Coconino Center for the Arts

NAU Middle East Ensemble
2026-04-21 19:30 - 21:30 (America/Phoenix) | Coconino Center for the Arts, 2300 North Fort Valley Road, Flagstaff, AZ, 86001, United States
Presented by Northern Arizona University and Coconino Center for the Arts

Founded in 2023, the NAU Middle East Ensemble is a group of twenty Northern Arizona University students, faculty, and Flagstaff community members, directed by Dr. Lillie Gordon. The ensemble performs music from throughout the Middle East. Join us for an evening of lively classic and popular songs and instrumental pieces from Egypt, Turkey, Lebanon, Iran and more. For this performance, our repertoire focuses on the concepts of love and wind, two words with a close relationship in Arabic poetry and song lyrics. We are pleased to be joined by world-class guest dancer Carrie Konyha for an extended set.
This performance is supported by NAU’s Honors College, Kitt School of Music, and College of Arts and Letters, as well as the Coconino Center for the Arts managed by Creative Flagstaff.

Read less

EVER PRESENT: Guillermo Galindo & José Luis Sotero Opening Reception
2026-04-18 17:00 - 20:00
5:00 – 6:00pm Members Preview
6:00pm Artists’ Talk
6:00 – 8:00pm Public Reception
EVER PRESENT: Guillermo Galindo & José Luis Sotero presents two Mexican artists whose work reflects upon their experiences of migration. Guillermo Galindo (San Francisco, CA), an acclaimed Mexican-born artist and U.S. citizen, composer, and performer, shares his newest project Sonic Biogenesis, an installation commenting on genetics, mobility, and the environment. José Luis Sotero (Nogales, Sonora, MX), a self-taught Mexican painter, presents his recent paintings El lado oscuro de la migracion (the dark side of migration) using pictorial surrealism to depict the stories of people who seek refuge from violence and poverty in hope of a better life. While both artists have long worked with themes of migration, their work reflects distinctly different perspectives and expressions. This exhibition is mindful of the important role of immigration at the center of the American experience, and current conversations on immigration taking place in the U.S., with increased awareness in border states such as Arizona.

Tow'rs
2026-04-10 19:30 | Coconino Center for the Arts, 2300 North Fort Valley Road, Flagstaff, AZ, 86001, United States
Buy Tickets

Tow’rs is an indie folk rock band from Northern Arizona. At the heart of the band is duo Kyle and Gretta Miller. They’ve spent the last eleven years making music in their backyard studio and touring the country with their band and two kids. The music translates their memories, questions, heartbreak, and hope into raw, honest indie-folk-rock songs, driven by an alternative singer-songwriter pulse. The group is set to release their eighth studio album this coming March 2026. An intentional collection of poems made into songs meant as reminders and hopes in the quiet of morning or reflection of evening. The album will be celebrated in a series of shows along the West coast of the U.S in mid march 2026.

Save 10% with membership! Use unique member number at checkout. Household members receive two tickets at a discount and individual members receive one. To learn more about membership and how to find your discount code, visit: https://www.coconinoarts.org/member-discount

The Wild Dark: An Evening with Craig Childs
2026-04-09 17:00 - 21:00 | Coconino Center for the Arts, 2300 North Fort Valley Road, Flagstaff, AZ, 86001, United States
Buy Tickets

“The Wild Dark” Author and storyteller Craig Childs takes us on a wild journey to find the darkest of the night skies.

The Wild Dark: An Evening with Craig Childs
Coconino Center for the Arts
Step into the dark and see the night sky the way it was meant to be seen.
Join acclaimed author and storyteller Craig Childs for a visual and spoken-word journey into the world’s last truly dark places. Based on his award-winning book The Wild Dark, this special program blends immersive imagery, storytelling, and science-meets-wonder as Craig tracks the deepest night skies, the wildlife that depends on them, and what we lose when darkness disappears.
If you love the Southwest, big landscapes, astronomy, and stories that make you feel small in the best way, this night is for you.
Schedule

Doors: 5:00 PM
Show: 6:00 PM
Location: Coconino Center for the Arts

VIP Passholders
Your VIP Pass includes access to this event. No additional ticket needed.
About the book
Craig’s newest work, The Wild Dark, is the winner of the John Burroughs Medal, Southwest Book of the Year Award, and the Banff Mountain Book Award in Environmental Literature.
Praise for The Wild Dark
“Enchanting, mournful yet hopeful.”
— Booklist (starred review)
“Once this book has had its way with you, you’ll throw down your bag, ditch the headlamp, and turn off that damn phone. You’ll revert to the thing we were meant to be, wide-eyed and wild, to the bone.”
— Amy Irvine
Tickets are limited. This event is expected to sell out, so grab yours early.

David Huckfelt & Keith Secola
2026-04-03 19:30 | Coconino Center for the Arts, 2300 North Fort Valley Road, Flagstaff, AZ, 86001, United States
Buy Tickets

