Art Detour 25 is a free, two-day, self-guided tour of artist studios, art spaces, and other art venues in Downtown Phoenix organized by Artlink, Inc. in cooperation with participating venues, and now it is celebrating it's 25th anniversary, this weekend March 2-3. “Art Detour is one of the most important events in Phoenix’s calendar. Few events do as much to enrich the lives of Phoenicians and give exposure to local businesses and artists. Twenty-five years is a milestone. It should remind all of us to continue to support the arts so the next generation can experience all that Phoenix has to offer.” - Phoenix Mayor Greg … [Read more...]

Here's a great example of community activism both in function and aesthetic.   The Eclectic Monkey Emporium, recently named Best Thrift Store in 2011 by Phoenix New Times, is located in the heart of downtown Mesa. The store was originally built with a community oriented purpose,  a place where victims of domestic violence and sexual assault could shop  free of charge. However, they ended up having so many donations, traffic, and a buzz that they opened up the shop for the general public to enjoy.   The owner is also in the process transforming a dull facade into a creative expression with an edge to edge mural....making it look … [Read more...]

Park(ing) Day is returning to downtown Phoenix on Friday, September 21st, 2012, as we step up to the curb, put a quarter in the meter, and proceed to transform curbside metered parking spots into temporary public parks. PARK(ing) Day was originally created in 2005 by Rebar, a San Francisco-based art and design studio, as an experimental exploration in repurposing public space. Since then has been creatively adapted and sparked imaginations around the world. PARK(ing) Day is an annual, one-day, global event that promotes the importance of green and urban public spaces. It is intended to help people rethink the way we use our streets and … [Read more...]

Phoenix Design Week is coming up again and should be fantastic weekend for arts and design lovers. This creative event connects the design community with a series of interactive events, exhibitions, presentations and a conference. The week culminates with a 2 day weekend conference which brings internationally-recognized keynote speakers alongside local design authorities as part of an enlightening celebration of all aspects of design. “We want to continue the growth of the Phoenix Design Community after the success of the past three years,” said Mark Dudlik, Founder of Phoenix Design Week and Executive Director of Lost Creature. … [Read more...]

SCULPTURE FROM THE PERMANENT COLLECTION JUNE 2 - SEPTEMBER 9, 2012 This summer, curators from the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art dug deep into the archives, and, from the museum's permanent collection, they selected a range of modern and contemporary works that possess what English art critic Clive Bell described as the quality “shared by all objects that provokes our aesthetic emotions” -- significant form. The show includes pieces by Ken Price, Barbara Hepworth, and Jean Arp, as well as a small nest kept in a house-shaped resin form by Phoenix artist Mayme Kratz and a large, atom-like sculpture by Melinda Bergman, … [Read more...]

Happy Independence Day in the good ole USA. There's lot's of activities happening for the celebration...Here's a good list of what's going on around the Phoenix area.  Info courtesy of AZCentral.com Fourth of Zoo-Ly: 6-10 p.m. Enjoy a barbecue dinner on the zoo's lakeside lawn, free carousel rides and access to Stingray Bay. Face painting, bounce houses and special guests and music are planned. Get a VIP view of the fireworks at Tempe Town Lake at 9 p.m., and cool treats will be served. Beer and wine are available. Reservations required. $40, $35 for ages 3-12, free for age 2 and younger. Phoenix Zoo, 455 N. Galvin Parkway. … [Read more...]

The Lost Leaf Bar and Gallery of Downtown Phoenix located in the Roosevelt Row Arts District is in the works for planning a beer garden and outdoor performance space...yeah!  Phoenix is know for it's great weather and ability for outdoor living (non 120 degree heat of course times of the year) and it's great to see more restaurants/bars/venues embracing that lifestyle.  They recently celebrated their 5th anniversary of being open with a temporary beer garden, and hope to make it a permanent feature. The Lost Leaf Bar and Gallery is a great spot for all kinds of local beers and microbrews, and also a hip place to check out some free live … [Read more...]

This weekend...Art Detour 24 is a free, two-day, self-guided tour of artist galleries, studios, and other art venues in downtown Phoenix organized by Artlink in cooperation with participating venues. Art Detour draws thousands of enthusiastic arts supporters each year. Each participating venue will be included in the Art Detour 24 brochure and map which will be will be similar in format to the First Friday map. This publication will be distributed free of charge to promote artists, art venues, and art friendly businesses in downtown Phoenix. WHEN:  Sat, March 17, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Sun, March 18, 12 noon to 6 p.m. WHO:  70 participating … [Read more...]