For decades, Tucson has cultivated a reputation as a desert city bursting with creativity. Beyond its murals, music and food, local organizations are stepping up to ensure the cost of admission doesn’t hold the community back. From free exhibitions to community grants, Tucson arts organizations are proving that art is for everyone.
On the second Sunday of every month, the Tucson Museum of Art opens its doors for “Second SundAZe,” a lively afternoon filled with pay-as-you-wish admission, live performances and hands-on activities.
For many Tucsonans, SundAZe isn’t just about viewing art, it’s about belonging to a creative community, said TMA CEO Jeremy Mikolajczak.
Mikolajczak noted that socioeconomic factors often prevent families and others from visiting museums. Second SundAZe was designed with that in mind, directed toward families to foster “intergenerational learning through engaging activities and experiences.”
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Admission is free for residents of Arizona and Sonora, Mexico, with donations encouraged to help sustain the program.
That same spirit of access and inclusion stretches far beyond the TMA walls. Across the city, a growing network of organizations is making sure that creative opportunities don’t come with a price tag. For emerging artists, the Arts Foundation for Tucson and Southern Arizona provides an important first step. Its “stART” grant offers up to $3,000 for artists to pursue professional development or community projects.
Since 2020, the foundation has distributed more than $3 million to artists and organizations across Southern Arizona, fueling countless creative endeavors.
The Museum of Contemporary Art Tucson offers a similar lifeline through its “Night Bloom” grant, which awards between $3,500 and $7,500 to visual artists working on experimental, community-focused projects.
These grants give artists permission to take risks, whether it’s building large-scale installations or collaborating on neighborhood-based projects and to share their vision more broadly. In 2021, MOCA awarded around $60,000 in grants to local artists for projects inspired by the Sonoran Desert and community stories.
Support for local creativity doesn’t always come in the form of funding.
The Southern Arizona Arts & Cultural Alliance (SAACA) creates pathways for artists to connect directly with the public, from free-entry exhibitions and open calls to plein air painting competitions held at Park Place Mall.
Downtown, the Tucson Gallery takes another approach, offering representation without upfront costs and helping artists reach new audiences by displaying originals alongside prints and merchandise.
Accessibility also means making sure that people who are often left out can find a place in Tucson’s art scene.
At TMA, programs like “The Art of Memory” give individuals living with dementia and their caregivers an outlet for creative expression, while tactile tours are designed to bring visually impaired veterans closer to the museum’s collections. To get involved, visit their website here
The Friends of Western Art group extends that inclusivity to the next generation, offering scholarships, mentorship and art supplies to students at the Tucson Festival of Books. You can find details at their website here
Second SunDaze is held monthly on the second Sunday at TMA, 140 N Main Ave, Tucson, AZ 85701. For details, visit their website here
Arizona Sonoran News is a news service of the University of Arizona School of Journalism.
