Diversifying the Contemporary Art Collection

DIVERSIFYINGTHE CONTEMPORARY ART COLLECTION

Through the outstanding generosity of Valley philanthropists Dawn and David Lenhardt, in February 2021 Phoenix Art Museum expanded the Lenhardt Contemporary Art Initiative to support the diversification of the Museum’s contemporary art collection.

Established in 2017, the Lenhardt Contemporary Art Initiative sought to deepen the Museum’s commitment to contemporary art through the annual Lenhardt Lectures, the Lenhardt Emerging Artist Acquisition Fund, and the Dawn and David Lenhardt Gallery. With this initial gift, the Museum acquired a number of significant works by artists emerging on the national scene, including Shara Hughes and Arcmanoro Niles, and exposed the Phoenix community to internationally renowned artists such as Jim Hodges, Daniel Joseph Martinez, Teresita Fernández, and Amalia Mesa-Bains through annual Lenhardt Lectures. Going forward, funds from the reimagined program will be allocated to support and prioritize the acquisition of works by artists who contribute to discourses on race, gender, and other locally and nationally relevant social issues, including works by Black, Indigenous, Latinx, and women artists, among others.