Upcoming Exhibitions

America on the Move

September 12, 2026 – February 14, 2027

Willem Volkersz (b. 1953, the Netherlands), This is Your Life, 1996,
neon, wood, paint, and found objects,
overall: 104 x 120 x 63 in. Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture;
museum purchase, Works from the Heart Acquisition Fund, 2000, 3954.1.
©Willem Volkersz

Roger Shimomura (b. 1939, American), Kabuki Play, 1985, lithograph,
image: 20 7/8 x 28 in. Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture;
gift of the artist, 1987, 3254.1. ©Roger Shimomura

Drawing from the MAC’s collection, this exhibition broadly explores themes of human movement, including migration, immigration, seasonal rounds, and commuting. It will feature works by 20th- and 21st-century artists such as Humaira Abid, Ruben Trejo, Ric Gendron, and Jacob Lawrence. It also offers a rare opportunity to showcase multimedia installations by Patrick Zentz and Willem Volkersz that have not been on view in decades. 

George Flett: Remembering

September 19, 2026 – January 10, 2027

Rick Singer, George Flett, 2007, photograph, 16 x 13 in.
Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture;
gift of Lorinda Knight and Harry Silverstein, 4165.122.
@Rick Singer Photography

George Flett (spoqín/sp'q'n'iʔ/Spokan [Spokane Tribe of Indians], 1946-2013),
Women Warrior Black Star and Her Medicine Helpers, about 2010,
ink and colored pencil on ledger paper, 8.75 x 5.5 in.
Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture; gift of Nancy J. Holmes, 2024, 4539.1.
Photo courtesy of the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture.

This fall, the MAC honors beloved Spokane artist George Flett (spoqín/sp'q'n'iʔ/Spokan [Spokane Tribe of Indians], 1946–2013), whose work helped revive Ledger Art and the Prairie Chicken Dance. Featuring approximately 20 works, this intimate exhibition celebrates Flett’s remarkable career and his enduring role as an artist, mentor, and preserver of Spokane and Plateau history.

The exhibition marks Flett’s receipt of the 2026 Distinguished Artist Award from the Association of Tribal Archives, Libraries, and Museums (ATALM). Learn more about Flett and the award on page 7 of the ATALM 2026 conference program.

Clearly Indigenous: Native Visions Reimagined in Glass

October 24, 2026 – January 10, 2027

Preston Singletary, Raven Rattle, 2019, Blown, hot-sculpted, and sand-carved glass, 25” x 7½” x 14”, Image courtesy of Preston Singletary, Photograph by Russell Johnson, © Copyright Preston Singletary.	Lillian Pitt, Shadow Spirit, 2019, Cast lead crystal, 16½” x 7” x 5”, Image courtesy of Lillian Pitt, © Copyright Lillian Pitt.

This stunning exhibition brings together more than 120 works by 33 Indigenous artists from North America, Australia and New Zealand, alongside pioneering glass artist Dale Chihuly. Drawing on traditional stories, designs and cultural knowledge while addressing contemporary Indigenous experiences, these artists harness the unique properties of glass to reinterpret cultural traditions in a dynamic contemporary medium. The result is a groundbreaking exhibition that expands the story of Native art and reveals the remarkable creative possibilities of glass.

Clearly Indigenous: Native Visions Reimagined in Glass was originated by the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture, Santa Fe, New Mexico, where it was curated by Dr. Letitia Chambers and Cathy Short (Potawatomi). The traveling exhibit was curated by Dr. Chambers and is toured by International Arts & Artists.