Over 140 artists in over 90 locations throughout metropolitan Tucson open their studios to the public on Saturday and Sunday, March 13 & 14, 2010, from 11:00 am until 5:00 pm. See the creative process at work in your neighborhood, or explore new horizons by visiting studios in another part of town.

Molly Held Captive by Charles Spillar (Not on tour)

The message above says it all. There are some great works of art to be taken home this weekend. (Molly above, is not on the tour but wanted to draw your attention to all the great works of art that are available for adoption at reasonable prices)

There are about 40 first-time participants on the tour this spring, the fifth year of this grassroots, artist-initiated event. All kinds of artists working in a variety of mediums are participating in the tour.  This exciting event gives the public an opportunity to visit artists in their work spaces and learn about the techniques and processes that go into creating   different art forms.

Studios from Dove Mountain to Civano will be open. Many locations feature multiple artists working at one address, while other studio spaces are more intimate retreats.

On the tour you will see world-class artists working in about every medium available.

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The Southern Arizona Arts and Cultural Alliance (SACCA) has chosen four new board members to help further the reach of the growing nonprofit. Each new director brings extensive community experience to the table, honed from years of success in the business world and in leadership roles with a variety of arts and community associations.

The new board members – Beth Bank, Ben Hawkins, Don Luria and Kimberly Schmitz hail from different backgrounds but now they pursue together a common goal of strengthening the role of the arts in their community.    The organization’s Director Kate Marquez stated:  ”Their experience and expertise should enhance SACCA’s reputation in the community and aid the organization in its effort to expand its programs and offerings throughout Southern Arizona.”

These new board members are extremely active in the community on many levels, from the culinary arts to building construction. In the past, the nonprofit arts group focused its efforts mainly in the greater Oro Valley region, but last summer the group changed its name to the Southern Arizona Arts and Cultural Alliance, in part to signal a change in direction.

In the months since, SAACA has added events to its schedule and forged new partnerships with outside groups to expand its reach. Later this month (March 27 and 28), SAACA will team with the Arizona State Museum to produce the Southwest Indian Art Fair Benefit at Desert Diamond Casino. Budget cuts at the museum previously threatened to cancel the long-running art fair but with a joint effort of the museum, its board and SAACA They have saved it.

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Confronted with difficult economic times, for itself and the arts and culture organizations it was formed to support, the Metro Phoenix Partnership for Arts and Culture (MPAC) board of directors has voted to cease the nonprofit organization’s staffing and programmatic operations. MPAC will support the plan of its major funders to use remaining grants funds to directly assist arts and culture organizations.

For five years, MPAC has led the state in understanding the vital connection between the creative community and economic development. Formed in 2004 by grants from the Flinn Foundation and Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust, MPAC has worked to promote a vibrant creative community in Maricopa County and harness arts and culture as an economic driver. The foundations supported the nonprofit organization with the goal of it achieving self-sufficiency by the conclusion of the grants, scheduled for early 2011.

The recession challenged MPAC’s economic viability and fundraising efforts, as it has done to arts and culture organizations across the nation. It ultimately thwarted plans to place a revenue-generating initiative for arts and culture on the statewide ballot—a strategy that has been successful in other major metropolitan areas during better economic times.

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