David Huckfelt is a singer/ lyricist /activist and founding frontman of Minneapolis indie-folk cult favorites The Pines. An Iowa native and former theology student, Huckfelt attended the Iowa Writers Workshop before turning his attention to songwriting and performing. With improvisational mastery, Huckfelt’s shows and songs of no-spiritual-surrender have earned him a devoted following from small-town opera houses & theaters to national festival stages like Hardly Strictly Bluegrass, Edmonton and Calgary Folk Fests, and the legendary First Avenue mainroom, sharing stages with Mavis Staples, Emmylou Harris, Bon Iver, Calexico, Trampled By Turtles & more. An early encounter and collaboration with radical Native American poet John Trudell introduced Huckfelt as friend & partner to an array of Indigenous artists & activists including Winona LaDuke, Louise Erdrich, & Keith Secola, working for climate justice and tribal sovereignty under the banner of music + resistance. With roots in the same fertile Midwestern soil that produced legendary folk singers like John Prine and Greg Brown, David’s new solo work preserves a rugged optimism that blasts through layers of dark in real time with songs that speak volumes, soft & clear.
Keith Secola is an icon and ambassador of Native music. He is one of the most influential artists in the field today. Rising from the grassroots of North America, he is a songwriter of the people. Critics have dubbed him as the Native versions of both Neil Young and Bruce Springsteen. NDN Kars (Indian cars), his most popular song is considered the contemporary Native American anthem, achieving legendary status and earning him a well deserved cult following. It has been the number one requested song on tribal radio since the 1992. In 2011, he joined the ranks of Jimmy Hendrix, Hank Williams, Crystal Gale, and Richie Valens, and was inducted into the Native Music Hall of Fame.
Born in 1957 in Cook, Minnesota, Secola is affiliated with the Anishinabe tribe. He graduated from Mesabi Community College with a degree in Public Service in 1979, and completed a BA in American Indian Studies at the University of Minnesota in 1982. He is married and has two children.
Secola is an accomplished artist, garnering awards and accolades as a musician, a singer, a songwriter, a composer and a producer. He is highly skilled with the guitar, flute, mandolin, banjo, harmonica, and piano, and has played in venues from the halls of the Chicago Urban Indian Centre, to the walls of the bottom of the Grand Canyon. He has also performed at the Olympic Games in Atlanta 1996 and Salt Lake City 2002, and toured Europe several times. Among his numerous appearances he has graced the stages of the Rockslide Festival in Denmark, the Grand Opening Gala of the Smithsonian Museum of the American Indian, The Kennedy Center and the SXSW in Austin, TX, and is a staple at the Grassroots Festival in Upstate New York, North Carolina and Florida.
A seven-time Native American Music Award winner, Secola has earned NAMMYs not only for his music, but also his abilities as a producer, to include The Best Linguistic Recording for producing ANISHINABEMOIN (2007). A well respected musician, he has worked with music legends such as Mickey Hart of the Grateful Dead. Secola has also teamed with academics like author Dr. Tom Venum of the Smithsonian Folklife Institute, collaborating on the CD, AMERICAN WARRIORS: SONGS FOR INDIAN VETERANS, and with elders such as Karen Drift, a speaker of Anishenabemoin.

Save 10% with membership! Use unique member number at checkout. Household members receive two tickets at a discount and individual members receive one. To learn more about membership and how to find your discount code, visit: https://www.coconinoarts.org/member-discount

From Ordinary to Extraordinary: Create a Fabulous Pencil Cup!
2026-03-28 12:30 - 13:30, 2026-03-28 11:00 - 12:00 | Coconino Center for the Arts, 2300 North Fort Valley Road, Flagstaff, AZ, 86001, United States
FREE Youth Arts Workshop Ages 7 – 14

Inspired by the Youth Art Show at CCA, entitled “From Ordinary to Extraordinary,” we’ll take a plain old boring pencil cup and make it fabulous, inspiring, funny, silly, weird, cute, or beautiful! We’ve got all the supplies–all that’s needed is your imagination. Will it have colorful patterns, beads, googly eyes, arms and legs? Best of all, you get to take it home and proudly place it on your desk to hold your creative supplies!
This is a free one-hour workshop and no experience is necessary!
All supplies are provided.

register

Greenhouse Productions Presents: Stillhouse Junkies
2026-03-21 19:30 | Coconino Center for the Arts, 2300 North Fort Valley Road, Flagstaff, AZ, 86001, United States
Buy Tickets

Acoustic adventurers Stillhouse Junkies explore the worlds between roots, bluegrass, Texas swing, blues, and rock. Their free-flowing musical interplay and improvisation make every show unique as they weave their way through high-energy, intricately composed original songs, never taking the same path twice. Based in the Southwestern Colorado town of Durango, the trio consists of founder Fred Kosak on guitar and mandolin, longtime member Alissa Wolf on fiddle, and Jeanette Adams on upright bass. Formed in 2017, Stillhouse Junkies have released four full-length albums. Their most recent effort, 2025’s The Ballad of Charlie Avalon, is an ambitious concept album featuring narration by newgrass icon Sam Bush. The band has also released a series of singles featuring collaborations with the legendary Tim O’Brien, renowned fiddler Ross Holmes, and popular songwriter Rachel Baiman. As they tour relentlessly across the United States and abroad, Stillhouse Junkies are gaining a reputation as one of the most exciting bands in the acoustic music scene. They have played such beloved festivals as Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival, Rockygrass, MerleFest, and ROMP, and their busy schedule has seen them supporting Willi Carlisle, The Lil Smokies, Yonder Mountain String Band, and Asleep at the Wheel. Their prolific songwriting, tight vocal harmonies, and blistering instrumentals earned them the prestigious International Bluegrass Music Association’s “Momentum Band of the Year” award in 2021. Join us in this Americana experiment and be the one to say you booked Stillhouse Junkies before they were huge. From festivals to performing arts centers – Stillhouse Junkies will deliver a one-of-a-kind experience!

