorge Ruiz for a lecture demonstration on the exacting world of miniature making.
Narcissa Thorne: Modern Miniaturist of the Thorne Rooms
May 2, 11 am in Singer Hall
Dr. Christopher “Kit” Maxwell, Curator of the Thorne Rooms at the Art Institute of Chicago, examines Narcissa Niblack Thorne’s powerhouse impact on interwar design.
Thorne Room + Miniatures Panel
May 2, 1 pm in Singer Hall
Engage in a lively cross-disciplinary discussion with scholars and makers of various backgrounds.
Moderator: Rachel Zebro, Associate Curator of Collections
Panelists: Dr. Christopher “Kit” Maxwell, Emily Wolverton, Head Curator, Mini-Time Machine Museum in Tucson, and Jorge Ruiz
Sunday Symposium Line-Up May 3, 2026
Ticketing varies
WORKSHOP –Weathering Effects with Jorge Ruiz
May 3, 10 am – Noon in Singer Hall |$10 for Members, $20 for the public
Learn the art of the “lived-in” look in this hands-on workshop with local miniature artist Jorge Ruiz.
The Nutshell Studies of Unexplained Death
May 3, 1 pm in Singer Hall via Zoom | Included with general admission
Step into a macabre, dollhouse-sized world of true crime. Join author and photographer Corrine Botz for a deep dive into how tiny rooms revolutionized forensics and captivate audiences to this day.
David Gonzalez and the Homies
May 3, 2 pm in Singer Hall | Included with general admission
Librarian Jesse Lopez examines the influence of David Gonzalez, the trailblazing Chicano artist behind the iconic Homies.
Mother’s Day
Sunday, May 10 | 10 am – 1pm
Free for Members | Included with general admission for the public
Have you ever imagined whisking Mom away for an Italian escape? Or perhaps you’re a mom yourself, dreaming of a Florentine getaway sans kids?
Join Phoenix Art Museum this Mother’s Day for a morning of Florentine frivolity. Experience all the charm of 17th century Italy—no passport or time machine required.
Programming + Experiences:
- Live Music by Sweetwater Strings
- Mimosa Bar by ARTenders
- Authentic Gelato by Fabio on Fire | Panini & Gelateria
- Charcuterie + Cannoli Bar by Charcute Mobile Charcuterie Bar
- Professional Family Photos by Kenzie Rich Photography
- Design a personalized tote bag with birth-month flowers that celebrate your family
- Craft a macramé keychain and add custom Shrinky Dink charms
- Decorate a special frame to hold a snapshot of you and your favorite people
- Enjoy 10% off at the Museum Store for all moms
- Stick around for a 1 pm special Mother’s Day screening of Mamma Mia! in Whiteman Hall
Tickets are available here.
SOUNDCHECK | Dirt Rhodes
Thursday, May 21 | Bar + Doors open @ 5 pm | Show @ 6 pm
Free for Members | General Admission for the public
On May 21, SOUNDCHECK welcomes Dirt Rhodes, a Diné band fronted by Ryan Alison from Fort Defiance, Arizona, located on the Navajo Nation. Dirt Rhodes’ first release “Navajo Country Music” dropped in September 2020, and ever since, he and his band have graced stages of the southwest with Rez Country sounds. With influences from Texas, Nashville, and The Navajo Nation, Dirt Rhodes aims to highlight Indigenous peoples’ long history with country and western music.
Tickets are available here.
SOUNDCHECK is made possible through the generosity of Presenting Sponsor Men’s Arts Council, with additional support from Desert Financial Credit Union and the Angela and Leonard Singer Endowment for the Performing Arts.
Kids Day at PhxArt
Saturday, May 9 | 10 am – 2 pm
Free for Members | Included with general admission
This May, Kids Day at PhxArt celebrates all things miniature. Join us for a day of family-friendly programming designed to engage visitors of all ages with the Museum’s collection and special exhibitions:
- 10 am – 2 pm | Small shapes create big pictures, design a custom puzzle to take home and share
- 10 am – 2 pm | Create a unique, miniature keychain charm using the magic of shrink film
- 11 am – 3 pm | Drop by to curate your own miniature portrait gallery, inspired by the masterpieces in Florentine Baroque
- 11:30 am – Noon | Join us for a special reading of Tiny, Perfect Things by M.H. Clark and Madeline Kloepper
- 12:30 pm – 1 pm | Head to the Ellman Fashion galleries to join Childsplay Theatre performers in search of tiny treasures
Tickets are available here.
