Today marks the one-year anniversary of local art organization Phoenix Art Space, and to celebrate their success they are throwing a party.
Phoenix Art Space (PAS) is hosting the event at Phase Four Studios in Tempe for its spatial diversity and hopes that it will attract an eclectic crowd.
"We are inviting all kinds of people together for the sake of local art and music for an evening," said Roya Amirsoleymani, public relations director for Phoenix Art Space. "Our hope is that that mingling of communities will extend to other parts of the city and art spaces."
With the growing number of art appreciation venues in the Valley, from ArtWalks to high-end galleries, many feel the choices are endless.
"Phoenicians everywhere are clearly in need of, and truly desire, more creative outlets and artistic options, and now it's hard to choose what to do any given weekend," said Amirsoleymani.
The same is true for ASU students that come from out of state.
"I'm from Ohio and the art scene is different there," said interdisciplinary junior Adam Gusich. "I hear about different art events going on every weekend all across Arizona, but making a decision on where to go becomes overwhelming."
This event is a chance for ASU students to support the art scene and get involved with the growing art community in Arizona.
"It will be a lot of fun and it will also introduce students to local visual artists and musicians that they might not know about," said senior Lauren Chastain, intern and contributor at Phoenix Art Space. "It is a celebration of Phoenix Art Space, but also of the local art community as a whole."
As part of the festivities, Phoenix Art Space is hosting an after party that will run until 2 a.m. Saturday and will include live music and a fully stocked bar.
"It's going to rock," said senior Sarah Ventre, music coordinator and co-producer for the Listen Up! project at Phoenix Art Space. "It'll be a time to exchange information, and to see what kinds of opportunities are out there for artists. Plus, the after party will be a blast."
For the past year, PAS has helped local artists develop and showcase their art through networking.
"PAS has helped enable individual artists to make connections and generate collaborations with each other and gallery spaces," said Amirsoleymani.
Support for such organizations such as PAS is in the hands of the patrons that visit and sustain art in the Valley.
"The public needs to realize that the Valley's reputation as a cultural wasteland is no longer deserved, but it's up to us to make it happen and maintain it," said Amirsoleymani.
Phase Four Studios is located at 1700 W. Drake Dr., Suite 1 in Tempe. Doors open at 7pm. RSVP is strongly recommended. Visit phoenixartspace.com/oneyear to attend.
Reach the reporter at: casey.kelsey@asu.edu.