Whoa Nelly! is Arizona’s newest band of three seasoned performers, Julie Sullivan Brace on guitar and vocals, Julie Cline on mandolin and vocals and Rachel Paietta on upright bass and vocals. Their unique repertoire reflects a deep appreciation for traditional bluegrass and oldtime country classics, peppered with blues, swing and contemporary material sure to delight audiences who enjoy the many facets of what Bluegrass encompasses today. The sum of their parts creates a powerful and playful synergy expressed through tight harmonies and toe-tapping instrumentation.

Save 10% with membership! Use unique member number at checkout. Household members receive two tickets at a discount and individual members receive one. To learn more about membership and how to find your discount code, visit: https://www.coconinoarts.org/member-discount

Alash
2026-03-17 19:30 | Coconino Center for the Arts, 2300 North Fort Valley Road, Flagstaff, AZ, 86001, United States
Buy Tickets

Tuvan throat singing (xöömei), a remarkable technique for singing multiple pitches at the same time.

Alash are masters of Tuvan throat singing (xöömei), a remarkable technique for singing multiple pitches at the same time. What distinguishes this group from earlier generations of Tuvan throat singers is the subtle infusion of modern influences into their traditional music. One can find complex harmonies, western instruments, and contemporary song forms in Alash’s music, but its overall sound and spirit remain decidedly Tuvan.
Trained in traditional Tuvan music since childhood, the Alash musicians studied at Kyzyl Arts College just as Tuva was beginning to open up to the West. They formed a traditional ensemble and won multiple awards for traditional throat singing
in international xöömei competitions, both as an ensemble and as individuals. At the same time, they paid close attention to new trends coming out of the West. They have borrowed newideas that mesh well with the sound and feel of traditional
Tuvan music, but they have never sacrificed the integrity of their own heritage in an effort to make their music more hip.
Alash first toured the U.S. under the sponsorship of the OpenWorld Leadership program of the Library of Congress and the National Endowment for the Arts. Since then they have returned many times, to the delight of American audiences. The Washington Post described their music as “utterly stunning,” quipping that after the performance“audience members picked their jaws up off the floor.”
Alash enjoys collaborating with musicians of all stripes. Since their early partnership with the legendary Sun Ra Arkestra, they have joined forces with musicians across the spectrum—from country to classical to jazz to beatboxing. Alash appeared as guest artists on Béla Fleck & the Flecktones’ Grammy-winning holiday CD Jingle All the Way (2008). They joined Chicago’s innovative Fifth House Ensemble in a groundbreaking concert series called Sonic Meditations, and later were part of a “global jam band” which recorded the soundtrack for the video game The Pathless. Most recently, Bady-Dorzhu Ondar teamed up with beatboxer Shodekeh in a live recording of original Tuvan songs filtered through the creative artistry of hip hop musicians.
Beyond performing, Alash has a passion for teaching and promoting understanding between cultures. Their tours often include workshops in which they introduce Tuvan music to students in primary, middle and high schools, colleges, universities, and music conservatories. Children as young as 8 and 9 have learned to throat-sing. One inspired student exclaimed, “Alash opened my eyes to a whole new world!”
Alash albums: Alash Live at the Enchanted Garden (2006), Alash (2007), Buura (2011), Achai (2015, re-released on Smithsonian Folkways in 2017), Meni Mana (2020), Embodiments by Bady-Dorzhu Ondar with Shodekeh and hip hop artists (2022).
Members of Alash:
Bady-Dorzhu Ondar: vocals, igil, guitar, bayan (accordion). Kyzyl Arts College, East Siberia State Academy of Culture and Art. Best soloist, 2005 All-Russian Festival of traditional ensembles and orchestras. Best in Maxim Dakpai xöömei competition, 2006. Named People’s Xöömeizhi of Tuva, 2007. Grand prize, International Xöömei Symposium, 2008.
Ayan-ool Sam: vocals, doshpuluur, igil, xomus. Republic School of the Arts, Kyzyl Arts College, Moscow State Pedagogical University. First prize, International Xöömei Symposium, 2008. Named People’s Xöömeizhi of Tuva, 2015.
Ayan Shirizhik: vocals, kengirge, shyngyrash, shoor, xomus. Kyzyl Arts College, East Siberia State Academy of Culture and Art. Second prize, International Xöömei Symposium, 2008. Distinguished Artist of Tuva, 2009. Named People’s Xöömeizhi of Tuva, 2021.
Kang-Khüler Saaia: vocals, byzaanchy, chadagan. Kyzyl Arts College, founding member of Tuvan National Orchestra.
Sean Quirk: manager, interpreter. Studied music in Tuva on Fulbright fellowship. Named Distinguished Artist of Tuva, 2008.

Save 10% with membership! Use unique member number at checkout. Household members receive two tickets at a discount and individual members receive one. To learn more about membership and how to find your discount code, visit: https://www.coconinoarts.org/member-discount

FILM SCREENING "A Song for Cesar"
2026-03-16 17:30 - 19:30 | Coconino Center for the Arts, 2300 North Fort Valley Road, Flagstaff, AZ, 86001, United States
Join Supervisor Jeronimo Vasquez and members of the Coconino Hispanic Advisory Council (CHAC) for a Film Screening of “A Song for Cesar”

Chicken Wire Empire
2026-03-13 19:30 | Coconino Center for the Arts, 2300 North Fort Valley Road, Flagstaff, AZ, 86001, United States
Buy Tickets

