Summer has flown by! It has been a busy one. As we gear up for an action-packed year, I wanted to let you know what’s happening here at Sedona Arts Center.
Last year was a rough one for businesses in Sedona that rely on tourists. Our Gallery Shop sales were down by about 25% over the previous year which translates to about $50,000 in lost revenue for us and for the artists that we serve. Sales have picked up a bit of late and we are hopeful that trend will continue. We are attributing this to the private marketing effort being funded by hotels and businesses throughout Sedona and managed by the Lodging Council. This effort will continue in to the fall so fingers crossed that sales pick up!
We are holding an Art Supply Swap Meet on August 26 from 11AM to 3PM. If you have new or gently used art supplies that you no longer need, you can drop them by the Arts Center August 22-25. If you do, you will be issued a free ticket to the Swap Meet. Otherwise it will be $5 to attend. You will get one bag to fill up with whatever you can fit in it and there will be other items for sale as well – books, some furniture, etc. We are clearing out!
Sedona Arts Center is moving our offices to the Gallery building sometime in September. We have been working on this project for over a year and we finally obtained a contractor to help us out. Thanks to Jamie Ferguson Homes for your help on this project. You’ve been great to work with and we can’t wait to move in to our new digs. We will be holding an Open House sometime this fall to show off the space.
Our first Celebrate Sedona will be on September 6 from 4-6PM. Our featured band will be Scott Jeffers – Traveler. He plays frequently at the Desert Botanical Garden for their Luminarias event every December and is amazing! As usual, beer, wine, a food truck and artist demos will be on hand for your pleasure and entertainment.
That night will also be the artist opening for our NUMB3RS Exhibit. Artists will be on hand to answer questions and demonstrate. Entries from across the country have been juried in answering the question – What numbers are important to you and how do you depict that in your work? We are excited for this exhibit as the work is terrific!
The Museum of Northern Arizona and Sedona Arts Center are holding a series of exploratory panel discussions that will introduce ideas, philosophies, laws, ethics, and lived experiences pertaining to appropriation of Indigenous art forms and culture and that will culminate in a guide for consumers and collectors. There will be two talks held at the Museum of Northern Arizona this year and one at Sedona Arts Center in January of 2024. Museum and Arts Center members can attend the talks for free.
Moving from Appropriation to Authenticity
September 17, 2023, 2pm, Museum of Northern Arizona, Flagstaff
This panel discussion will be an introduction to the overarching issues surrounding cultural appropriation of Indigenous art and pose the questions: What is illegal? What is not illegal but still unethical? What are consumers’ responsibilities when considering purchasing art? Panelists will discuss the Indian Arts & Crafts Act as a framework for these questions. This discussion will be moderated by Dr. Kelley Hays-Gilpin, the Edward Bridge Danson, Jr. Chair of Anthropology at the Museum of Northern Arizona and Professor of Anthropology at Northern Arizona University.
And please mark your calendars for October 20-28 and the Sedona Plein Air Festival. This year’s event will not disappoint.
I hope to see you at one or more events this fall. And remember we also have a great line up of classes and workshops that we feature throughout the year. You can find out more on our website – www.sedonaartscenter.org
Best,
Julie
