The 36th annual Art Detour hosted by Artlink is back for a monthlong celebration of Arizona’s arts and culture community.
Throughout March 2024, a broad spectrum of art forms will be highlighted all across metro Phoenix, including visual, performing and culinary arts as well as fashion design and public art.
Artists, venues, businesses and organizations are throwing open their doors and hosting events and performances to showcase Arizona’s eclectic art and culture.
This year’s theme is “Your Life’s Style” which encourages everyone — from novice to connoisseur — to experience art that calls to them.
“This is a gateway, a warm invitation to get to know the community a little better,” said Catrina Kahler, president and CEO of Artlink. “Feel free to explore, that’s part of the detour.”
What is Art Detour?
In the late 1980s, downtown Phoenix artists came together and invited the public to see a new side of the city’s arts and culture community. This gathering was the first Art Detour. From there the idea of Artlink was born with a mission to connect artists with one another and the wider community.
“From day one it was never just about the art,” said Kahler. “It was about really appreciating artists and supporting them and keeping them in the community.”
Over the years, Art Detour went from a single weekend to a week to now an entire month.
“As our communities grow, more artists come to the forefront and as they do that, they share their talents and it contributes so much to the energy and the beauty of our neighborhoods,” said Kahler. “We want them to stay, we want artists to be able to build a successful career here in Arizona.”
Art Detour 2024 dates
Art Detour takes place March 1-31, 2024.
Art Detour 2024 location
Most of the Art Detour events are in cities throughout the Valley, but if you’re up for a drive, there are events around the state, including in Tucson, Superior, Cottonwood, Wickenburg and more.
Art Detour 2024 tickets
Most Art Detour 2024 events are free. A few have an admission fee or request an RSVP. See the full list of events and costs at artdetour.com.
Art Detour 2024 schedule
For all the Detour experiences and locations, visit artdetour.com.
Top things to see and do at Art Detour 2024
Kahler recommends the annual Art D’Core Gala on March 16. The fundraiser starts at 5:30 p.m. Saturday, March 16, at the Phoenix Art Museum. Tickets start at $150 and are on sale at artdetour.com.
“It’s a nontraditional gala that is really about celebrating the contributions from the arts and culture community,” said Kahler. “The gala was founded with the idea that if we’re going to be connecting and promoting all the things we also need to celebrate and break bread together and toast each other.”
Here are four more highlights of Art Detour 2024:
Fausto Fernandez at Ironwood Mills: Fernandez crafts locally sourced lumber and live-edge hardwood slabs into custom furniture. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Mondays-Fridays all month at Ironwood Mills, 621 E. Butler Drive, Phoenix.
“Lovers Lane: A Tribute to the Chicano Love Story” Exhibition by Abomb: The Arizona native’s paintings are dedicated to “all the couples who have persevered through all the trials and tribulations that relationships can bring.” 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Mondays-Fridays all month long at Sisao Gallery, 1501 Grand Ave., Phoenix.
“Possibility Spaces” Exhibition by Casey Farina: Farina leverages computation, including AI, to explore aesthetic possibilities that are mapped onto spaces occupied by entities and forces. Opening reception is 6-9 p.m. Thursday, March 14, at Mood Room, 3121 N. Third Ave., Phoenix.
All Juried Members Show: Fifty-five Sonoran Arts League juried members will display 122 pieces in 3D, 2D and jewelry. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesdays-Saturdays all month at Sonoran Arts League Gallery & Office, 7275 E. Easy St., Carefree.
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Meredith G. White is the entertainment reporter for The Arizona Republic |azcentral.com. You can find her on Facebook as Meredith G. White, on Instagram and X, formerly known as Twitter, as @meredithgwhite, and email her at meredith.white@arizonarepublic.com.
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