Catalyzing Creativity in Downtown Mesa: Who ARE these people?

February 18, 2016

Do you hear that? There’s a buzz in downtown Mesa that sounds like the hum of an electric sander and the tap of a tiny hammer attaching a thousand sequins to a piano. It has the soundtrack of local musicians and it tastes a little bit like empanadas paired with a local IPA. It looks like going to a thought provoking performance at the Mesa Arts Center and then discussing how to celebrate the arts with a community project at the Mesa Urban Garden. It looks like local aerosol artists painting at a music festival in downtown and feeling supported doing what they love.

Mesa Arts Center is working to build inroads for younger audiences and to support the arts community in downtown Mesa. Still in its formative stage, the Creative Catalysts initiative has made a lot of progress over the last year. With more than 100 members and over 40 events & meetings to date, this group is starting to make some waves. The Catalysts have identified three main areas of focus: art in public spaces, building creative & social economy, and developing and supporting community engagement projects. With new events and opportunities being developed every month, this group gives individuals the opportunity to have a voice, to make decisions, and to help shape the arts scene in downtown Mesa and at MAC. Catalysts can be as involved as they would like, ranging from attending the planned events to coming up with the ideas and doing the legwork to make them a reality. This arts movement is for anyone who has an interest in making a difference and being involved in something transformational.

So, what does a more creative Mesa look like to you? Now get going and join the Catalysts in making that vision a reality.

Coming up!

Easy Like Saturday Morning: Art Brunch in Downtown Mesa
February 27, 10am-12pm @ Il Vinaio

Monthly Planning Meeting: Come learn about CC and how to get involved!

March 8, 5:30pm @ Jarrod’s Coffee & Tea

Spark! Sculpture Building Workshop

Come learn how to build a beautiful structure to be displayed for interaction at the Spark! Festival in March!

March 5 & 6, all day! @ 200 South Center (entrance off of Macdonald, north of the railroad tracks)

Learn more, here.  

Heard enough and want to become a Creative Catalyst? Click here.

By: Jennifer Gastelum, jgastelum@nedco-mesa.org

Explore More:

Museum

Earth/Craft/Art: The 44th Annual Contemporary Crafts Exhibition with Chief Curator Tiffany Fairall

Image credit: Susan Allred, “How Does Your Armor Grow?,” 2022, fiber, mixed media, 25 x 19 x 13

Read More

Museum

Faces, places and the nature of things: Spring 2023 exhibitions at Mesa Contemporary Arts Museum

Image credit: 44th Annual Contemporary Crafts Exhibition opening reception on Feb. 10, 2023 at Mesa Contemporary Arts Museum.

Read More

Museum

Five new art exhibitions open at Mesa Contemporary Arts Museum Summer 2022

The summer 2022 exhibition at Mesa Contemporary Arts Museum explores a variety of textiles, patterns, social topics and

Read More

Museum

The International Year of Glass

The Spring 2022 exhibition at Mesa Contemporary Arts Museum (MCAM) features works related to glass from local and international

Read More