It seems like the debate over art space in Tucson is ramping up again. Every so often we see a story in the local media about some “sweetheart deal” local artists are getting at tax- payer expense. As a veteran of many art space development projects downtown I can tell you it is not as simple as it sounds. Development is hard, whatever of the end use. There are risks, benefits and headaches along the way for all projects.

What many people forget, or did not know, is that downtown used to be filled with quirky art spaces (galleries, studios, small theatres) and then big developers saw a potential for profit due to the crowd these spaces brought in. (especially during the heyday of Downtown Saturday Night as presented by the Tucson Arts District Partnership).

This almost-gentrification was amplified due to the chimera of free, easy cash from Rio Nuevo and, consequently, many artists fled for the warehouse district or simply left the core. Is it worth reasonable public support to keep part of what makes our community vibrant – yes. We need only to look at other communities to see what works and what does not. We have some vital parts of the puzzle, let’s keep adding the rest until the image is complete.

You’ve got a wonderful choice of Tucson arts events beginning today through the weekend.

Sunday is the 100^th anniversary of Tucson’s artist Ettore “Ted” DeGrazia’s birth and the Tucson Pima Arts Council is sponsoring a series of Native American performances, workshops and poetry readings.

First, DeGrazia.

The artist’s doe-eyed children rendered in lyrical pastels live in a world of romantic imagination that suits some tastes and rankles others. There’s no doubt his prolific output brought DeGrazia fame and fortune. He savored both and was legend for his generosity. Bonnie Henry wrote an excellent backgrounder on him for last Sunday’s Star.

Today from 5:30 to 7:30 pm the Tucson Museum of Art, 140 N. Main, will hold a reception for “DeGrazia: A Modernist Perspective,” featuring many of his lesser-known pieces. $10 fee for nonmembers. The exhibit runs through Oct. 25.

Saturday from 6 to 9 pm the DeGrazia Gallery in the Sun, 6300 N. Swann Rd., will hold an outdoor music festival, free to the public, including the Ellington Big Band playing DeGrazia compositions from the 1930s and 40s. The gallery is also displaying a “DeGrazia: 100 Years, 100 Works” centennial retrospective.

Sunday from 10 am to 4 pm, the Gallery in the Sun will be open with cake and ice cream to celebrate the 100^th anniversary of DeGrazia’s birth.

Also today, the Tucson Pima Arts Council sponsors an appearance by Native American performance artist James Luna at the University of Arizona Poetry Center, 1508 E. Helen St., beginning at 7 pm.

At the same location Saturday there’s a 2 pm presentation by Estevan Rael-Galvez, New Mexico state historian, on the importance of working in multiple histories; a 3:15 pm panel on Native American artists working in contemporary rather than traditional mediums and a 5:30 pm poetry reading by Leslie Marmon Silko and Sherwin Bitsui.

Lots to enjoy.