Chicken Wire Empire is a Wisconsin-based bluegrass band known for their dynamic musicality, thorough arrangements, and true-to-life songwriting. The band emerged in 2016 with their debut self-titled album and have since released a prolific catalogue of studio projects and live performances. Their sixth and latest album, Growing Pains, releases June 1 and is a veritable culmination of the band’s growth through the past decade.
CWE continuously captivates audiences with thoughtful, energetic performances. Their high-level musicality turns up a fresh conversation with each show, like a brainstorm of creative musical substance. Americana Highways writes “These musicians must enjoy what they do because their joy translates through their instruments. The energy, fingering techniques are all proponents that deliver substance with a modicum of joy. There aren’t any low points, missteps, loss of heat in any of these melodies.”
The band has been recognized worldwide for their performances and recorded works, with Americana UK calling their latest album “a variety which transcends genre and rewards careful listening.” Capturing the ever-evolving sights and sounds of the road through the lens of their Midwestern roots, the band’s catalog of songs is ever-growing and CWE continues to be acknowledged for their pensive attention to detail in writing and crafting deeply engaging songs.
Chicken Wire Empire has partnered with dozens of artists from all corners of the bluegrass genre, from Sam Bush and Peter Rowan to Vince Herman and Keller Williams. Their forthcoming album features guest appearances from Grammy-winning artists Jerry Douglas and Kyle Tuttle. The long list of collaborators has lent a lifetime of taste and knowledge to CWE’s musical journey while the band has grown into its identifiably authentic yet original sound.

Save 10% with membership! Use unique member number at checkout. Household members receive two tickets at a discount and individual members receive one. To learn more about membership and how to find your discount code, visit: https://www.coconinoarts.org/member-discount

Diversifying Funding, Partnerships & Tax Awareness for Artists & Nonprofits
2026-03-07 09:00 - 12:00 | Coconino Center for the Arts, 2300 North Fort Valley Road, Flagstaff, AZ, 86001, United States
Diversifying Funding, Partnerships & Tax Awareness for Artists & Nonprofits
Date/Time: Saturday, March 7, 2026, 9am-noon
FREE EVENT; Registration Required
In this workshop, participants will be introduced to diversified funding strategies tailored to today’s evolving federal funding environment. Learn how individual artists can collaborate with 501(c)(3) organizations through fiscal sponsorships, explore a range of funding opportunities, and discover approaches to developing collaborative, accessible, financially sustainable projects. The session will also cover how to build meaningful, strategic partnerships to support responsible and successful project execution. Participants will learn a few essentials of the federal tax code regarding those who receive grant monies, and how tax burdens fluctuate whether the recipient is a non- profit, a business, or an individual. This workshop will offer valuable takeaways to prepare grant recipients for filing tax returns.
register

Greenhouse Productions Presents: An Evening with Bruce Cockburn
2026-03-01 19:30 | Coconino Center for the Arts, 2300 North Fort Valley Road, Flagstaff, AZ, 86001, United States
Buy Tickets

One of Canada’s finest artists, Bruce Cockburn has enjoyed an illustrious career shaped by politics, spirituality, and musical diversity. The Ottawa-born artist remains deeply respected for his activism on issues from native rights and land mines to the environment and Third World debt, working for organizations such as Oxfam, Amnesty International, Doctors Without Borders, and Friends of the Earth. His remarkable journey has seen him embrace folk, jazz, rock, and worldbeat styles while travelling to such far-flung places as Guatemala, Mali, Mozambique, and Nepal, and writing memorable songs about his ever-expanding world of wonders.

Bruce Cockburn has written more than 400 songs on 35 albums over a career spanning more than 50 years, of which 23 have received gold or platinum certification. His guitar playing, both acoustic and electric, has placed him in the company of the world’s top instrumentalists. He has sold more than nine-million albums worldwide, and has been honoured with 13 JUNO Awards, an induction into both the Canadian Music Hall of Fame and the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame, as well as the Governor General’s Performing Arts Award, and he has been made an Officer of the Order of Canada.

His commitment to growth has made Bruce Cockburn both an exemplary citizen and a legendary artist whose prized songbook will be celebrated for many years to come. In 2020 Cockburn celebrated his 50-year anniversary as a recording artist. As his producer-friend Colin Linden says: “Like the great blues players he admires, Bruce just gets better with age.”
Save 10% with membership! Use unique member number at checkout. Household members receive two tickets at a discount and individual members receive one. To learn more about membership and how to find your discount code, visit: https://www.coconinoarts.org/member-discount

Mama's Broke
2026-02-14 19:30 | Coconino Center for the Arts, 2300 North Fort Valley Road, Flagstaff, AZ, 86001, United States
Buy Tickets

Mama’s Broke have spent the past ten years in a near-constant state of transience, pounding the transatlantic tour trail. They’ve brought their dark, fiery folk-without-borders sound to major festivals and DIY punk houses alike, absorbing traditions from their maritime home in Eastern Canada all the way to Ireland and Indonesia. Nowhere is the duo’s art-in-motion approach more apparent than on their long-awaited sophomore record Narrow Line (May 13, 2022 on Free Dirt Records); it’s the sound of nowhere in particular, yet woven with a rich synthesis of influences that knows no borders. It earned them a JUNO nomination for Traditional Roots Album of the Year 2022. The eleven songs on Narrow Line burrow deeply, with close harmony duets, commanding vocals, and poignant contemplations on cycles of life, including birth and death. Tinges of Americana stand side-by-side with the ghosts of Eastern European fiddle tunes and ancient a cappella ballad singing, melding into an unusually accessible dark-folk sound. A careful listen of Narrow Line invokes an ephemeral sense of place—whether real or imagined—inviting us to take comfort in the infinite possibilities of life, whether or not we ever choose to settle down.
For a group defined by constant touring, it’s not surprising that the two artists that make up Mama’s Broke, Lisa Maria and Amy Lou Keeler, met on the road. As Lisa remembers it, “Amy was driving her old Mercedes from Montreal to Nova Scotia and I was looking for a ride. We spent the 17 hours in the car talking almost exclusively about music. By the time we reached Halifax we started playing together, and within a week or two became a band.” Both coming out of traveling communities that are focused on music and protest, the two owe the way in which they move through the world to the integrated and self-sustaining nature of DIY culture and activism. It was a busy life that took them on a roundabout annual touring schedule running between Canada, the United States, Ireland, the UK, and Europe. In each country, they built grassroots DIY communities to support their music or moved along the pathways of communal organizing that sustained other touring artists.
The driving force behind this band is – and has always been – the commitment to challenge borders between people, places, and traditions; while encouraging freedom of expression and community through music.

