There’s a new art fair in the Southwest, where key players hope to expand the visibility of the region’s vibrant contemporary art offerings.

“People assume all the art here is cowboys and Indians standing around cactus,” quips art dealer Trey Brennen, who co-founded the event. “We want to highlight the diversity of art in the Southwest.”

Scottsdale Ferrari Art Week, which took place March 20-23, 2025, at WestWorld, gave gallerists a rare opportunity to showcase a broad range of work in an art fair setting. It’s a significant addition to the arts ecosystem of the Southwest, where outdoor art festivals, rather than formal fairs akin to Art Basel Miami Beach or the Armory Show in New York, are the norm.

For gallerists and artists, the event was a way to not only increase visibility and sales, but also catalyze conversations and build community during a time when arts and culture face challenges on multiple fronts, from ideology to funding.

The debut event did just that, according to artist Thomas “Breeze” Marcus (Tohono O’odham), whose elaborate line work draws on basket-weaving traditions.

“There was a mixture of a lot of different art,” recalls Marcus, who spent four days live painting at the back of the venue, near a space where several panels featuring primarily Arizona-based artists and art professionals took place each day.

Marcus is part of Earth Maker Studios in Phoenix, which had a small booth showing works by Matt Dickson, Frank Gonzales, Dwayne Manuel (Onk Akimel O’odham), and Marcus.

“Local galleries were well-represented and it was great being on home turf,” reflects Marcus, who is represented by Blue Rain Gallery of Santa Fe and Durango, which also had a booth at the event. He adds, “It’s important to have national and international perspectives for artistic growth, and I had some great conversations and networking during the fair.” Read more >