Aug, 29, 2025
Media AlertsSpecial Events and Programs
Phoenix Art Museum hosts fashion-themed First Friday, ABC-themed Family Funday, and Chicano art symposium in September; presents exhibition of Japanese avant-garde sculpture
PHOENIX (August 28, 2025) – In September, Phoenix Art Museum (PhxArt) will celebrate the Arizona premiere of Radical Clay: Contemporary Women Artists from Japan. The exhibition provides a unique opportunity to discover the technical achievements and creativity of leading women ceramicists from post-war Japan, highlighting their discovery of new possibilities for clay and its potential as a radical medium. The Art of the Americas + Europe galleries remain closed to the public until November, when they will reopen with new installations and renovated spaces, including the Thorne Miniature Rooms.
On September 5 from 5 – 8 pm, PhxArt presents a fashion-themed First Friday in celebration of The World of Anna Sui, closing September 28. On Sunday, September 14, the Museum opens for free for Family Funday, with ABC-themed activities. On Saturday, September 20 from 10 am – 7 pm, the Museum hosts MARS: Revisited, a free one-day symposium that explores the history and impact of El Movimiento Artístico del Río Salado (MARS) on the Valley’s contemporary arts ecosystem and the broader Chicano Arts movement. Additional September programming includes artist lectures, film screenings, Storytime, and more.
FEATURED EVENTS
First Friday
Friday, September 5 | 5 – 8 pm
Free general admission | $10 special exhibition tickets
Immerse yourself in The World of Anna Sui during a fashion-themed First Friday. Tickets are available here. Featured programming includes:
- A DIY zine workshop with Wasted Ink Distro
- Create your own accessory workshop with There Space
- Outfit inspo consultations with fashion designer and artist Leonor Aispuro
- Pop-up shops with zines and accessories by Wasted Ink Distro and Artdillo Eclectic
- Make your own bag charm with Artdillo Eclectic
- DIY ‘90s slap-bracelet activity
- Posing + photoshoot with Kenzie Rich from Afternoon Studios
- In-gallery sketching with Aileen Martinez
- Nostalgic ‘80s and ‘90s hits with resident DJ JME-LEE
- Drinks with ARTenders
- Docent-led spotlight tours @ 5:30 pm + 6:30 pm
First Friday at PhxArt is made possible through the generosity of APS and Lexus, with additional support from Arizona Community Foundation.
Family Funday
Sunday, September 14 | 10 am – 5 pm
Free for Members and the general public
Programming from 10 am – 4 pm
Two times a year, PhxArt hosts Family Fundays, an all-ages, free-access day with complimentary admission to every gallery and exhibition and arts-engagement programming suitable for visitors of all ages, interests, and abilities. September Family Funday programming draws inspiration from the Museum’s new children’s book—Southwest ABC—which features works from the PhxArt Collection and playful rhymes that help kids learn their letters!
Family Funday participants will enjoy:
- A create-your-own ABC book workshop with First Things First
- Stencils and sketching activities with Sketch Club Café
- Build-your-own block installations with Arizona Science Center
- Snake-skin print activities with Arizona Science Center
- Weaving stations and weaving demonstrations with Calandra Cook (Diné) and the Heard Museum
- DIY animal bookmarks + personalize your back-to-school notebook stations
- Access to the Phoenix Public Library Bookmobile
- Storytime + hands-on, early-learners (0-5 years old) activities
- Soft play spaces + watercolor painting with The Playhouse
- An immersive ABC Bubble House experience
- A dinosaur exploration station with the Arizona Museum of Natural History
- Free Little Library live-painting demonstrations with Giovannie Dixon
- Ice cream treats + delicious fare from Snowy Churro and El Fógon de Joy
- Docent-led spotlight tours from 2:30 – 4 pm
- And more!
For event reservation, click here. The last day to register is Monday, August 18.
PhxArt Family Fundays are made possible in part through the generosity of Applied Materials Foundation and Desert Diamond Casino.
National Scrollathon: Artist Lecture with Steven and William Ladd
Free for Members | Included with general admission for the general public
Scrollathon was founded in 2006 by artist-brothers Steven and William Ladd. Partnering with hundreds of stakeholders and institutions, Scrollathon has engaged more than 10,000 participants nationwide, resulting in large-scale collaborative installations of handmade scrolls.
In celebration of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the Ladds have worked with art organizations across all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and five U.S. territories. In September 2025, they launch the Arizona chapter of National Scrollathon at Phoenix Art Museum, inviting 250 participants from across the 48th state to create individual artworks expressing their personal stories. Hear from the Ladd brothers, in dialogue with Jeremy Mikolajczak, the Museum’s Sybil Harrington Director and CEO, to learn about the National Scrollathon project in Arizona. For more information and tickets, click here.
