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.

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.