Upcoming Events

Center of Southwest Studies Lyceum 

Free and open to the public

The Center of Southwest Studies welcomes award-winning author and journalist Zak Podmore, who will present on the history of the Bureau of Reclamation, a populist project that became central to the New Deal's public power programs in the 1930s. Drawing from his latest book, Life After Dead Pool: Lake Powell's Last Days and the Rebirth of the Colorado River, Podmore will cover the controversial construction of the Glen Canyon Dam in the early 1960s before bringing the historical narrative up to the present moment.

Location: Center of Southwest Studies Main Gallery

Free and Open to the Public

The Center of Southwest Studies is hosting a talk with Diné weaver and educator Venancio Aragón, who curated From the Fringes: Diné Textiles that Disrupt, currently on view at the Center through November 13. Join us for an insightful presentation and guided tour of the gallery to learn about the innovative techniques featured in the historic and contemporary textiles on display. Also, check out the most recent feature on From the Fringes in Durango Local News!

This artist talk and the exhibition From the Fringes: Diné Textiles that Disrupt are supported by a Folk and Traditional Arts Project Grant from Colorado Creative Industries.

Location: Center of Southwest Studies Main Gallery

Free and Open to the Public

The Center of Southwest Studies is excited to host an immersive workshop exploring connections between sound, music, and the land with Diné musician Kino Benally (@djbeeso). Participants will learn how Kino creates music using software like Ableton, then step outside to discover sounds in the environment—anything from rustling leaves to striking stones. Each participant will contribute a unique sound, which Kino will record and mix into a collaborative song created during the workshop.

Attendees are encouraged to bring an instrument or any objects that create sound!

Location: Center of Southwest Studies Main Gallery

Free and Open to the Public

The Center of Southwest Studies (the Center) will host readings by Fort Lewis College students in the Native American & Indigenous Studies Diné Poetics course. Under the mentorship of FLC faculty member and 2025–26 Center Teaching Fellow Dr. Shaina Nez (Táchii’nii born for Áshįįhi), students will share original poems and creative works inspired by their learning and in response to objects featured in the Center’s current exhibitions.