Jennifer Gill has spent more than a decade watching Scottsdale’s signature event, Canal Convergence, grow. Gill, Canal Convergence’s deputy director and curator, called it “a labor of love.”

“I have really seen it from every angle,” Gill said. “I think I am pretty uniquely positioned to create Canal Convergence because I have seen it grow from the ground up.”

Scottsdale’s Canal Convergence, running from Friday, Nov. 6, to Sunday, Nov. 15, at the Waterfront, reflects the American West and celebrates the city’s 75th anniversary. The colorful display features large-scale public art installations, live music, and wildlife. Admission is free.

“Because it’s free, there’s no paywall,” Gill said. “Everybody is welcome, and it’s this art experience that everybody can access.”

“Because it’s free, there’s no paywall. Everybody is welcome, and so it’s this art experience that everybody can access,” Gill said.

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For Gill, the anniversary feels especially meaningful. She began her career with Scottsdale Arts as a public art assistant and has worked on Canal Convergence in various capacities for 11 years, helping guide its transformation from a small gathering into a nationally recognized light-art festival.

That growth has been dramatic.

In its early years, Canal Convergence was a one-night event. It later expanded to two nights and then four. By 2018, growing attendance and upped support from the City of Scottsdale helped transform it into the 10-night experience that brings visitors to the Waterfront. 

“Since that initial first 10-night event in 2018, it’s been sort of a steady increase,” Gill said.

As the event evolved, organizers expanded beyond light-based artworks. Annual themes became a larger part of the experience, connecting installations, performances and workshops.

“We were all in the moment and thinking about all things American West,” Gill said.

Artists were encouraged to interpret that idea broadly, drawing inspiration from native wildlife and environmental issues to the region’s history and diverse cultures. The result is a collection of installations that approach the theme from vastly different perspectives.

One interactive piece, “Another Slice of Reality: An Evolving Nature,” uses motion tracking, voice interaction and Arizona environmental data to explore humanity’s relationship with the natural world. Another installation takes the form of a towering horse-head sculpture covered in shimmering dichroic film that visitors can climb inside and slide through, reimagining one of the West’s most recognizable symbols.

But the art itself is only part of the attraction.

Throughout the festival, visitors can attend artist-led workshops, live music and dance performances, explore food vendors and participate in family-friendly creative activities. Indigenous artists will also contribute workshops that connect directly to the event’s theme.

“There really is something for everybody,” Gill said. “It’s called an event, but it’s really over 100 events within 10 days.”

Among the highlights will be Walter Productions’ returning fire performances (Walter Studios, Walter WhereHouse), a variety of local musical acts and a special appearance by the Navy Commodores Jazz Orchestra as part of Scottsdale Salutes, a program honoring local veterans.

The setting itself also contributes to the festival’s appeal. Unlike traditional gallery exhibitions, Canal Convergence uses the Arizona Canal as an integral part of the artwork. Pieces float on the water, hang above it, or interact with reflections on the canal’s surface.

“The thing that really draws artists in is this ability to suspend artworks over the canal and have them float in the canal and then just utilize the reflections,” Gill said. “It is something that is just unique.

“You start to see the look of awe on people’s faces,” she said. “Suddenly, like, ‘Well, what is this?’ And they start learning about it.”