MoCNA Director Patsy Phillips Joins the AAM Board of Directors
Phillips is the only person holding appointments to both the AAM board of directors and the ICOM-US board of directors, further cementing MoCNA’s extensive reputation. “During her 15-year tenure, Patsy Philips’ visionary leadership for the museum has raised its profile both nationally and internationally through cutting-edge exhibitions and programming,” says IAIA President Dr. Robert Martin (Cherokee Nation). “Moreover, she led the successful effort resulting in our museum’s accreditation by the American Alliance of Museum—a ground-breaking achievement.” In March 2020, MoCNA was accredited by AAM, news which Phillips shared in a letter from May 28, 2020: “In early March we received word from the American Alliance of Museums (AAM) that MoCNA received accreditation—the highest national recognition afforded to the nation’s museums. Accreditation signifies excellence to the museum community, to governments, funders, outside agencies, and to the museum-going public.” MoCNA’s accreditation places it among a select group of museums in the US—less than 10% are accredited.
“Serving on the AAM and ICOM-US boards are the pinnacles of my career,” shares Phillips. “These roles provide me the opportunity to advocate for contemporary Indigenous arts on national and international platforms.” Phillips has worked for over twenty-five years with Indigenous artists, educators, scholars, and administrators who advocate for the advancement and understanding of contemporary Indigenous arts and cultures. Phillips has served as MoCNA director for 15 years and oversees the day-to-day operations of the museum. Before joining MoCNA, Phillips worked at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian from 2000 to 2008, where she participated in the opening of the Washington, D.C. Mall museum in 2004. Phillips holds an MA in Writing from Johns Hopkins University, a Graduate Certificate in Museum Studies from Harvard University, and a BA in Anthropology from Southern Methodist University.
[1] “About AAM,” American Alliance of Museums, [2] “Who We Are,” International Council of Museums United States.
“Serving on the AAM and ICOM-US boards are the pinnacles of my career,” shares Phillips. “These roles provide me the opportunity to advocate for contemporary Indigenous arts on national and international platforms.”
Current and Upcoming MoCNA Exhibitions
A listing of current and upcoming exhibitions at the IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts (MoCNA).
List of Events
The Stories We Carry
The Stories We Carry features contemporary jewelry created by more than 100 Indigenous artists across decades stewarded by the MoCNA permanent collection.
Our Stories
Our Stories is a companion to The Stories We Carry exhibition, located adjacent to the Kieve Family Gallery.
Arctic Highways: Unbounded Indigenous People
The traveling exhibition Arctic Highways features 12 Indigenous artists from Sápmi (cultural region traditionally inhabited by the Sámi people) and North America, sharing stories of Indigenous people who live on different continents yet regard themselves as kindred spirits.
Common Thread: Indigenous Perspectives from the Arctic
For millennia Indigenous peoples of the North have lived in harmony with the land and sea. The twelve artists and activists in the exhibition Common Thread: Indigenous Perspectives from the Arctic continue this relationship.