Happenings
See the latest news and happenings from the IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts (MoCNA). You can also view the latest happenings at the Museum Store.
Happenings
List of Events
The Seeds and Hereafter—Readings by Graduating Creative Writing Majors
Join us for The Seeds and Hereafter, a reading by IAIA Creative Writing graduates.
MFACW 2025 Graduate Student Reading Series: Hartley, Wu, Bennion, Tiger, and Montoya
Readings with Bonney Hartley, Yu Hsuan Wu, Kate Bennion, Alec Tiger, and Timoteo Montoya as part of the 2025 MFACW Graduate Student Reading Series.
2024–2025 IAIA BFA Exhibition: Kinship Woven Through Ancestral Lands—Closing Reception
Closing reception for the 2024–2025 IAIA BFA exhibition Kinship Woven Through Ancestral Lands.
Not Here But There—Opening Reception
Opening reception for the exhibition Not Here But There, representing candidates for the IAIA MFA in Studio Arts Class of 2025.
Past Happenings
Latest News
The most recent news, press releases, and updates from the IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts (MoCNA).
Albuquerque Journal Review—“Kite and Wíhaŋble S’a Center: Dreaming with AI”
IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts (MoCNA) Happenings Albuquerque Journal Review—“Kite and Wíhaŋble S’a Center: Dreaming with AI” “If computers that support AI are powered by crystal oscillators and rare earth minerals, what does that mean from the...
Exhibition Spotlight—Jordan Ann Craig’s “My Way Home”
IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts (MoCNA) Happenings Exhibition Spotlight—Jordan Ann Craig’s “My Way ” In her latest exhibition, My Way , Jordan Ann Craig (Northern Cheyenne) A-i-R ’19 takes us on a deeply personal journey through Indigenous...
2025 Spring Exhibitions “Kite and Wíhaŋble S’a Center” and “Jordan Ann Craig”—Opening Reception
IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts (MoCNA) Happenings 2025 Spring Exhibitions “Kite and Wíhaŋble S’a Center” and “Jordan Ann Craig”—Opening Reception Join us for a reception celebrating IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts’ (MoCNA) latest exhibitions,...
Alum Spotlight: Stephanie Stewart (Navajo and Kiowa) ’19
IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts (MoCNA) Happenings Alum Spotlight: Stephanie Stewart (Navajo and Kiowa) ’19 When Stephanie Stewart (Navajo and Kiowa) ’19 first began her educational journey, she majored in biology and originally wanted to explore forensic...
Celebrating the First Annual Indigenous Peoples’ Day at IAIA
IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts (MoCNA) Happenings Celebrating the First Annual Indigenous Peoples’ Day at IAIA Dear IAIA Community, It is with great pride and honor that I announce a new holiday for the Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA)—Indigenous...
IAIA Supporters Encouraged to ‘Shoot for the Stars’ at Annual Auction on August 14
IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts (MoCNA) Happenings IAIA Supporters Encouraged to ‘Shoot for the Stars’ at Annual Auction on August 14 The Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA) held its annual VIP opening reception and auction art preview for the...
Celebrate in May with the Institute of American Indian Arts
IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts (MoCNA) Happenings Celebrate in May with the Institute of American Indian Arts The mission of the Institute of American Indian Arts is “to empower creativity and leadership in Indigenous arts and cultures through higher...
AMITIKATXI Collective—Panel Discussion
IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts (MoCNA) Happenings AMITIKATXI Collective—Panel Discussion On Wednesday, April 3, artists from the AMITIKATXI collective in Brazil came together virtually for a panel discussion. The artists created The Forest is Our Future,...
MoCNA’s Four-Year Winning Streak in USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards
IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts (MoCNA) Happenings MoCNA’s Four-Year Winning Streak in USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards For the fourth year in a row, the IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts (MoCNA) has made the list for the USA TODAY 10Best...
Inuk Silis Høegh: Arctic Vertigo Exhibition Featured in Pasatiempo
IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts (MoCNA) Happenings Inuk Silis Høegh: Arctic Vertigo Exhibition Featured in Pasatiempo Inuk Silis Høegh: Arctic Vertigo, currently on view at the IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts (MoCNA), was prominently featured in...
MoCNA 2023–2024 IAIA BFA Exhibition: Indigenous Presence, Indigenous Futures
IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts (MoCNA) Happenings MoCNA 2023–2024 IAIA BFA Exhibition: Indigenous Presence, Indigenous Futures 2023–2024 IAIA BFA Exhibition: Indigenous Presence, Indigenous Futures will be on view from March 1 through June 9, 2024, in...
Vote for MoCNA—USA TODAY’s Readers’ Choice Award for Best Museum
IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts (MoCNA) Happenings Vote for MoCNA—USA TODAY’s Readers’ Choice Award for Best Museum IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts (MoCNA) has been nominated in our 2024 USA Today’s 10Best Readers’ Choice travel awards. An expert...
