NightVisions: AMBER

June 27 – September 26, 2026 

Opening Reception June 27

• Members’ Preview 5-6 pm
• Jurors Talk 6 pm
• Public Reception 6-8 pm
• Telescopes and Stargazing at Dusk 8pm

NightVisions: AMBER is an international juried art exhibition that seeks to explore and celebrate our deep connections with the night. In its 9th iteration for 2026, this long-standing collaboration between Coconino Center for the Arts and the Flagstaff Dark Skies Coalition celebrates the 25th anniversary of Flagstaff’s designation as the world’s first International Dark Sky City. This special anniversary-year exhibition expands upon the established NightVisions: Cultural Interpretations of the Night Sky concept with a focused thematic exploration of amber lighting, aligning with the critical role that amber spectrum lighting plays in Flagstaff’s dark-sky conservation. To emphasize this concept, the exhibition features gallery lights that periodically transition between white and narrowband amber. Participating artists are encouraged to create artwork that is designed to change under the amber lighting.

Flagstaff is the world’s first International Dark Sky City, a designation received on Oct 24, 2001, that recognized the extraordinary commitment of the Flagstaff community to night-sky protection, which began with the world’s first ordinance protecting the night sky in 1958. These efforts were at the foundation of a global movement to protect night skies and continue today through the efforts of the City of Flagstaff, Coconino County and the Flagstaff Dark Skies Coalition. In Nov 2025, Flagstaff was further recognized by DarkSky International with the Dark Sky Place of the Year Award for its “continued leadership and innovative approaches [that] serve as a model for cities worldwide seeking to balance development with night sky preservation.”

Each iteration of NightVisions is a new production featuring different thematic focus, new jurors, a fresh selection of participating artists, and evolved programming for a unique exhibition experience. Aligning with CCA’s mission of presenting creative endeavors across art, science, and culture, and FDSC’s vision of a world where everyone can see the Milky Way where they live, CCA and FDSC are proud to co-produce NightVisions: AMBER at Coconino Center for the Arts, featuring amber lighting displays in the gallery to share with visitors the visual effects of the narrowband amber lighting that Flagstaff requires for outdoor use to minimize light pollution and protect wildlife habitat.

Renowned artist jurors Stan Honda (NYC, New York), Paula Jean Rice (Flagstaff, AZ), and Janet Yazzie (Flagstaff, AZ and Diné Nation) selected the works for this exhibition.

Artists:

Caroline Avent, Denver, CO • Marilyn Bealafeld, Sedona, AZ • Chelsie Begoody, Flagstaff, AZ • David Blanchard, Flagstaff, AZ • Vesna Boscovic, Tempe, AZ • Tomas Co, Hancock, MI • Sheila D. Fox, South Huntington, NY • Sandra Friedrichs, Flagstaff, AZ • John Gartin, Flagstaff, AZ • Jihan Gearon, Flagstaff, AZ • Richard GLICK, Chicago, IL • Frederica Hall, Flagstaff, AZ • Kenneth Hochberg, Tucson, AZ • Stan Honda, New York, NY • Ruth A. Keitz, Los Fresnos, TX • Aaron Lade, Colorado Springs, CO • Rachel Lee, Chicago, IL • Maggie Machinsky, New York, NY • Richelle Mechem, Grand Junction, CO • Laura Moorefield, Durango, CO • Harold Naideau, Northport, NY • Mark Neumann, Flagstaff, AZ • Matthias Neumann, Brooklyn, NY • Carla Olson, Flagstaff, AZ • Lisa Lee Pearce, Flagstaff, AZ • Dooney Potter, Wilton Manors, FL • Paula Jean Rice, Flagstaff, AZ • Ryan Ritchie, Flagstaff, AZ • Abe Snider, Flagstaff, AZ • Jacqueline Steiner, Flagstaff, AZ • Robin Street-Morris, San Diego, CA • Erika Tsouras, Flagstaff, AZ • Katie Vernon, Flagstaff, AZ • Gwendolyn Waring, Flagstaff, AZ • Seitaro Yamazaki, Meguro, Tokyo, Japan • Janet Yazzie, Flagstaff, AZ • Xinyu Yu, Phoenix, AZ

Exhibition programming:

Full Moon Concert at Buffalo Park

Monday, June 29, 7 – 10 PM
Location: Buffalo Park

Seating: 7 pm
Performance: 7:45 pm

Celebrate Flagstaff’s deep connection to the cosmos and experience the natural beauty of Buffalo Park in a whole new light. Join Dr. David Koerner for an evening of classical piano music, lunar meditations, and telescope viewing. This event is presented by the Flagstaff Dark Skies Coalition and supported by a City of Flagstaff Beautification in Action grant in celebration of Flagstaff’s 25th anniversary as the world’s first International Dark Sky City.

Indigenous Ties to Dark Skies: Arabic Poetry in the High Country

Thursday, July 9, 8 – 10PM
Location: Coconino Center for the Arts

Join cultural astronomer and Flagstaff Dark Skies Coalition Executive Director Dr. Danielle Adams for an evening exploring the rich heritage of Indigenous Arabian astronomy through poetry and storytelling. Presented during the exhibition NightVisions: AMBER, this special evening program invites audiences to experience the transition from twilight to darkness while reflecting on humanity’s enduring relationship with the night.

The Living Sky: Diné Constellations and Cultural Knowledge with Emerson John

Thursday, July 23, 6 – 8 PM
Location: Coconino Center for the Arts

Join Diné educator and cultural presenter Emerson John for an introduction to Diné understandings of the night sky. Through stories, teachings, and discussions of traditional constellations, John will explore how the stars serve as guides for knowledge, cultural identity, and relationships with the natural world.

Capturing the Night: Astrophotography Basics and Insights with John Gartin 

Thursday, August 6
Location: Coconino Center for the Arts
Cost: $40 for non-members, $30 for members

Learn approaches to Astrophotography in a combined classroom- and field-based workshop. This hands-on course will teach the basics of astrophotography in a two-part, one-evening session. Participants will learn how to use their own camera settings, the impact of different camera settings, foreground composition, site scouting, apps & online resources, different astrophotography approaches, and how to post-process photographs. Then participants will visit a local Flagstaff dark sky location to apply their learning, including photographing the core of the Milky Way Galaxy.

Exhibition Partner: Flagstaff Dark Skies Coalition

Special thanks to our exhibition sponsor Meteor Crater for supporting NightVisions: AMBER