MARS Symposium
MARS: Revisited
Saturday, September 20 | 10 am – 7 pm
Free for Members and the general public
El Movimiento Artístico del Río Salado (MARS), a Phoenix-based arts collective and gallery, was established in 1978 by and for local Chicano artists. MARS: Revisited is a one-day symposium at Phoenix Art Museum that explores the cultural history, artistic development, and community impact of MARS on the Valley’s contemporary arts ecosystem and the broader Chicano Arts movement.
Panel discussions will feature former MARS artists, Chicano and visual art scholars and curators, and leaders from local arts organizations, including keynote speaker Amalia Mesa-Bains; Sam Gomez, founder of Sagrado Galeria; artist Annie Lopez; Christian Ramírez, the Cohn Assistant Curator of Contemporary Art and Director of Engagement at Phoenix Art Museum; and Dr. Mathew Sandoval, Associate Professor and Dean’s Fellow for Access and Inclusive Excellence at ASU Barrett the Honors College.
For a full panel timeline, speaker bios, and tickets, click here.
MARS: Revisited is organized by Christian Ramírez, the Cohn Assistant Curator of Contemporary Art and Director of Engagement at Phoenix Art Museum, and Dr. Mathew Sandoval, Associate Professor and Dean’s Fellow for Access and Inclusive Excellence at ASU Barrett the Honors College, with assistance from former MARS artist Annie Lopez and Dr. Anita Huizar-Hernandez, Associate Professor of Border Studies at ASU and Associate Director of the Hispanic Research Center. Project partners include ASU’s Hispanic Research Center, Cultural Coalition, and Xico Inc. MARS: Revisited is made possible through the generosity of The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts and Terra Foundation for American Art.
OPENING SOON
Radical Clay: Contemporary Women Artists from Japan
September 24, 2025 – August 9, 2026
Radical Clay: Contemporary Women Artists from Japan celebrates the originality and virtuosity of 36 women artists who have explored sculptural expression outside the traditional field of Japanese studio ceramics since the 1970s. The exhibition’s 40 avant-garde works are drawn from the Horvitz Collection, considered one of the leading collections of Japanese contemporary ceramics outside of Japan, and explore wide-ranging content and motifs, including the human body, geology, flora, and fantastical abstract forms.
Radical Clay: Contemporary Women Artists from Japan is organized by the Art Institute of Chicago and is curated by Janice Katz, Roger L. Weston Associate Curator of Japanese Art, the Art Institute of Chicago. Its presentation at Phoenix Art Museum is coordinated by Colin Pearson, Curator of Asian Art. The presentation at Phoenix Art Museum is made possible by the E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Foundation and Katharine and Nicholas J. Feduska, M.D. 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.
Flowers of the Punjab: Textiles of India and Beyond
September 24, 2025 – August 9, 2026
Discover traditional textiles from the Punjab region of northwestern India, the birthplace of
Sikhism. At the heart of the display is the Phulkari, a richly embroidered garment created by a girl’s female family members starting from her birth and completed by her marriage.
Flowers of the Punjab: Textiles of India and Beyond is organized by Phoenix Art Museum. It is curated by Colin Pearson, Curator of Asian Art, and made possible through the generosity of The Sikh Heritage 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.
ON VIEW NOW
2024 Arizona Artist Awards
Through January 25, 2026
Safwat Saleem: The Unrequited Love Institute and the 2024 Lehmann Emerging Artist Awards Exhibition feature works by Arizona-based contemporary artists. The 2024 Arlene and Morton Scult Artist Awardee Safwat Saleem showcases his latest works in an installation that centers on immigrant narratives and the cultural loss that results from assimilation. In the 2024 Lehmann Emerging Artist Awards Exhibition, emerging artists Elizabeth Z. Pineda and Omar Soto explores issues surrounding immigration, identity, queer joy, and escapism.
The Arizona Artist Awards are made possible by the Arlene and Morton Scult Artist Award; Sally and Richard Lehmann; and the Cohn Fund for Arts and Culture, a founding gift of the Phoenix Art Museum Education and Engagement Excellence Fund. Safwat Saleem’s exhibition is organized by Phoenix Art Museum and curated by Christian Ramírez, the Cohn Assistant Curator of Contemporary and Community Art Initiatives. The exhibition is made possible through the generosity of the Cohn Fund for Arts and Culture, a founding gift of the Phoenix Art Museum Education and Engagement Excellence Fund. The 2024 Lehmann Emerging Artist Awards is organized by Phoenix Art Museum and curated by Christian Ramírez, the Cohn Assistant Curator of Contemporary and Community Art Initiatives. The exhibition is made possible through the generosity of the Cohn Fund for Arts and Culture, a founding gift of the Phoenix Art Museum Education and Engagement Excellence 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.
