What happens when you pair a poet with an astronomer, a performance troupe with a forest service expert, a renowned installation artist with students from an after school program, or a traditional Native dance group with an emerging playwright? Unexpected experiences emerge that are authentic and evocative of the diverse lived experiences of the Southwest.

ARTx invites the creative contributions of many to create a current, experiential, interactive, and ever evolving festival. Think SXSW (South by Southwest), TEDx meets Scottsdale’s Canal Convergence, Edinburgh Fringe meets Miami’s Art Basel.

THE SHAPE, COLOR, AND ENERGY OF THE FESTIVAL IS ROOTED IN AN ANNUAL CALL FOR ENTRIES THAT JURIES EVENTS, ACTIVITIES, AND INSTALLATIONS CITY-WIDE AND THEN IS FURTHER EXTENDED BY A CROWD-SOURCED FRINGE.

ARTx will play a critical role in helping Creative Flagstaff fulfill its mission to foster creative opportunity and affirms the commitment to interdisciplinary creativity. A festival, done right, focuses philanthropy and corporate support for arts and culture, gains the attention of the media, gets the community involved, focuses collaborative and interdisciplinary energy, and leaves a lasting and positive impact on the community, year after year.