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Tempe City Arts

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Tempe City Arts

This page will share a variety of ways for you to discover the arts in Tempe. linktr.ee/TempeCityArts

06/23/2026

If you’ve lived in Tempe for a while, this view might look familiar!

Taken nearly 50 years apart, these images capture Mill Avenue Underpass in 1978 and 2026!

Mill Avenue Underpass is now home to new public artwork by Joseph O’Connel and Creative Machines, Sun Garden adds color and vibrancy to one of Tempe’s busiest corridors.

Do you remember this stretch of Mill before the transformation?

Image: Tempe History Museum Collection

06/18/2026

If the Mill Avenue Underpass is part of your daily commute, you’ve likely watched Sun Garden take shape piece by piece. 🌞🌷

Over the last year, the corridor has been transformed through a series of phases. Created by artist Joe O’Connell and Creative Machines, the project combines sculpture, light, and landscape to bring color and vibrancy to one of Tempe’s busiest gateways.

Now complete, Sun Garden creates an ever-changing experience as sunlight, shadow, and illumination interact with the artwork throughout the day and into the night. 🌈✨

06/16/2026

Palo Verde season now blooms along Hardy Drive year-round 🌼

In Bloom by Tempe artist Melissa Martinez transforms a stretch of Hardy Drive with larger-than-life steel flowers inspired by the bright yellow blooms that sweep across Tempe each spring.

From sculptural flower forms rising above the median to smaller floral details woven into nearby transit shelters, the artwork carries moments of the Sonoran Desert through one of the city’s everyday commuter corridors.

Created as part of the Hardy Streetscape refresh, the project invites residents, cyclists, pedestrians and transit riders to experience a familiar part of Tempe in a new way - one shaped by color, movement and the beauty of the desert landscape.

Take a closer look at In Bloom ✨

06/15/2026

Arts nonprofits and artist collectives have just a few weeks left to apply for Tempe’s Community Art Grants. There are two opportunities available: 🎨💰🎭

✨ Up to $10,000 Creative Current Grant- for established nonprofits with ongoing programming

✨ Up to $2,500 Next Wave Grant- for new ideas, small projects and first-time applicants

Both grants support creative work that brings people together and strengthens Tempe’s arts community.

⏱ Deadline: Wednesday, July 15, 2026. No match required

All applicants are required to meet with Maja Aurora, Community Arts Manager, before applying.
Read more and schedule a time to meet at: tempe.gov/ArtsGrants

06/11/2026

⏰ We're hiring Event Staff for the 2026-2027 season!

Are you an artist, creative, student, or community-minded person looking for flexible work? The Tempe Community Arts team is hiring friendly and outgoing temporary event staff who are passionate about arts, community and creating welcoming experiences for residents of all ages.

Event Staff support programs such as Arts in the Parks, Free Art Friday, and Tempe Jam while working alongside local artists, performers, and community members.

Duties include:
✔️ Assisting with event setup and breakdown (some heavy lifting required)
✔️ Helping participants with hands-on art activities
✔️ Engaging with community members and supporting a welcoming and positive event experience

✨ Flexible seasonal work. Most event shifts are 4–6 hours, and staff can sign up for as many or as few events as their schedule allows.

📅 Schedule:
• Weekday evenings for Arts in the Parks (8 events in the fall and 8 events in the spring)
• Monthly Friday mornings for Free Art Friday (Sept, Oct, Nov and Feb, March & April)
• Tempe Jam (Saturday, November 14)

💃 Special roles available supporting dance and live music performances.

💰 Pay Rate: $18.50/hour

📩 Email [email protected] with your resume and a brief description of why you’d like to work with us and any relevant experience.

⏰ Applications will be reviewed: July 1

06/10/2026

This past spring, 17 local dance companies brought energy, creativity and exceptional choreographic works to neighborhood parks across Tempe!

Dance was at the heart of Arts in the Parks, transforming local parks into vibrant spaces for creativity, connection and celebration. Through performances and community dance parties, residents of all ages were invited to experience dance in a fun and welcoming outdoor setting close to home.

Interested in presenting work at the showcases next Spring for Arts in the Parks? Applications will go up this November – be sure to check our IG page and/or www.tempe.gov/ArtsInTheParks for the call to artists!

Thank you to the talented dance artists, choreographers and companies who shared their artistry, passion and energy with the community this past spring. 💐🌟

Featured Dance Companies:
Alicia Nascimento
AnthroArts Collective
AZ Repertory Ballet
Bread Dance Co
CONDER/dance
Convergence Ballet
Good2Go
J Bouey
Methods of Madness Dance Theater
Nicole Olson | Movement Chaos
Shaniece Brazwell
Shauna Meredith | Vital Motion Dance
Spencer Dennis| Movement Company
STILO
Suzie Q Dance Company
The Sacred G's

06/09/2026

Another spring season of Arts in the Parks is complete! 🌞

This season, neighborhood parks across Tempe became spaces to create, connect and experience the arts close to home. From community dance parties and art-making activities to performances by local musicians and dance companies, each event celebrated the artists and creative communities that make Tempe unique.

Thank you to all of the dancers, musicians, teaching artists, food trucks and community members who made this season possible. Arts in the Parks returns this fall 🎨🎶

06/04/2026

It was a bright and early start for artist Mary Shindell and the installation team at Optimist Park! 🦋🌼🐞

Colorful mosaic panels featuring flowers, butterflies, and desert-inspired patterns were carefully positioned within the new pathway connecting the bike trail to the play area. Created by Artist Mary Shindell, the mosaics bring vibrant imagery to Optimist Park.

Unlike a traditional mosaic that’s attached to the surface, these artworks are installed directly into freshly poured concrete. Crews from Progressive Hardscapes carefully worked the panels into place before removing the mesh backing, revealing the artwork embedded within the pathway itself.

The result is a colorful new community landmark that will welcome park visitors!

Mary and Tempe Public Art also give special thanks to artists Nick Shindell for assistance with tile cutting, as well as Pere Brooks for assistance with tile cutting and setting support.

Swipe through for a look at the installation process! ✨

05/28/2026

Hardy Drive has been blooming over the last few weeks! 🌼

New public artwork “In Bloom” by Tempe artist Melissa Martinez was just installed along Hardy Drive, bringing larger-than-life Palo Verde flowers to the corridor between University Drive and Broadway Road.

Swipe to see moments from installation day ✨

Inspired by the yellow blooms that cover Tempe each spring, the steel sculptures celebrate a familiar Sonoran Desert moment many residents know well - flowers dancing through the air, covering sidewalks and brightening neighborhoods for a few short weeks each year. Palo Verde flower details have been updated on nearby transit shelters, helping carry the artwork throughout the corridor and into everyday commutes, walks and bus rides.

05/21/2026

A look back at the first event in our 2026 Tempe Public Art Insights Series! 🎤

Held at the historic Eisendrath House, the 2026 Artist | Fabricator Mixer brought together public artists, contemporary artists, fabricators and arts professionals for an evening of connection and collaboration.

Attendees listened to short presentations by local fabricators, networked, learned about Tempe’s Public Art Plan, and explored temporary art installations by ASU SITE students.

Thank you to everyone who joined us!

Missed this opportunity? The 2026 Tempe Public Art Insights Series includes three workshops this year, offering artists the chance to build skills, learn the public art process, and connect with others in the field.

Address

3340 S Rural Road
Tempe, AZ

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 6pm
Tuesday	9am - 6pm
Wednesday	9am - 6pm
Thursday	9am - 6pm
Friday	9am - 5pm

Website

http://www.tempe.gov/arts

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