The Heard Museum in Phoenix.
About the Guild
The Heard Museum Guild is the volunteer branch of the Heard Museum. All members of the museum are eligible to join the guild, comprised of a large, dynamic and active group of talented individuals from many different backgrounds who volunteer countless hours annually to support the museum in its mission as a premier, world-class showcase of American Indian art. Visitors to the museum will encounter volunteers leading public, private and school tours, working as sales associates in the museum store and bookstore, greeting them as they enter the museum, and serving in numerous capacities at the annual Indian Fair & Market. Additionally, volunteers work in the library, design educational programs, plan and implement special events, and support Heard Museum internships through the sale of student art merchandise.
The guild provides members with an impressively rich and full calendar of events including lectures, educational opportunities, group tours of galleries and places of interest in the local area, as well as multi-days tours to fascinating sites beyond the Valley. Guild meetings are held on the third Wednesday of most months and a guild newsletter, Happening Now, is published bi-weekly.
Volunteer roles and schedules are flexible and can meet the demands of busy lives. Visit heardguild.org to join.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Visitors take part in an opening ceremony with a dancer at the Heard Museum Guild Indian Fair & Market.
Fair History
The Heard Museum Guild Indian Fair & Market was first held in May 1959. As today, the fair provided Native artists with a venue to display and sell their work and interact directly with the public. Senator Barry Goldwater served as master of ceremonies at the first fair and the artist roster included such distinguished names as Lucy Lewis (Akimel O’odham), Charles Loloma (Hopi), Lloyd Kiva New (Cherokee) and Bruce Timeche (Hopi). Between 1968 and 1984, the All-Indian Arts & Crafts Exhibit was held in conjunction with the fair. That event was the precursor to today’s juried competitions. The museum is thrilled that the 2025 juried competitions will award more than $140,000 in prize money!
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Objects on display at the Heard Museum
Become a Heard Museum Guide
The Heard Museum houses some of the finest Native American Art in the world and endeavors to showcase not only the extraordinary creative vision and talent of the artists, but also the deep connection of the American Indians to their land, history and culture. If you are excited by what you see at the museum, please consider becoming a member of the Heard Museum Guild’s Las Guias class, and become a guide for the public, private and school tours offered by the museum. The Las Guias guides represent an extraordinary group of individuals from all walks of life and diverse career and educational experiences. However, they all invariably describe themselves as life-long learners.
The late-fall through early-winter Las Guias training program is extremely flexible to accommodate the busy schedules of Guild volunteers. Training includes classes taught by the curator—which are recorded, allowing students to attend in person or watch at a more convenient time—and a variety of other flexible opportunities both in the museum and online to delve deeply into the art, history and culture of the American Indians of the Southwest. If you are intrigued by this opportunity to learn more about the museum’s collection and share it with others, please visit heardguild.org or contact coordinator Jackie Stubbs at jackiecstubbs@sbcglobal.net.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Artists Juanita Growing Thunder Fogarty, left, and Joyce Growing Thunder with Heard Museum Guild member Pamela Briggs at a past market.
Call to Native American Artists
The Native American Artists Resource Collection has been a cornerstone of the Billie Jane Baguley Library and Archives for more than 40 years and contains files of over a quarter million Native American artists. The physical and online collections are the largest of their kind anywhere, offering biographical and other information on Native American artists, writers and performers. The material collected includes an extraordinarily wide variety of sources, among them journal and newspaper articles, photographs, gallery and exhibition catalogs, interviews, résumés, correspondence and much more.
The museum wants to gratefully acknowledge the generosity of the many donors and artists, as well as the hard work and dedication of many guild volunteers and Heard Museum staff, without whom this world-renowned premier resource would not be available. The museum welcomes you to explore this collection by visiting heard.org.
The Artists Resource Collection is continually expanding with new information and new names. Artists themselves are the best resources for the museum to remain both up-to-date and accurate. To ensure the continued growth and quality of this vital resource, the Heard asks artists and their galleries to include the museum’s library and archives on their distribution and mailing lists. In addition, the museum seeks résumés, photographs of artwork and copies of printed materials concerning artists and their work. Native artists may download a questionnaire at heard.org. The museum is most grateful for artist participation in this important project. —
Powered by Froala Editor
