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Art State Arizona

Art State Arizona is a nonprofit reimagining what’s possible when arts and culture are treated not as luxuries—but as essential infrastructure.
What began in 1997 as the Greater Oro Valley Arts Council, and later evolved into the Southern Arizona Arts & Cultural Alliance, has grown into a statewide organization advancing creativity as a powerful force for community health, economic vitality, and social connection.
We are artists, cultural workers, educators, business leaders, healthcare professionals, and community organizers—uniting across sectors to shape an Arizona where the arts are integrated into every aspect of life.
Art State Arizona isn’t just a name. It’s a vision—of Arizona as a national leader in creative well-being, cultural innovation, and economic transformation through the arts. We’re here to make that vision real.

Why the Name?

Because it reflects what we believe: That Arizona can become the Art State.

Our Mission

Our Vision

Our mission is to make the arts essential to everyday life in Arizona by fostering creativity, community collaboration, social progress, and economic growth.
We advocate for the power of art to inspire, heal, and enrich lives, transforming institutions and neighborhoods into vibrant cultural hubs.
We envision Arizona leading the nation at integrating the arts into all sectors — community development, government, business, education, and health by uniting the state’s artistic and cultural assets.
In this future, the arts enable more imaginative ways of thinking and collaborative ways of doing, achieving equity, resilience, and prosperity for all.

The Evolution of Our Work

From our beginnings in Oro Valley, we’ve grown through recession, reinvention, and regional expansion. In 2009, we became the Southern Arizona Arts & Cultural Alliance, embracing the arts as a response to economic and social challenges.
Now, we step into a new chapter as Art State Arizona—expanding our impact statewide and investing in creative leadership, equity, and connection across every community and zip code.

The Arts Are Not a Side Dish. They're the Main Course.

The arts are not something we add in after the important stuff is handled—they are the important stuff. They shape how we communicate, how we heal, how we educate, and how we build community.
The arts are embedded in everything from healthcare to public safety, economic development to tourism, education to mental health. They influence how our cities are designed, how our histories are told, and how our futures are imagined.
The truth is,
The arts spark empathy in a divided world, bring meaning to data, and turn policy into lived experience. They turn vacant buildings into gathering spaces, transform trauma into expression, and help people see themselves in systems that have long overlooked them.
If we want thriving, connected, healthy communities, then we need to treat the arts not as extra—but as essential.
We believe creativity is essential infrastructure. 
  • Invest in community-led, culturally rooted initiatives
  • Build trust through long-term partnerships
  • Provide artists with visibility, connection, and tools
  • Advocate for funding that supports creative equity
  • Facilitate cross-sector collaboration for measurable change
public art - Copy

JOIN US

This is your invitation to help shape the Art State.

Whether you’re an artist, educator, policymaker, partner, or passionate community member—your voice matters here.
Together, we can build an Arizona where creativity is not just celebrated, but sustained. Where every mural, performance, gathering, and gallery fuels the collective imagination of a more vibrant, inclusive, and innovative state.
Get Involved Today | Learn More Here

The Southern Arizona Arts & Cultural Alliance is now Art State Arizona

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