Save 10% with membership! Use unique member number at checkout. Household members receive two tickets at a discount and individual members receive one. To learn more about membership and how to find your discount code, visit: https://www.coconinoarts.org/member-discount

Nolan McKelvey + Jesse Valenzuela(of Gin Blossoms)
2026-02-13 19:30 | Coconino Center for the Arts, 2300 North Fort Valley Road, Flagstaff, AZ, 86001, United States
Buy Tickets

Over the course of his thirty-year career, Nolan McKelvey has covered nearly every corner of the country and traversed all roads of Americana. From the pavement of alt-country, to the dusty trails of bluegrass, to the gravel roads of classic-country, to the interstate highway of rock-n-roll. Nolan has received critical acclaim along the way from magazines like No Depression, Country Standard Time, The Boston Phoenix, The Boston Globe, and Performer Magazine among many others.
Nolan has opened for luminaries of Americana like Greg Brown, Peter Rowan, Odetta, Fred Eaglesmith, Los Lobos, Sam Bush, Bela Fleck, Tim O’Brien, Jerry Douglas, and Leon Russell. He has also opened for contemporary artists like Leftover Salmon, Railroad Earth, Cowboy Junkies, Gregory Alan Isakov, Jack Johnson, Infamous Stringdusters, Jeffrey Foucault, Nicki Bluhm and the Gramblers, Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers, Son Volt, Josh Ritter, David Grisman and the list goes on and on…
Nolan performed in several bands in Boston, including The Benders, The Resophonics, with Kris Delmhorst, Ry Cavanaugh, The Vinyl Avenue String Band, Jabe, Bow Thayer, and his own 33. He was dubbed “Central to the (Boston) roots-rock revival” by WBUR radio. His bands won two Boston Music Awards (BMA) and were nominated for BMA’s 7 times in his 5 years in the city. Since returning to Arizona, Nolan was named “Best Musician” by the readers of the Arizona Daily Sun and has been dubbed “One of the best songwriters in the southwest,” and “Flagstaff’s Poet Laureate.” (FlagLive)
Nolan’s studio credits include recording with grammy-winner Levon Helm (The Band), Dana Colley and Billy Conway (Morphine), Paul Q. Koldrie (Pixies, PJ Harvey, Radiohead and more), Jennifer Kimball (The Story, Wayfaring Strangers) among many others. Nolan’s songs have appeared on 21 cds to date, he released five solo albums, five albums with The Benders, six with Muskellunge, four with former band Onus B. Johnson and a duo disc with Dave Desmelik. Nolan’s work as a bass player and harmony singer pushes the release list over 75 recordings.
Nolan’s latest release is How Small We Are, recorded at the Tone Kitchen in Tempe, Arizona. Produced by the core band of PH Naffah (Roger Clyne & The Peacemakers), Jeff Lusby-Breault (Enormodome), and Nolan. The record includes appearances from some of the most talented musicians in the Phoenix area including Jesse Valenzuela (Gin Blossoms on 2 & 9), Jon Rauhouse (Neko Case, Old 97’s, Sunpunchers on 2 & 10), Nick Sterling (Wyves on 6, 7, & 9), and Stephanie Groot (Mark Zubia Trio, Dusty Ramblers on violin on 4 & 7). Nolan imported old friend, Mandy Fer (Sway Wild) for the vocal duet “Anam Cara” (3), and longtime friend and former bandmate Tim Kelly (The Benders, The Resophonics) to play dobro (7 & 8). McKelvey penned all 10 tracks, played all upright and electric bass, acoustic guitar, and performed all lead and harmony vocals. How Small We Are builds on the momentum of Forward, about which Americana Highways wrote, “His voice is inspired and his reliance on poignancy is admirable.” Rootstime compared him to singersongwriters such as David Gray, Ryan Adams, and Damien Rice. Blaskans Vanner stated, “Somehow these songs glide away towards the forest and meadows of beauty.”
To put it as succinctly as possible, Jesse Valenzuela loves music.
“Ever since I was a kid, music has had a hold on me – and one of the great blessings of my life is that I’ve been able to keep a hold on music.”
And then some.
As a founding member of Tempe, Arizona’s melodic, melancholic Gin Blossoms, Jesse Valenzuela has climbed a musical mountain.
For more than three decades, Jesse has provided the multi-platinum group with hit songs (“Til I Hear It From You,” “Follow You Down,” “Mrs. Rita”), masterful guitar playing and exquisite harmony singing. And, historically, the Gin Blossoms have been true road warriors, often playing more than 150 shows a year.
But for Jesse Valenzuela, music isn’t just a career, it’s a calling.
Solo artist, producer, session musician, film and television composer — all part of answering music’s call.
On those rare nights when the Gin Blossoms aren’t on the road, you might find Jesse playing in a Phoenix-area pub, delighting audiences with Gin Blossoms classics and dipping into his deep bag of rock, folk, country, blues and flamenco favorites. Chances are you may hear him covering the Monkees’ “Daydream Believer,” and confiding: “This is my sister’s favorite song.”
An artist in love with music.
The road stretches out and the beat goes on.
As Jesse once wrote: “Some rides don’t have much of a finish/That’s the ride I took.”

