At the annual benefit, the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art honors a group of special individuals whose accomplishments reflect the ideals of creativity, innovation and cultural community that are at the heart of the Museums mission. This annual award acknowledges the cultural entrepreneurs and out-of-the-box thinkers in our midst—those who truly have built the foundations of a creative culture here and on whose shoulders we all stand. Such spirited, entrepreneurial individuals have—through their professional or civic activities—raised the profile of contemporary art, architecture and design in the Valley. We call these individuals Contemporary Catalysts. |
Joe Baker
Joe Baker is a curator, a teacher, an artist and a leader in the Native American arts community nationally. In his current position as Lloyd Kiva New Curator of Fine Art, Baker has brought groundbreaking exhibitions to the Heard Museum—projects that have vastly expanded the public’s understanding of contemporary Native art and that have, in turn, expanded the possibilities for Native artists. Joe Baker is creative, passionate and global in his approach. He is not afraid to take risks for important causes and to attack cultural artistic stereotypes. He extends a generosity of spirit to his peers that is simply unprecedented in this community. His entrepreneurial efforts have had an impact on urban planning, health and human services, education and preservation. Joe was a founding board member of Roosevelt Row Downtown Development Corporation and of the Indigenous Center for Creative Research. He serves on the advisory committee of the Museum of Arts and Design, New York, among other non-profit involvements.
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Photo by Aaron Abbott
Photo by Robert Sentinery
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