SPRING 2018 6 | FRONTDOORSMEDIA .COM Spring Arts & Culture Directory The recently established David and Dawn Lenhardt Contemporary Art Initiative for the Phoenix Art Museum will establish several initiatives to elevate the museum’s contemporary art programming — including the annual Lenhardt Lecture, the Lenhardt Emerging Artist Acquisition Fund, the Lenhardt Collection loan program, and a named gallery space. “We are grateful to the Lenhardt family for their very generous support of contemporary art at Phoenix Art Museum,” said the museum’s Sybil Harrington Director and CEO Amada Cruz. “This investment empowers the museum to strengthen its focus on this key collecting area and has the potential to enable us in the future to attract important contemporary art collections to Phoenix.” David Lenhardt is the former president and CEO of PetSmart. He currently serves as a board member for Phoenix Children’s Hospital and Dogtopia. The Lenhardts established the unique fund, which is the first of its kind in the museum’s nearly 60-year history, in part to elevate contemporary art in Phoenix. “One of the intents here is to raise the profile of contemporary art, and of the Phoenix Art Museum in the country and in the world,” David Lenhardt said. “We’re the fifth largest city in the United States. We should have that kind of a contemporary art presence that befits a museum of that size and scale and of the community we represent.” The Lenhardts began collecting contemporary art in 2003 while traveling. They were initially interested primarily in pop art, but have since become increasingly interested in living artists. “We became really intrigued with pop art to start, those sort of Andy Warhols of the world and Roy Lichtensteins. From there, over the years we have evolved into more living artists,” Lenhardt said. “I find it really enjoyable to be able to meet the artists, learn about them, see where they’re headed and collect their work.” Two of the aspects of the initiative Lenhardt is most excited about are the Emerging Artist Acquisition Fund and the annual Lenhardt Lecture, which will bring a prominent contemporary artist to Phoenix to speak and educate. “The intent is to have this art so that it’s accessible to the public. The other element of that is this Emerging Artist acquisition fund,” Lenhardt said. “The Lenhardt Lecture is really focused on established artists but on the opposite end of the spectrum, we also want to support and bring awareness to emerging artists in Phoenix.” In addition to supporting artists, the initiatives also aim to bring the community together through art and art education. “In Phoenix, we have such a diverse community. I think the arts have this wonderful ability to bring diverse groups together and to serve as a hub for the community,” Lenhardt said. “Certainly Phoenix Art Museum is a perfect place for that.” Lenhardts Aim to Advance Contemporary Art in Phoenix Jamie Killin | WEB EDITOR

SPRING 2018 FRONTDOORSMEDIA .COM | 7 Spring Arts & Culture Directory David and Dawn Lenhardt