Scottsdale Art Week presented by Scottsdale Ferrari will honor acclaimed artist and photographer Cara Romero, of the Chemehuevi Indian Tribe, as the recipient of its inaugural “Indigenous Artist of the Year” award during the Opening Night Vernissage of the second-annual Scottsdale Art Week, set for 6 p.m. – 9 p.m. Thursday, March 19 at WestWorld. The Opening Night Vernissage is an elegant evening celebrating art and community. Guests are invited to stroll through the aisles and discover exceptional works for sale from leading international galleries, plus entertainment, an award ceremony and a lively art-loving crowd.

The Opening Night Vernissage, presented by Gila River Resorts & Casinos and benefiting the Phoenix Art Museum acknowledges Romero as its first official honoree. Event organizers will announce additional award recipients in various categories in the coming months, building anticipation ahead of the four days of art, culture and connection.

Romero, who owns Santa Fe, New Mexico’s Cara Romero Gallery, has become one of the most revered indigenous artists of her generation. Her work, which blends fine art with editorial photography, has appeared in more than 10 museum group exhibitions over the last year, including Romero’s first-ever museum solo exhibition at Dartmouth College’s Hood Museum in Hanover, New Hampshire.

The exhibition, called “Panupunuwugai,” takes its name from a Chemehuevi word that conveys both “light emerging, like the sun rising over mountains,” and “infusing the inanimate with spirit or living light.” The exhibition will make its way to the Phoenix Art Museum starting Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026, and will be available for viewing when Scottsdale Art Week opens.

Like much of Romero’s work, the exhibit challenges outdated views regarding Indigenous decline and pushes back on stereotypes about Native American identity. A recent Forbes magazine article stated, “Her images are typically celebratory, taken in color and depict Native Americans outside of traditional regalia, forcing non-Native viewers to see and acknowledge Native people as contemporary and vibrant, in opposition to the sepia-toned, stoic, posed Native portraits customary to previous centuries.”

This powerful storytelling is among the reasons Scottsdale Art Week selected Romero as the recipient of this award.

“This award celebrates more than my work,” Romero said. “It’s also an acknowledgement of my community, our stories and our culture, and it’s a tremendous honor to be a part of Scottsdale Art Week alongside so many talented Indigenous artists.”

Scottsdale Art Week established the Indigenous Artist of the Year award to recognize artists whose works highlight indigenous identity and offer insight into Native life today.

“Last year, we gave the Arizona Artist of the Year Award to Dine’ weaver Melissa Cody, and while we will continue to give that award annually, we decided to add a new award exclusively for Indigenous artists,” said Scottsdale Art Week Co-Owner Trey Brennen.

“Being in the Southwest, we feel it’s increasingly important to honor the wonderful work being done by members of the indigenous communities around us. We look forward to honoring Cara with our first-ever Indigenous Artist of the Year Award.”

This year’s Scottsdale Art Week celebration, set for March 19 – 22 at 16601 N. Pima Road in Scottsdale, Arizona, will expand upon the success and size of last year’s inaugural event, which drew more than 14,000 attendees and 100+ galleries from across the globe. This year, 124 galleries will participate, with galleries from 18 countries committed.

Jam-packed with cultural programming, immersive exhibitions and other exclusive events and opportunities, Scottsdale Art Week 2026 will also include experiences hosted in partnership with premier Arizona arts institutions like Phoenix Art Museum, Heard Museum, Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art and ASU Art Museum, many of which played an instrumental role in making the inaugural edition of Scottsdale Art Week such a resounding success.

In addition to her own gallery, the Hood Museum and the Phoenix Art Museum, Romero has also exhibited her work at The Los Angeles County Museum of Art, The Crystal Bridges Museum, The Figge Art Museum, The San Diego Museum, The Zimmerli Art Museum, The Autry Museum, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, among other major art institutions.

The team behind Scottsdale Art Week has also announced dates for the next three editions, each taking place Thursday – Sunday on the following dates:

2027 – March 18 – 21

2028 – March 23 – 26

2029 – March 22 – 25

For more about Cara Romero, visit CaraRomero.com.

For more information on Scottsdale Art Week or to purchase tickets, visit www.scottsdaleartweek.com.

For media or other inquiries, contact Jennifer Parks-Sturgeon at JParks-Sturgeon@RoseAllynpr.com or call (480) 495-3806.