Kids Day is made possible by Desert Financial Credit Union, the Angela and Leonard Singer Endowment for Performing Arts, The Discount Tire Endowment for Children’s Art Programs, and the William Randolph Hearst Endowed Fund for Education Programs.
First Friday
Friday, May 1 | 5 – 8 pm
Free general admission | $10 special exhibition
Fashion meets fantasy at First Friday: Fashion Night Out. Celebrate the newest exhibition Colorwear: A Kaleidoscope of Fashion, come dressed to impress, and discover a world of bold looks, artistic flair, and larger-than-life inspiration. Come dressed to express!
Timed programming:
- 5:15 – 6 pm | Hear from legendary fashion designer Barbara Hulanicki and Helen Jean, Jacquie Dorrance Curator of Fashion, about creativity, fashion history, and the art of dressing with attitude.
- 6 – 7 pm | Mic Check: Open Mic. An open invitation for voices, stories, and expressions, big or small, hosted by Rashaad Thomas.
- 7 – 7:45pm | Be bold + step onto the runway in a fast-paced fashion “serve off.” Winner gets the evening’s top honors!
Ongoing programming throughout the evening:
- Fashion vision boards with Cut + Paste. Create mini collages inspired by Colorwear
- Sketch the runway. Draw the intricate details of live models alongside Sketchclub Cafe
- Strike a pose. Master the art of the perfect pose with Orlando Pelagio
- Mini Bookshop. Every great story deserves a little adventure. Come make your own mini book with us!
- Meet + Greet: Arizona Costume Institute. Meet members of ACI and learn about their mission to preserve, support, and celebrate the fashion collection at Phoenix Art Museum.
- Soundtrack Your Style. Live sets by DJ JME LEE all evening
- Charcuterie + Cannoli Bar by Charcute Mobile AZ
- Drinks by ARTenders
Tickets are available here.
First Friday at PhxArt is made possible through the generosity of APS with additional support from Arizona Community Foundation.
OPENING SOON
The Collection: 1960 – Now
Opening May 13, 2026
This spring, PhxArt refreshes its contemporary art galleries. Featured artists from the PhxArt Collection include Emily Cheng, Helen Frankenthaler, Jim Hodges, Donald Judd, Louise Nevelson, Fritz Scholder, and Pat Steir, among others. The installation also highlights recent acquisitions including paintings by Zio Ziegler, Konrad Annor, Deborah Kass, Mokha Laget, and Michi Meko, and a new large-scale mobile sculpture—Reflections Between Flashes (2023)—by Tuan Andrew Nguyen, recently acquired into the Museum’s collection through the generosity of the Men’s Arts Council.
This iteration of The Collection: 1960 – Now is organized by Phoenix Art Museum and curated by Christian Ramírez, the Cohn Assistant Curator of Contemporary Art and Director of Engagement, Olga Viso, Selig Family Chief Curator and Director of Curatorial Affairs, Colin Pearson, Curator of Asian Art, and Rachel Sadvary Zebro, Associate Curator of Collections. All exhibitions at Phoenix Art Museum are underwritten by the Phoenix Art Museum Exhibition Excellence Fund, founded by The Opatrny Family Foundation with additional major support provided by Joan Cremin.
ON VIEW
Colorwear: A Kaleidoscope of Fashion
Through August 15, 2027
Colorwear: A Kaleidoscope of Fashion commemorates the 60th anniversary of the PhxArt Fashion Collection, presenting a chromatic celebration of colorful ensembles and whimsical accessories. Arranged according to hue, featured works reveal how North American and European designers, including Hubert de Givenchy, Olivier Lapidus, Tina Leser and Giorgio di Sant’Angelo, have used color as inspiration. In addition, the exhibition features Judith Leiber pillboxes encased in multihued crystals, psychedelic scarves, and shoes that evoke the golden tones of an Egyptian burial. The exhibition also presents for the first time new acquisitions by contemporary designers such as The Son of Picasso, a Native American artist of Kiowa, Taos Pueblo, Diné (Navajo), and Delaware descent.
