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The Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art debuts its fall exhibitions Oct. 28, 7–9 p.m. The Will-Bruder-designed museum, on the Scottsdale Civic Center Mall, schedules opening receptions just three times annually, including early spring and summer. The event is free.

PeoplesBien collage

"The evening allows SMoCa to showcase its ongoing and upcoming exhibitions and introduce many of the artists to the community," says Cassandra Coblentz, the museum's curator. "It's a great opportunity for art lovers, and the art curious, to investigate the many facets of contemporary art."

The three exhibitions include two that officially open the following day, Oct. 29. The first, Kirsten Everberg: Looking for Edendale, through Jan. 8, 2012, displays the work of the Los Angeles artist, who explores the varying line between fiction and reality by focusing on the city's architectural landmarks and their interiors that have been used as locations in numerous films.

The second, artists tell stories (mostly about themselves), through Jan. 22, 2012, includes five artists who incorporate autobiography, second- and third-person voices, truth and pretense, solemnity and levity in their narratives.

The third exhibition, the traveling People's Biennial, Oct. 15 through Jan. 15, 2012 at SMoCA, is a collaboration between five lesser-known American art institutions and artists from each of the museums' states. In the Valley, seven Arizonans are participating.

Those venues, with their schedules, are Portland Institute for Contemporary Art, Portland, Ore., Sept. 10, 2010–Oct. 17, 2010; Dahl Arts Center, Rapid City, S.D., Jan. 14, 2011– March 27, 2011; Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art, Winston-Salem, N.C.; July 8, 2011–Sept. 18, 2011; Cantor Fitzgerald Gallery, Haverford College, Haverford, Pa.; Jan. 27, 2012–March 2, 2012.

Organized and circulated by Independent Curators International New York, the project is guest curated by its founders, Harrell Fletcher of Portland, Ore., and Jens Hoffmann of San Francisco, who traveled nationwide seeking under-appreciated work, especially from people who may not be considered part of the "professional" art world.

"'People's Biennial' is in some ways about democratizing the categories of creative activity typically associated with an art exhibition," says Coblentz, the resident curator for the exhibition. "By designating something not necessarily framed as Art (with a capital A), the curators are attempting to level the playing field on creative production, in a sense making it more 'democratic.'"

She adds: "Some of the artists were referred to the curators who then followed up with studio visits, some were discovered though an open call and others were selected because I toured with Harrell and Jens around town when they visited, and they asked questions and poked around."