Save 10% with membership! Use unique member number at checkout. Household members receive two tickets at a discount and individual members receive one. To learn more about membership and how to find your discount code, visit: https://www.coconinoarts.org/member-discount

Chase Coleman: Soundscapes through Time
2026-02-01 15:00 | Coconino Center for the Arts, 2300 North Fort Valley Road, Flagstaff, AZ, 86001, United States
Buy Tickets

This program invites you on a musical journey spanning two centuries and bridging two worlds. It explores how composers use deeply personal experiences to create powerful and evocative music, from the heart-on-sleeve Romanticism of Franz Schubert and Johannes Brahms to the cultural fusion of contemporary Navajo composer Connor Chee, the jazzy Art Deco elegance of Bix Beiderbecke and the atmospheric Impressionism of Claude Debussy.
Chase Coleman is a Flagstaff-based pianist and music educator known for his versatility in performing both classical and jazz repertoire. An active member of the Southwestern music community, he has appeared as soloist with Orchestra Northern Arizona, the Verde Valley Sinfonnietta and as a soloist in performances across the region and internationally. Beyond his performance schedule, Coleman is also an accomplished composer, with two original musicals to his name and a third currently in development. He maintains a busy piano studio where he offers lessons and also serves as the organist at Peace Lutheran Church in Flagstaff. He has served on the music faculties of the Boston Conservatory, Coconino Community College and Flagstaff Arts and Leadership Academy. Coleman received his musical education from Boston University and the University of Massachusetts Lowell. His eclectic artistic sensibility has led him to explore a wide range of musical genres, from the Renaissance to contemporary classical and jazz works.
Save 10% with membership! Use unique member number at checkout. Household members receive two tickets at a discount and individual members receive one. To learn more about membership and how to find your discount code, visit: https://www.coconinoarts.org/member-discount

Guitar Dreams featuring Jake Allen and Ryan David Green
2026-01-31 19:30 | Coconino Center for the Arts, 2300 North Fort Valley Road, Flagstaff, AZ, 86001, United States
Buy Tickets

Jake Allen has toured globally, is endorsed by Takamine Guitars, and has shared stages with guitar legends such as Andy McKee and Mike Dawes. As a solo artist, Allen utilizes impeccably timed live looping to create a captivating one-man show, with his hypnotic command of the guitar bringing every inch of the instrument to life.
Ryan David Green has been called “a full blown shredder” by Acoustic Guitar Magazine. A graduate of Boston’s prestigious Berklee College of Music, his instrumental “Time Is Not What You Think It Is” was awarded 1st place in the 2024 American Songwriter Song Contest and his original compositions have received numerous film and TV placements, including shows on E!, Lifetime, and ABC Family/Freeform.
Together, performing a blend of beautiful instrumental guitar pieces and delicate vocal tunes, they’ll be taking audiences to a place both otherworldly, and somehow surprisingly intimate.

Save 10% with membership! Use unique member number at checkout. Household members receive two tickets at a discount and individual members receive one. To learn more about membership and how to find your discount code, visit: https://www.coconinoarts.org/member-discount

Greenhouse Productions Presents: Kalos
2026-01-30 19:30 | Coconino Center for the Arts, 2300 North Fort Valley Road, Flagstaff, AZ, 86001, United States
Buy Tickets

Kalos is drawn to water. Every performance is like stepping into a river—they never play a song the same way twice. They make music inspired by the maritime traditions of Scotland, Ireland, Scandinavia and North America. Their album titles—Harbour and Headland—honor the meeting point between the land and sea and they sing songs about shorelines, seafarers and drownings. They revel in the driving danceability of Irish tunes, but also take inspiration from the pastoral melodies and naturalistic metaphors of Scottish music. But while the music they write is forged in tradition, it is nonetheless cast and tempered in new and unexpected ways.The trio spans three generations, three cities and two countries. Ryan McKasson (violin, viola, voice), Eric McDonald (guitar, mandolin, voice) and Jeremiah McLane (accordion, piano, voice) met over the years at highland games, contra dances and fiddle camps across North America. They made their first recording in 2016 and have been touring together since 2019. Kalos prizes the magic of live performance—breathing, dancing and weaving together like high-wire acrobats. They are as generous as they are virtuosic. Like nature itself, their music is full of chaos and chance yet always feels spacious and balanced. Their concerts are more an exposé than a performance—they are immersive, trance-inducing experiences.Kalos appreciates how acoustic music can be a balm, a respite in the midst of our radio-static modern life. “As noisy as music is, it feels like meditation compared to the clatter of social media,” McLane muses. All three band members come from Scottish immigrant families, so even when they venture beyond the edges of traditional Celtic music they remain deeply connected to past centuries and forgotten folkways. The acoustic instruments they play are made of sonorous wood—mahogany, spruce, ebony—and the band is always attuned to the sonic quality of the spaces they play in. They love a reverberant church or a forest green encircled by the far-off hum of cicadas.Kalos is an ancient Greek word that means “beautiful” or “praiseworthy.” It’s the root of the English words “calligraphy” and “calisthenics.” Like a fine calligrapher or adept gymnast, each musician possesses a profound attention to detail and form. But within the exquisite architecture of their compositions, they remain inventive—finding new flourishes and discovering unseen ley lines in the fertile ground of traditional music. Folk Worlds magazine says, “There’s a spontaneity at work as the three musicians alternately contest and duel, combine and coalesce to bring their talents together.”
Kalos has performed at the Lotus Festival (Bloomington, IN), New Bedford Folk Festival (New Bedford, MA), New World Festival (Randolph, VT), Gracie Center (Bangor, ME), Old Town School of Folk Music (Chicago, IL), Seattle Folklore Society (Seattle, WA) and more. They have taught workshops and masterclasses at Tufts University (Somerville, MA), Celtic Arts Foundation (Mount Vernon, WA) and Valley of the Moon Scottish Fiddle School (Boulder Creek, CA). With music that enlivens the human spirit, Kalos brings warmth, grit and exuberance to every performance
Save 10% with membership! Use unique member number at checkout. Household members receive two tickets at a discount and individual members receive one. To learn more about membership and how to find your discount code, visit: https://www.coconinoarts.org/member-discount

