Ignite Phoenix #9 will be here just two short days from now. The 18 speakers have created their slides and are undoubtedly practicing their presentations more times than they can count. But they’re not the only ones who need to be prepared for Friday night. Read up on all the things you need to know to make the most of your evening!

After Party

This is always the first thing people want to know about. Don’t worry, we won’t let you down; we’ll be hosting rockin’ after party once again, and this time we’re heading to RnR Restaurant! RnR has reserved their entire upstairs area for the party and they’ll be offering Ignite Phoenix attendees half-price beer and house wine all night.

We’ll have the presenter tables set up in the lobby of the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts until about 10:30pm, so everyone is welcome to stick around, talk with the presenters, catch up with old friends and make new ones. When you’re ready to hit the after party, just head over to RnR for more fun until last call!

Global Ignite Week

Since Ignite Phoenix #9 will be taking place during Global Ignite Week, we thought it would be fun to feature some of our favorite Ignite presentations from around the globe. From 5:00pm until 6:30pm, we’ll be running a playlist of videos chosen from Ignite Show. Head into Stage 2 (the smaller auditorium at SCPA) to see our faves!

SMoCA activities

The Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art (SMoCA) is hosting their spring opening celebration on the same night as Ignite Phoenix #9 and the staff has graciously offered to allow Ignite Phoenix attendees to participate in some of the many events they have occurring that evening. SMoCA is located just feet west of SCPA and they have some fantastic things happening:

• Pre-event – SMoCA will be hosting a VIP gathering inside the museum, but they will allow Ignite Phoenix attendees to browse the museum at no cost from 5:30pm until Ignite Phoenix #9 starts at 6:30pm. There are some great new exhibits opening in the museum, so arrive early and check them out before taking your seat!
• After event – In the Canyon Walk (the space between SCPA and SMoCA), the Rock and Roll Dance Patrol will be performing until 10:30pm, and we’ll have one of our fully-loaded bars outside as well. Head outside for a drink and check out RRDP’s unique take on music and dance. Also, one of Phoenix’s favorite party attractions, Mr. Funbooth will be on hand to take serious, wacky or just plain goofy photos of SMoCA patrons and Ignite Phoenix attendees. If Ignite Phoenix gets you fired up, capture it on film digital pixels with Mr. Funbooth! Photos will be complimentary, so why not get a little crazy for the camera?

In addition to pre- and post-event activities, SMoCA will be open until 10:30pm, so feel free to browse their exhibits, especially their new exhibits from Brazilian artist Rivane Neuenschwander. SMoCA is featuring two amazing participatory projects by Ms. Neuenschwander. The first is entitled First Love, which is rather appropriate for an Ignite Phoenix taking place on Valentine’s Day weekend. As part of the project, a forensic police sketch artist will sit with visitors and listen as those visitors describe the faces of their first loves; the sketch artist will then produce portraits of these “first loves” to adorn the walls of the gallery for the duration of the exhibition (February 11th through June 5th). Sittings are two-hour time slots available Thursdays (1:00pm and 3:30pm) and Saturdays (10:30am and 1:00pm) from February 12 through June 5. The reservation sheet will available at the SMoCA front desk, so feel free to sign up for a time to return and take part in the exhibition at a later date. Also, you can make a reservation by calling SMoCA’s front desk at 480-874-4666 or visiting the museum.

The second exhibit from Ms. Neuenschwander is entitled I Wish Your Wish and it echoes a tradition from her native Brazil. At the church of Nosso Senhor do Bonfim in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil the faithful tie silk ribbons to their wrists and to the gates of the church, and, according to tradition, their wishes are granted when the ribbons wear away and fall off. For Neuenschwander’s installation, hundreds of similar ribbons will be printed with visitors’ wishes from past projects, and will hang from the gallery walls. Visitors will be invited to remove a ribbon, tie it to their wrist, and replace it with a new wish written on a slip of paper, continuing the project that keeps generating new ribbons and dreams. SCPA staff and Ignite Phoenix volunteers will be participating in I Wish Your Wish on Friday evening, so when you see all of us wearing ribbons on our wrists, you’ll know what’s going on!