After three decades of service to the City of Scottsdale and the entire Valley of the Sun, the Scottsdale Cultural Council is changing its name to Scottsdale Arts to define more clearly its unique mission as a community-focused, multi-disciplinary, nonprofit arts organization and to engage more effectively with the public and the next generation of audiences.
“The arts are an essential part of the Scottsdale experience, and Scottsdale Arts represents an exciting move forward for our whole organization,” remarked Scottsdale Arts Board of Trustees Chairman Andrew Chippindall. “For nearly 30 years we have been known for the extraordinary range and quality of our arts offerings and facilities. Our new name and logo communicates that we are one, united organization, strongly rooted in our community, with a renewed spirit of cooperation, innovation and purpose.”
Scottsdale Arts’ name change was unanimously approved by its board of trustees earlier this year. The action is the result of a comprehensive rebranding initiative launched in 2015 as part of the organization’s strategic plan, which calls for greater internal collaboration and the creation of an “umbrella brand” to bring together the programming of its three well-known divisions – Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts, Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art (SMoCA) and Scottsdale Public Art. All three divisions will continue to use their respective names, with Scottsdale Arts serving as their shared public brand. The name Scottsdale Cultural Council will be retained on the organization’s nonprofit charter.
Scottsdale Arts’ rebranding effort took nearly 10 months and was guided by a group of staff and volunteer professionals with broad experience in marketing and branding. The campaign includes a redesigned logo in a bright-blue palette that creatively merges the words “Scottsdale” and “Arts,” essentially linking them together as one. Scottsdale Arts’ websites and social media have been updated with this new design, including the landing page www.ScottsdaleArts.org, which now offers easy, centralized access to the organization’s three divisions, a new portal for its education and outreach programs, and an enhanced online purchasing path that enables customers to buy tickets for all Scottsdale Arts events more conveniently.
“A great deal of careful thought and planning has gone into this change, and we know the time is right to introduce a new identity that reflects our organization’s creativity, vitality and synergy,” added Scottsdale Arts President and CEO Neale Perl. “Scottsdale Arts is bold and direct, and perfectly represents the fundamental mission of our organization – to provide our city’s residents and visitors with exceptional arts and educational experiences – now and into the future.”
THE NEW SEASON
In conjunction with the rollout of its updated brand, Scottsdale Arts has released its new 2016–17 Season Guide, showcasing an outstanding variety of world-class performances, films, exhibitions, installations, special events and education programs produced and presented by the organization and its three divisions. Tickets and information are available through www.ScottsdaleArts.org or 480-499-TKTS (8587). A free copy of the 2016–17 Season Guide may also be requested.
Among the season’s many highlights, Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts will present performances by best-selling author Garrison Keillor, Broadway legend Patti LuPone, singer-songwriters Rosanne Cash and Mary Chapin Carpenter, musician Bruce Hornsby, pianist Olga Kern, organist Cameron Carpenter, and the acclaimed Academy of St Martin in the Fields and Warsaw Philharmonic. Annual favorites include the 16th Scottsdale International Film Festival and 47th Scottsdale Arts Festival.
SMoCA will debut a number of groundbreaking exhibitions, including this fall’s “Push Comes to Shove: Women and Power,” examining how art can be used as a catalyst for the transformation of women’s place and role in society, and “Architecture + Art: Everything Falls into Place When It Collapses,” featuring work by Mexico City-based artist and designer Santiago Borja. Spring exhibitions will include “The Sleep of Reason; or, How Frankenstein’s Monster Still Haunts Us,” exploring the influence of Mary Shelley’s novel on contemporary artists, and “I Remember Not Remembering,” looking at a dozen artists who create works using home movies, family snapshots and film footage. The community is invited to engage with SMoCA at innovative events such as films, tours, stand-up comedy, yoga and more.
Long recognized for commissioning engaging and iconic artworks and presenting culturally significant art events and exhibitions, Scottsdale Public Art will showcase the interactive installation “Los Trompos” by Mexican designers and artists Hector Esrawe and Ignacio Cadena throughout downtown Scottsdale from November through March. Scottsdale Public Art’s signature event, the four-day Canal Convergence: Water + Art + Light will feature cutting-edge contemporary artworks by local and international artists, hands-on activities and workshops, and live performances from Arizona musicians and world-renowned dance companies – all free and open to the public.