Board Basics: Bylaws, Roles, Development, and Succession Planning
2026-01-24 09:00 - 12:00 | Coconino Center for the Arts, 2300 North Fort Valley Road, Flagstaff, AZ, 86001, United States
Board Basics: Bylaws, Roles, Development, and Succession Planning
Date/Time: Saturday, January 24, 2026, 9am-noon
FREE EVENT; Registration Required
Learn the Basics of Nonprofit Board of Directors. This workshop is designed to meet the community’s ongoing demand for Board Development, focusing on Board member roles and responsibilities, expectations, cultivation and recruitment, organization structure, policies and procedures, strategic and succession planning, and much more. This presentation will offer insight to new and seasoned Board members and nonprofit organizations.
register

FORE! A Miniature Golf Art Installation
2026-01-17 17:00 | Coconino Center for the Arts, 2300 North Fort Valley Road, Flagstaff, AZ, 86001, United States
FORE! is a miniature golf art installation exhibition and fundraiser to support exhibitions and programming at CCA. Following the success of the pilot project in 2023, FORE! will return this January. CCA’s 4,000 square foot gallery will turn into a 9-hole miniature golf course, with each green uniquely designed by an Arizona artist or local community group!
Gather a group of four to play in our FORE!
Opening Tournament on Saturday, January 17th. Tee times 5-7:30 pm, and awards and artist recognition will start at 7:30 pm.
REGISTER HERE
Registration includes:

A team of four (4) to play 9-holes of artist-created miniature golf
Virtual reality experience for all team members
4 drink tickets per team
Commemorative swag
Opportunity to win an array of prizes for 1st, 2nd & 3rd Best Team score, Best Individual Score, and Audience Vote for Best Dressed

Golf Greens created by:
The Hive
Flagstaff All Theaters
Amy Dries
Wesley Eaves & Friends
Ron Tuckman
Randy “SQRL” Gra

Shifting Topographies: Extracting the Landscape, closing reception & discussion
2025-12-20 18:00 - 19:00 | Coconino Center for the Arts, 2300 North Fort Valley Road, Flagstaff, AZ, 86001, United States
Tonizhoniani Presenter

A Winter's Eve with David Arkenstone & Friends
2025-12-12 19:30 | Coconino Center for the Arts, 2300 North Fort Valley Road, Flagstaff, AZ, 86001, United States
Buy Tickets

Join Multi-GRAMMY ® Award Nominee David Arkenstone and six-piece band of virtuoso musicians as he proudly returns to Flagstaff with his enchanting holiday concert A Winter’s Eve with David Arkenstone & Friends. This lively winter celebration of beloved holiday classics “reimagined” joyfully blends world music, Celtic, cinematic, new age, and neo-classical crossover. David’s concerts captivate audiences each year with seasonal tunes from his treasured holiday albums Celtic Christmas and Christmas Lounge. Experience fan favorites of this magical season to delight and dazzle your holiday senses.
Since the release of his first album Valley in the Clouds, David Arkenstone has become one of the most engaging and prolific multi-instrumentalists of our time. With 5 GRAMMY® nominations to date, over 2 billion streams worldwide, 70+ albums, film and TV scores, gaming scores for World of Warcraft, David Arkenstone’s music has become the soundtrack to millions of listeners’ lives across the globe.
“Right up there with greatest concert ever!” ~Dyan Garris, New Age Notes Radio
“The most enchanting and magical music ever to be on our stage!” ~Yuma Historic Theatre, Yuma, Arizona.
David Arkenstone and his fantastic band absolutely wowed the TLCA audience last year with their amazing Christmas concert event!” ~Tri-Lakes Center for the Arts, Palmer Lake, Colorado.
Save 10% with membership! Use unique member number at checkout. Household members receive two tickets at a discount and individual members receive one. To learn more about membership and how to find your discount code, visit: https://www.coconinoarts.org/member-discount

Sihasin
2025-12-11 19:30 | Coconino Center for the Arts, 2300 North Fort Valley Road, Flagstaff, AZ, 86001, United States
Buy Tickets

