Art that Engages
Visit the Coe Center and embark on a captivating journey through our extensive collection of over 2,500 culturally rich pieces from across the globe.
Immerse yourself in the beauty and significance where a world of art and culture awaits.
Land Acknowledgement
The Tewa People, and the neighboring communities of Tiwa, Towa, Keres, Jicarilla Apache and Mescalero Apache, and Diné, have been committed to a reciprocal relationship with this land for generations. The Ralph T. Coe Center for the Arts, located in this place, recognizes this history and celebrates O’Ga P’Ogeh Owingeh (White Shell Water Place) past, present, and future.
Explore Our
Programs, Exhibitions, and Collaborations
First Friday @ the Coe Center
Upcoming Exhibition: Stories Within
The Ralph T. Coe Center for the Arts opens its winter exhibition, Stories Within, on December 1, 2023, from
1-4 pm. The opening coincides with the Coe Center’s monthly First Friday program. No reservation is required. This event is free. Light refreshments will be served.
Stories Within
Exhibition opening December 1st, 2023, from 1-4 pm.
Pottery is pancultural. Its history is ancient. Each piece tells a story.
Worldwide, Indigenous cultures use pottery for similar purposes. Early artisans created utilitarian wares to store grain and liquids. Likewise, some ancient potters had the privilege of making pottery for ceremonies. Others made it for its unique artistic aesthetics. These purposes have not changed; potters still create for storage, ceremony, and art. What stories do these pieces hold in the voids between clay walls?
Working with Local Contexts
A new initiative
We are delighted to unveil a new initiative where the Ralph T. Coe Center for the Arts is actively engaging with Local Contexts. Forged on a mutual dedication to honoring and safeguarding Indigenous cultural heritages, the Coe is working with Local Contexts to integrate their protocols to aid in promoting reverence for Indigenous communities’ viewpoints and entitlements, nurturing a conscientious approach to cultural materials.
Native American Collections Digital Resource Pilot Project
Funded by the Henry Luce Foundation
The Ralph T. Coe Center for the Arts has received a $100,000 grant from the Henry Luce Foundation to support a pilot project aimed at revitalizing its Collection Management System. The pilot project will focus on making the database more culturally accurate and inclusive, reflecting multiple perspectives and communities represented within the collection. As part of the pilot program, the Coe Center will collaborate with living artists, relatives, and communities represented in the collection to gather culturally relevant information and narratives. This process will help to ensure that the collection accurately represents and respects Native American cultures and traditions. The Coe Center will facilitate meetings, on-site visits, and documentation through a digital archive process.
Meet the Next Wave of Indigenous Curators
Held August 18, 2023 at the Coe
We were thrilled to have hosted an enlightening roundtable discussion, cohosted by the Ralph T. Coe Center for the Arts and First American Art Magazine. During this event, we delved into the dynamic world of art curation through a Native American lens. Please watch at the captivating conversation as Moderator America Meredith, a distinguished member of the Cherokee Nation and an Independent Curator based in Norman, OK, skillfully guides an engaging conversation with a panel of accomplished Native American curators who have played a pivotal role in reshaping the landscape of art curation.
Conversations of Ourselves
A Living Exhibition
He spent the first half of his life as a subsistence hunter, but after a debilitating airplane crash in 1953 left him unable to continue hunting, Kivetoruk Moses embarked on a second life as an artist.