Yuma Art Center to host Smithsonian exhibition “Spark! Places of Innovation”

The City of Yuma's Arts and Culture Division invites the community to experience "Spark! Places of Innovation," a traveling exhibition from the Smithsonian Institution on display February 20 through March 28, 2026, at the Yuma Art Center (254 South Main Street).

The exhibition will be open Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., with free admission for all visitors, and will be viewable throughout the Central, North, and South galleries. An opening reception will take place Friday, February 20, from 6 to 8 p.m., featuring appetizers prepared by Chef Juan of the Yuma Civic Center highlighting locally grown ingredients.

Inspired by an exhibition developed by the Smithsonian Institution's Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation, "Spark! Places of Innovation" explores how innovation emerges in communities through the unique combination of people, place, and circumstance. The exhibition features stories gathered from towns across the nation and uses photographs, objects, videos, and interactive elements to highlight technical, social, cultural, and artistic innovation.

The exhibition also represents the first Smithsonian Institution exhibition hosted by the Yuma Art Center.

"Hosting a Smithsonian exhibit has been a long-held dream for us," said Arts & Culture Program Manager Ana Padilla. "When the opportunity through Arizona Humanities came along, that dream truly began to materialize. Nearly two years after submitting our application, we are proud and excited to finally welcome Spark! Places of Innovation to our community."

The highly interactive exhibit includes six stand-alone sections featuring audio components, multiple video monitors, mechanical interactives, object cases, and a hands-on flipbook experience. Visitors are invited to participate in the "Citizen Innovation" game, designed to spark conversation about innovation in their own communities. Digital content is accessible through image recognition using personal mobile devices or provided handheld devices, with Spanish translations available both digitally and in print.

Alongside the Smithsonian exhibition, the Yuma Art Center will present a companion exhibit focused on agricultural innovation, reflecting the region's history and impact as a major agricultural hub. The companion exhibit will include a phone booth-style installation where community members can record personal stories about working in or being influenced by agriculture.

Local artists are invited to contribute to the companion exhibit with work in any visual medium that reflects the role agriculture plays in everyday life in Yuma, including ceramics, drawing, fiber, glass, jewelry, metal, mixed media, painting, paper, photography, printmaking, and wood.

For more information about the exhibition or submission details, visit https://www.yumaaz.gov/galleries.