Multi-award-winning independent artists and cultural ambassadors Jeneda and Clayson Benally deliver a powerful, genre-defying sound rooted in their Navajo heritage. With just bass, drums, and vocals, this sibling duo blends traditional Navajo music, folk, world, and post-punk energy to create a unique musical experience that inspires audiences worldwide. Sihasin (pronounced See-ha-sin), meaning hope in Navajo, was formed following their internationally acclaimed band Blackfire. Raised amid forced relocation, sacred site desecration, and human rights struggles on the Navajo Nation, Jeneda and Clayson channel these experiences into music that empowers, heals, and advocates for justice.
Sihasin’s music embodies hope, resilience, and a strong cultural foundation. In Diné (Navajo) tradition, music is a tool for healing and unity; Sihasin continues this tradition by inspiring listeners to rise up, speak out, and create positive change.
“Every second they were on stage, the stage was on fire.” –The Huffington Post
Save 10% with membership! Use unique member number at checkout. Household members receive two tickets at a discount and individual members receive one. To learn more about membership and how to find your discount code, visit: https://www.coconinoarts.org/member-discount

Stargazer Collaborative Theatre Presents: Winter Cabaret
2025-12-07 14:30, 2025-12-06 19:00, 2025-12-05 19:00 | Coconino Center for the Arts, 2300 North Fort Valley Road, Flagstaff, AZ, 86001, United States
Buy Tickets
The Stargazer Winter Cabaret is a joyous blend of showtunes, dancing, live music, and acting to celebrate the holidays and help us reflect on the true meaning of the season, spreading love. This fully produced family friendly show is perfect for all ages and will feature songs from Wicked, Hamilton, Anastasia, White Christmas, Moana, and more!
In-person and streaming tickets are available for this show. While the show cannot be live streamed, virtual audience members will be sent the link to watch the show the week of December 8th, 2025 and will be available for streaming through the New Year.
In partnership with the Northland Family Help Center (NFHC), Stargazer will be donating 10% of all net ticket sales to NFHC for them to continue their mission and the amazing work they do throughout our community!
Northland Family Help Center’s mission is to provide safe haven, advocacy, counseling, and education to promote and restore healthy relationships. They envision a community where all people live in safety, where all forms of violence have been eradicated, and where healthy families and individuals serve as the foundation of a vibrant and productive community. Learn more about NFHC and other ways to get involved at:https://northlandfamily.org/
Stargazer’s 2025 Season is proudly sponsored by the Art Flores Memorial.
Directors: Caitlin Burd, Sarah Casey, & Dani Commanda
Accompaniment: Chase Coleman
Cast:
Staci Dickens
Rachel Lemons
Alex Benavidez
Mike Casey
Alec Walsh
JoJo Hood
Amalia Baxter
America Fregozo
Antonio Stevens
Becki Zaritsky
Bee Ward
Caitlin Burd
Chase Coleman
Colleen Little
DeLano Hays
Doug Riddle
Egle Rucci
Emerson Commanda
Emma Little
Ezra Commanda
Genevive Stevens
Gillian Bruha
Hope Bouck
Leslie Baker
Lexi Markoutsis
Lily Stevens
Liv Scott
Nathan Henderson
Nicola Sarn
Penelope Espinoza
Sam Butler
Scout Houston
Seneca Markham
Shaye Barber

Save 10% with membership! Use unique member number at checkout. Household members receive two tickets at a discount and individual members receive one. To learn more about membership and how to find your discount code, visit: https://www.coconinoarts.org/member-discount

Holiday Art Markets
2025-12-07 10:00, 2025-12-06 10:00 | Coconino Center for the Arts, 2300 North Fort Valley Road, Flagstaff, AZ, 86001, United States
Shop the Cultural Corridor on Fort Valley Road. 3 winter markets, 2 days, 1 road. Children’s activities, live music, refreshments and more!

Coconino Center for the Arts (2300 N Fort Valley Road)
Saturday 10am* – 4pm
Sunday 10am – 4pm
Museum of Northern Arizona (3101 N Fort Valley Road)
Saturday 10am* – 5pm
Sunday 10am – 5pm
Flagstaff Arts & Leadership Academy (3401 N Fort Valley Road)
Saturday 10am – 4pm
Sunday 10am – 3pm

*Members’ Preview at MNA and CCA on Saturday from 9-10am

Tin Can Conversations: Artist Talk with Neal Galloway
2025-11-20 18:00 - 19:00 | Coconino Center for the Arts, 2300 North Fort Valley Road, Flagstaff, AZ, 86001, United States
Flagstaff artist Neal Galloway’s Tin Can Conversations uses the core motif of a tin can telephone to explore the fragility, complexity, and profound value of interpersonal communication. Galloway is an artist and educator serving as the Associate Director and an Associate Teaching Professor in the School of Art + Design at Northern Arizona University.

Thin Air- NAU Literary Magazine Poetry Workshop
2025-11-19 17:30 - 19:00 | Coconino Center for the Arts, 2300 North Fort Valley Road, Flagstaff, AZ, 86001, United States
Thin Air Magazine proudly cultivates a Flagstaff-based, MFA student-led literary community with global reach to publish emerging authors with intriguing ideas. On November 19, Thin Air will host a poetry workshop led by poet and writer, Sherwin Bitsui. Participants will explore poetic forms that are in conversation with the works displayed in the “Shifting Topographies: Extracting the Landscape” exhibition.
Sherwin Bitsui is the author of three collections of poetry, Dissolve, Flood Song, and Shapeshift. He is the recipient of a Whiting Award, an American Book Award, and the PEN Book Award. His poems have appeared in Narrative, Black Renaissance Noir, American Poet, The Iowa Review, LIT, and elsewhere. He is Diné of the Todích’ii’nii (Bitter Water Clan), born for the Tlizílaaní (Many Goats Clan), and has received fellowships from the Lannan Foundation and the Native Arts & Culture Foundation.
register
