Scottsdale Blog - Things to do in Scottsdale, Arizona » Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts

Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts Finalizes $16 Million Renovation

Josh Kenzer — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 17:37:19 +0000

After being closed for more than a year, the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts will open its newly renovated Virginia G. Piper Theater on Oct. 24. Kicking off the reopening will be ARTrageous, a special benefit performance featuring Broadway star Kristin Chenoweth. The event will start the Center’s 2009-10 season, which also includes performances by world-renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma, the Martha Graham Dance Company, jazz musicians Herb Alpert and Arturo Sandoval, and actors Jason Alexander, John Cleese and Martin Short. Improvements to the facility include a new floor and mezzanine, box office, café, public art project, enhanced theater acoustics, lighting, seating and accessibility.

Festival ArtWalk is “A Glass Act”

Katarina Kovacevic — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 22:02:01 +0000

Scottsdale is throwing a joint celebration for two of its longest-running arts events – the Scottsdale ArtWalk and the 39th Annual Scottsdale Arts Festival. Together, the events are presenting the Glass Act Festival ArtWalk on Thursday, March 19 from 7 to 9 p.m. in downtown Scottsdale. The Arts Festival kicks off the following day and runs through March 22 on the nearby grounds of the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts.

A Glass Act will feature more than a dozen top glass artists from the Scottsdale Arts District galleries and this year’s Arts Festival. Those featured include Lisa Chernoff at Occasions! by Design, Kathleen Doherty in the Textures Gallery at artspace, Carole Perry at Duley Jones Gallery, Tsunami glasswork at LeKae gallery and more. In addition to the special ArtWalk event, the Desert Botanical Garden will partner with Ultimate Art & Cultural Tours to offer guests a half-day glass art tour for $65 which includes a behind-the-scenes look into the stunning Chihuly: The Nature of Glass exhibit in the Garden followed by exclusive receptions with glass artists at three of downtown Scottsdale’s prominent galleries. The tour will take place on March 19 from 1 to 7 p.m. and include transportation.

A Glass Act Festival ArtWalk also will boast a diverse musical lineup including the eclectic Watershade, folk-rocker Jeordie, jazz by Actual Proof Trio, original classical pianist Elijah Bossenbroek and the Soliloquies singer-songwriter area with some of ArtWalk’s favorite street performers. Guests also can sample great tastes from culinary sponsors like Café Carumba, Icelandic Glacial Waters, Malee’s Thai on Main and more.

Free Art, Cultural and Native American Experiences in Downtown Scottsdale

Josh Kenzer — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 22:25:16 +0000

Meeting planners looking to infuse art and culture into their group’s Scottsdale experience have a variety of options to choose from and at a very affordable price – free!

Designed by famed local architect Will Bruder, Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art (SMoCA) is a stylish space devoted to the art, architecture and design of our time. The minimalist building (an ingenious renovation of a former movie theater) includes a rare public “skyspace” by the acclaimed artist James Turrell, where groups can experience the ever-changing light of the desert sky. Attendees can see all of this and more every Thursday absolutely free. For more information, visit www.smoca.org.

A tradition that has taken place for more than 30 years, Scottsdale ArtWalk is the perfect opportunity for attendees to explore downtown Scottsdale and a diverse collection of art galleries. Every Thursday from 7-9 p.m., galleries open their doors and show off the works of some of the Southwest’s most extraordinary artists. Groups can view special exhibits with artists’ receptions and demonstrations, and a number of the galleries can even accommodate groups for private events. For more information, visit www.scottsdalegalleries.com.

Attendees seeking a glimpse into Arizona’s Native American history will want to check out Native Trails, produced by the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts and presented by us, the Scottsdale Convention & Visitors Bureau. Beginning Jan. 15, 2009, representatives from various Native American tribes take the stage most Thursdays and Saturdays through April 11 and inspire attendees with their memorable musical performances and traditional dances. The series of free festivals celebrate Native American society while focusing on the individual cultures of tribes who reside throughout the Southwest. Performers present their tribal history, pottery, textiles and more while musical performances incorporate traditional instruments such as flutes, gourds and drums and dances range from Navajo dancing to the new three artist hoop dance, a high energy performance with synchronized movements and cameo routines. For more information, visit www.ScottsdaleNativeTrails.com.

Explore Arizona’s History through Song and Dance

Josh Kenzer — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 16:01:18 +0000

Scottsdale Native Trails Performance

Native Trails, produced by the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts and presented by the Scottsdale Convention & Visitors Bureau, is a true sensory journey of song and dance that showcases the vivid first nations of Arizona and North America. Beginning Jan. 15, 2009, representatives from various Native American tribes will take the stage most Thursdays and Saturdays through April 11 and inspire attendees with their memorable musical performances and traditional dances. Staged at the Scottsdale Civic Center Mall, the series of free festivals in downtown Scottsdale celebrates Native American society while focusing on the individual cultures of tribes who reside throughout the Southwest. Performers present their tribal history, pottery, textiles and more to introduce attendees to the diverse lifestyles of the native people. Musical performances incorporate traditional instruments such as flutes, gourds and drums and dances range from Navajo dancing to the new three artist hoop dance, a high energy performance with synchronized movements and cameo routines. Tribes represented include Salt River Pima-Maricopa, Hopi, Yavapai, Apache and Diné (Navajo). For more information, visit www.ScottsdaleNativeTrails.com

Explore Your Artistic Side with New Exhibits

Josh Kenzer — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 16:27:49 +0000

Since its inception in 1985, the Scottsdale Public Art Program has worked to bring new and creative artwork to the streets. The downtown area will soon be home to three new interactive exhibits that will allow visitors to take part in Scottsdale’s unique arts community.

Art lovers can enjoy beautiful fall evenings by taking a stroll downtown and experiencing a stunning light show at the Scottsdale Waterfront. Beginning in October, the collection’s new Night Lights exhibit, a premier music and interactive, light-based art installation, will be on display. Launching the attraction will be Tucson artist Mary Lucking whose light installation will grace the Waterfront every third Thursday from October through December, using the water of the nearby Arizona Canal as a canvas. Visitors can give the light show their own artistic touch by speaking into a microphone set up at the exhibit, which then triggers and changes the patterns projected onto the water.

A second all-new piece, Bell’e Art, will transform the bell tower adjacent to the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts into an outdoor gallery. The first exhibition, on view Sept. 8 through Dec. 3, will feature New York-based artist Béatrice Coron’s series of papercuts inspired by Scottsdale landmarks, lifestyle, history and more. Coron’s piece will feature 24 iconic Scottsdale scenes hand cut on black and white Tyvek, a lightweight waterproof paper, suspended from the top of the tower. Each cutout image will serve as a window that invites passersby to peek through, invoking memories and dreams of Scottsdale and the Southwest. Visitors inspired by Coron’s piece will have the chance to create their own works of art when she hosts a workshop, Sharp Arts: The International Papercutting Scene, at the Scottsdale Civic Center Library on Nov. 1.

Crocheters get out your hooks and take part in Scottsdale Public Art’s crocheted exhibit at the Civic Center Library. In April 2009, the Hyperbolic Crochet Coral Reef Project, a globally touring exhibit of a crocheted coral reef ecosystem, will be on display at the library before heading to its next stop at the Smithsonian. The 2,000-square-foot reef has already made its rounds from London to Chicago, Los Angeles and New York. Visitors eager to learn the art of crocheting can take part in organized workshops.