ASU Urban Gallery festivities celebrate community April 3

ALAC & Calaca artists, community artists and high school artists show their artwork!

COME BY ON FIRST FRIDAY AND MEET THE ALAC BOARD & ARTISTS!PHOENIX

The ASU Downtown Phoenix campus will open its doors to the community at the 4th Annual Urban Gallery Exhibition from 6 to 10 p.m. Friday, April 3 at the University Center at 411 N. Central Ave.

This free exhibit is part of First Friday and will feature four new art collections, with more than 500 pieces on display from ASU Emeritus faculty, nonprofit community organizations and artists, and students of Barrett, the Honors College, and South Mountain High School in Phoenix. Live music will be featured on two stages, along with dancers and interactive art demonstrations. Many artists and nonprofit groups will be on hand to discuss their work.

“The event is designed to welcome the community to its ASU Downtown Phoenix campus and to share the richly diverse art collection,” says Debra Friedman, University Vice President and Dean of the College of Public Programs at the ASU Downtown Phoenix campus. Among the new collections this year is “Migration: Immigration, Giving Honor to Cultures and Communities,” designed to encourage open-minded dialogue about an important and often divisive current issue.

Phoenix artists including Luis Gutierrez, Martin Moreno, Emily Matyas and Francisco Garcia examine immigration as a global, national, local, and family phenomenon. The Cultural Arts Coalition, Neighborhood Ministries, Advocates for Latin@ Arts and Culture and South Mountain High School, among many others, use the arts to showcase their mission and strengthen shared community ties.Other new art collections include “Spring Forward,” with works from artists, students and faculty of Barrett, the Honors College, celebrating the coming of spring.Information Commons is showcasing “Double/Vision,” which brings together works from Phoenix artists Nancy Reinker and Diana Clauss.Artwork in the “For Our Eyes” collection shares viewpoints from nonprofits in the Phoenix community and the people they serve.

Another collection showcases the talent of ASU professors, expressed through the works of retired faculty members of the ASU Emeritus College. This includes influential African-American artist and educator Dr. Eugene Grigsby, Jr.The campus will be filled with the sights of ASU graduate dance students performing with urban youth, live art demonstrations such as painting, kids’ crafts and interactive opportunities. Diverse music, poetry and performances will be provided by Barrett, the Honors College, local organizations and sponsors.

Live music includes steel drummers, tap dancers and local bands including Try Me Bicycle, Grupo Liberdade and Ten Dollar Outfit.The 4th Annual Urban Gallery Exhibition is an Artlink shuttle stop, and planned in coordination with the Roosevelt Row block party. More than 30 nonprofit groups are taking part, including Phoenix Children’s Hospital, AZ Wilderness Coalition, Neighborhood Ministries, the Cultural Arts Coalition, Hospice of the Valley, Downtown Phoenix Public Market, and PSA Art Awakenings.

The exhibition is among the highlights of a daylong community event, “Action, Advocacy and Arts,” focusing on the power of community at the Downtown Phoenix campus.For information about the exhibit, contact ASU community liaison Malissa Geer at malissa.geer@asu.edu.

For “Action, Advocacy and Arts” details, visit: http://copp.asu.edu/aaa.# # #High-resolution photos of examples of the exhibit are available at: http://copp.asu.edu/do/college-news/events-gallery/immigration-art-exhibitHere’s a link to the YouTube page with the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WhcBVcSCu88

MEDIA CONTACT:Corey SchubertManager of Media Communications, ASU College of Public Programs602.496.0406 office602.370.6128 cellCorey.Schubert@asu.edu