Colorwear: A Kaleidoscope of Fashion is organized by Phoenix Art Museum and curated by Helen Jean, the Jacquie Dorrance Curator of Fashion and Summer Rye, Fashion Curatorial Assistant & ACI Liaison. The exhibition is made possible through the generosity of Jacquie and Bennett Dorrance and Arizona Costume Institute. All fashion exhibitions at Phoenix Art Museum are underwritten by The Kelly Ellman Fashion Endowment Fund and The Thomas Carlton Rogers II Fashion Exhibition Fund. All exhibitions at Phoenix Art Museum are underwritten by the Phoenix Art Museum Exhibition Excellence Fund, founded by The Opatrny Family Foundation with additional major support provided by Joan Cremin.
CLOSING SOON
The Collection: American Modern
Closing May 10, 2026
Discover how artists from the first half of the 20th century used abstraction and experimentation to spark new perceptions of modernity and novel modes of expression.
The Collection: American Modern is organized by Phoenix Art Museum and curated by Betsy Fahlman, PhD, adjunct curator of American art. The Collection: American Modern is made possible through the generosity of Men’s Arts Council. All exhibitions at Phoenix Art Museum are underwritten by the Phoenix Art Museum Exhibition Excellence Fund, founded by The Opatrny Family Foundation with additional major support provided by Joan Cremin.
For a full list of exhibitions on view now at Phoenix Art Museum, visit phxart.org/art/exhibitions/.
OTHER MAY EVENTS
Saturday, May 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 | 11 am – 3 pm
Free for Members | Included with general admission
Create your own 3-dimensional mini-Baroque portrait gallery.
For more information, click here.
Create Playdate is made possible by The Discount Tire Endowment for Children’s Art Programs, and the William Randolph Hearst Endowed Fund for Education Programs.
Object of the Month: Camel Covered Boxes
May 2, 7, 21, 28 | 11:30 am
Free for Members | Included with general admission
Docent Christy Sensharma highlights the Museum’s expansive collection of Chinese cloisonné.
For more information, click here.
Object of the Month is made possible by CMI Gold & Silver.
Lemon Library Book Club: The Devil Wears Prada
Wednesday, May 6 | 6:30 pm
Location: The Amphitheater inside the Museum
Free event
For more information, click here.
Storytime
Thursday, May 7 | 10:30 am
Free for Members | Included with general admission
Featuring Tiny Perfect Things by M.H. Clark and Madeline Kloepper, followed by a treasure hunt and art-making activity.
For more information, click here.
Storytime is made possible by the Angela and Leonard Singer Endowment for Performing Arts, The Discount Tire Endowment for Children’s Art Programs and the William Randolph Hearst Endowed Fund for Education Programs.
Curator Tour: Dynamic Stillness
Thursday, May 7 | 6:30 – 7:30 pm
Free for Members | Included with general admission
Registration required. Capacity is limited.
Tickets are available here.
In Conversation: Muscle Memory with Emilia Mickevicius, Claire Warden, Marcus Carmichel, and Mehrdad Mirzaie
Wednesday, May 13 | 6:30 – 7:30 pm
Free event
Tickets are available here.
Films at PhxArt: The Passion of Joan of Arc
Wednesday, May 20 | 6 pm
Free for Members | $8 for general public
Tickets are available here.
Films at PhxArt is made possible by Fit Via Vi Films.
OTHER DISCOUNTED + FREE-ACCESS PROGRAMS
Pay-What-You-Wish Wednesdays
Every Wednesday | 3 – 8 pm
Voluntary-donation general admission
Free for Museum Members | $10 special exhibition
Pay-What-You-Wish Wednesdays are made possible by SRP and City of Phoenix, with additional support from Arizona Community Foundation.
Military Discount Active-duty U.S. military personnel and veterans enjoy $5 off general admission tickets. A valid ID is required for on-site redemption.
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, a monthly live-music series, and more for the community. To learn more about Phoenix Art Museum, visit phxart.org, or call 602.257.1880.
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