Free Fridays at the IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts
IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts (MoCNA) Happenings Free Fridays at the IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts The IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts (MoCNA) was selected by the Art Bridges Foundation to receive a $240,000 grant, enabling MoCNA to...
Henry Luce Foundation Awards Grant to MoCNA
IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts (MoCNA) Happenings Henry Luce Foundation Awards Grant to MoCNA We are thrilled to announce that the Henry Luce Foundation has awarded the IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts (MoCNA) a grant for the upcoming exhibition...
August a Whirlwind for IAIA with 25+ Events—From Live Music to Fashion
IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts (MoCNA) Happenings August a Whirlwind for IAIA with 25+ Events—From Live Music to Fashion On Tuesday, August 15, 2023, IAIA’s market events kicked off with the Lensic 360’s Santa Fe Plaza Concert Series event, which IAIA...
Action/Abstraction Redefined opens at the Saint Louis Art Museum
IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts (MoCNA) Happenings Action/Abstraction Redefined opens at the Saint Louis Art Museum The IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts (MoCNA) is proud to announce the successful opening of its national traveling exhibition,...
Institute of American Indian Arts—August 2023 Events
IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts (MoCNA) Happenings Institute of American Indian Arts—August 2023 Events August is one of the busiest months of the year for the Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA). Fall term begins, the IAIA Benefit & Auction...
New IAIA Trustees Appointed by President Biden
IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts (MoCNA) Happenings New IAIA Trustees Appointed by President Biden On July 14, 2023, the White House announced that President Biden would be appointing five individuals to the Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA) Board...
Celebrate in May with the Institute of American Indian Arts
IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts (MoCNA) Happenings Celebrate in May with the Institute of American Indian Arts The mission of the Institute of American Indian Arts is “to empower creativity and leadership in Indigenous arts and cultures through higher...
MoCNA Director Patsy Phillips Joins the AAM Board of Directors
IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts (MoCNA) Happenings MoCNA Director Patsy Phillips Joins the AAM Board of Directors IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts (MoCNA) Director Patsy Phillips (Cherokee Nation) has been appointed for a three-year term to the...
IAIA Staff and Faculty Express Gratitude in March
IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts (MoCNA) Happenings IAIA Staff and Faculty Express Gratitude in March As part of the annual Spring Gratitude Challenge, Human Resources Director Todd Spilman encouraged IAIA faculty and staff to submit answers recognizing...
IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts Selected as No. 3 Museum by USA TODAY
IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts (MoCNA) Happenings IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts Selected as No. 3 Museum by USA TODAY The Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA) is pleased to share that USA TODAY 10Best named the IAIA Museum of Contemporary...
IAIA Making History Symposium
IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts (MoCNA) Happenings IAIA Making History Symposium We’ve been preparing for this for the past 60 years! This coming Monday, October 17, from 8:30 am–5:00 pm (MDT), we will present the IAIA Making History Symposium. Whether...
IAIA—Making History During SWAIA’s Indian Market
IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts (MoCNA) Happenings IAIA—Making History During SWAIA’s Indian Market Over the third weekend in August, thousands of Indigenous art and culture appreciators flocked to New Mexico to celebrate the Southwestern Association of...
IAIA Fall 2022 Semester Reopening Plan
IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts (MoCNA) Happenings IAIA Fall 2022 Semester Reopening Plan The COVID-19 pandemic impacts many facets of life at the Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA). IAIA’s priority is the safety, health, and well-being of our...
Show Up and Show Out at the “Art of Indigenous Fashion” Opening Reception at MoCNA
IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts (MoCNA) Happenings Show Up and Show Out at the “Art of Indigenous Fashion” Opening Reception at MoCNA “There is no one way to define Indigenous fashion, but what I can say is Indigenous fashion is the original fashion and...
MoCNA Nominated for Best of Santa Fe
IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts (MoCNA) Happenings MoCNA Nominated for Best of Santa Fe MoCNA has been nominated as the Best Museum in Santa Fe in the Santa Fe Reporter’s annual Best of Santa Fe reader poll. If you appreciate MoCNA’s continued commitment...
Action/Abstraction Redefined opens at the Cahoon Museum of American Art
IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts (MoCNA) Happenings Action/Abstraction Redefined opens at the Cahoon Museum of American Art The IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts’ (MoCNA) national traveling exhibition Action/Abstraction Redefined (A/AR) successfully...
Patsy Phillips Featured in Osiyo, Voices of the Cherokee People
IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts (MoCNA) Happenings Patsy Phillips Featured in Osiyo, Voices of the Cherokee People IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts (MoCNA) Director, Patsy Phillips (Cherokee), was recently featured in an episode of Osiyo, Voices of...
“Making History” in a Photograph
IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts (MoCNA) Happenings “Making History” in a Photograph To commemorate our anniversaries, Cara Romero (Chemehuevi Indian Tribe) ’05 has created a masterpiece that showcases six decades of esteemed, innovative artists,...