Funny Business: Photography and Humor
Through January 4, 2026
Through 70 photographs drawn primarily from the collection of the Center for Creative Photography (CCP) at the University of Arizona in Tucson, Funny Business: Photography and Humor offers a compelling view into the ways artists have utilized visual humor not only to provoke laughter and delight but also as a means of resistance
Funny Business: Photography and Humor is co-organized by Phoenix Art Museum and the Center for Creative Photography. The exhibition is curated by Emilia Mickevicius, PhD, the Norton Family Assistant Curator of Photography. 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 NOW
The World of Anna Sui
Through September 28, 2025
Blending rock and roll with romanticism, Anna Sui taps into the timeless nostalgia of fashion’s earlier days and pairs it with her rocker aesthetic. The World of Anna Sui features approximately 80 ensembles from the renowned designer’s archive, presenting a roll call of 12 archetypes that are staples of the Sui universe. Featuring everything from garments to accessories, hair styles to makeup, scent to sound, the exhibition explores in detail the materials, cultural obsessions, and global styles that have inspired the designer for decades.
The World of Anna Sui is organized by the Fashion and Textile Museum, London, and curated by Dennis Nothdruft, Head of Exhibitions at the Fashion and Textile Museum, London. Its presentation at Phoenix Art Museum is coordinated by Helen Jean, The Jacquie Dorrance Curator of Fashion, with Catherine Wise, the Hirabayashi Intern in Fashion. The World of Anna Sui is presented by Thomas Carlton Rogers II, Arizona Costume Institute, and Bennett and Jacquie Dorrance. Additional support provided by Tran Tran, Founder Axis Employment Services. In-kind support provided by Kimpton Hotel Palomar Phoenix and KJZZ. All fashion exhibitions at Phoenix Art Museum are underwritten by The Kelly Ellman Fashion Endowment 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.
GALLERY RENOVATIONS // Art of the Americas + Europe Galleries
The Art of the Americas + Europe galleries and the Thorne Miniature Rooms are currently closed for renovation and conservation work. The refreshed spaces and installations will open again to the public on November 26, 2025, featuring visitor favorites and recent acquisitions to the Museum’s American, Western American, Latin American, and European art collections.
For a full list of exhibitions on view now at Phoenix Art Museum, visit phxart.org/art/exhibitions/.
OTHER AUGUST EVENTS
LEARN // Lemon Library Book Club: Gods and Kings
September 3 | 6:30 pm
Location: The Amphitheater inside Phoenix Art Museum
Free event. Please reserve your ticket and check in at the Guest Services Desk.
For more information, click here.
KIDS // Storytime
September 4 | 10:30 am
Free for Members | Included in general admission for the general public
Advance registration recommended.
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, the William Randolph Hearst Endowed Fund for Education Programs, and First Things First.
LEARN // Object of the Month: United States Naval Reserve WAVES Summer Uniform (Women Accepted for Volunteer Service), Mainbocher
September 4, 6, 18, 25 | 11:30 am
Free for Members | Included with general admission for the general public
For more information, click here.
September 6, 13, 20, 27 | 11 am – 3 pm
Free for Members | Included with general admission for the general public
For more information, click here.
Create Playdate is made possible by First Things First, The Discount Tire Endowment for Children’s Art Programs, and the William Randolph Hearst Endowed Fund for Education Programs.
FILM // National Theatre Live: Inter Alia
September 28 | 1 pm
Free for Members | $8 for the general public
Presented in Whiteman Hall. Limited capacity. Tickets are available for reservation here.
National Theatre Live screenings are made possible in part by the Angela and Leonard Singer Endowment for Performing Arts.
OTHER AUGUST EVENTS
Every Wednesday | 3 – 8 pm
Voluntary-donation general admission
$10 off Memberships when purchased on-site
SPECIAL-EXHIBITION TICKETS: $10 for adults | $5 for youth under 17 | FREE for Museum Members
Pay-What-You-Wish Wednesdays are made possible by SRP and City of Phoenix, with additional support by Arizona Community Foundation.
Military Discount
Active-duty U.S. military personnel and their families enjoy free admission from Armed Forces Day (May 17, 2025) through Labor Day (September 1, 2025) as part of the Blue Star Museums program. The Museum will also extend the benefit to veterans with a valid ID.
The Blue Star Museums program at Phoenix Art Museum is made possible through the generosity of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona and Shamrock Foods Foundation.
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.