Photo credit: Sean Deckert
Canal Convergence 2018
Scottsdale Public Art produced and presented another successful Canal Convergence event on Feb. 23–24 and March 2–3 on the Scottsdale Waterfront. In addition to observing six dazzling installations created by artists from around the world, visitors to Canal Convergence enjoyed a variety of free activities, including artist talks, live entertainment and interactive workshops.
Artist Eli Richard helped remove some of the mystery of art-making in his screen printing workshops each weekend, giving visitors the opportunity to print their own Canal Convergence merchandise. And the Scottsdale Artists’ School brought a community art project called Making Waves for the second weekend, giving visitors a chance to collaborate on a painting project. One participant said it was the first time he had used a paintbrush since elementary school.
Instagram user @jennyferstratman posted a photo of choreographer Nicole L Olson’s performance from the first weekend of Canal Convergence with the following text: “Nice to see public art in several forms bringing people together at #canalconvergence. Fun night!”
Scottsdale Public Art staff also offered six well-received walking tours at Canal Convergence during the second weekend, providing information about the event, other public art pieces in the city and the various divisions of Scottsdale Arts. All these efforts are building up for the return of Canal Convergence as a 10-day fall event from Nov. 9–18. Get details on Canal Convergence featured work by artists Choi + Shine in November.
Dan Savage, Journalist and Activist
Author, social and political activist, and syndicated sex advice columnist Dan Savage will be the guest of the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art (SMoCA) for a moderated conversation at Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts on Thursday, April 5, at 7 p.m. Savage, editorial director of Seattle’s weekly alternative newspaper, The Stranger, is known for his take-no-prisoners attitude in his political and social commentary, as well as his honest approach to sex, love and relationships. In 2010, Dan Savage and his husband, Terry Miller, founded the Its Gets Better Project to provide hope, encouragement and support to LGBTQ youth.
Savage’s writing has appeared in numerous publications, including The New York Times, The New York Times Magazine, GQ, Rolling Stone and The Onion, as well as on Salon.com. He also has been a guest on CNN, MSNBC and The Colbert Report, as well NPR’s Fresh Air with Terry Gross, HBO’s Real Time with Bill Maher and ABC’s 20/20.
Out@SMoCA is presented in partnership with the City of Scottsdale Office of Diversity, Scottsdale Human Relations Committee and media partner Echo Magazine.
Get more details and tickets.
In January, Rob Kapliow also visited Pinnacle High School to work with orchestra students. Photo credit: Betty Hum Photography.
The Connection between Arts and Empathy
For years, studies have shown that empathy is increased through the arts. See the Wallace Foundation study. Participating in the arts invokes a sense of wonder that takes us away from ourselves and helps us think about other perspectives. This is why Scottsdale Arts Education & Outreach ensures students have access to quality arts experiences that not only elevate their artistic skills, but teach lifelong skills, such as empathy, tolerance and understanding.
Last week, Rob Kapilow brought his amazing talents to Chaparral High School’s orchestra classroom. The workshop was not so much about playing their instruments, but about listening to each other because, as Kapilow says, “music is a story told in notes.” Students learned that if they did not listen to each other, they would not be able to tell the story of the piece to the audience, and thus not play the piece as well as they could regardless of skill. After the workshop, the teacher responded with “…it has brought an entirely new energy to our group.” She also noted, “From the beginning to end, the difference was night and day.”
Do you know a high school student who has been impacted by the arts? See details on how to share your story in this exciting video contest in partnership with the City of Scottsdale.
Membership Month and New Membership Cards
March is Membership Month at Scottsdale Arts. To celebrate, we are thrilled to present to all members — new and as they renew — a freshly designed membership card that will continue to open the doors to their arts experiences and benefits. The new cards are more substantial and complete with member information on the back including name, expiration date and member ID. The ONE Membership card is a user-friendly format to be used throughout our campus including at the box office, the stores at the Center and Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art, and for your free admission to the museum.
ONE Membership benefits at the various levels are THE reason to join — from select ticket discounts, waived service fees, free admission to SMoCA, free admission to the Scottsdale Arts Festival, membership in the North American Reciprocal Museum Program, 15 percent discounts at the Center and SMoCA stores, and numerous other expanded benefits at the various levels.
We invite you to join Scottsdale Arts ONE Membership and be part of these exciting experiences. For more information, please contact Member Services at 480-499-8587 or visit our One Membership page.
