Phoenix Festival of the Arts: A Three-Day Celebration Promises to Unify the Arts Community in December

The Phoenix Center for the Arts is on a serious mission.

The downtown arts venue, managed by the Phoenix Center Arts Association and directed by local artist Joseph Benesh announced it will host the first Phoenix Festival of the Arts, a three-day celebration that aims to “unite the arts and arts organizations through a cross-pollination of artistic markets in a way Phoenix has never done before.”

The three-day celebration in December will include space for arts vendors, food trucks, and three stages for live entertainment and performance.

According to Banesh, the idea for the festival grew out of Phoenix Center for the Arts annual holiday arts sale, which was originally open to the Center’s students.

“The Phoenix Festival of the Arts grew from the realization that Phoenix didn’t have its own signature arts festival,” he writes. “It also presents an opportunity to represent what the Center does best, which is to represent all the different art mediums.”

Benesh also notes that the festival will differ from Art Detour — a weekend arts celebration with a similar mission scheduled for March 2 and 3 — and will cater to all kinds of arts media, including dance, performance, and music.

The Phoenix Festival of the Arts is slated for December 7, 8, and 9, and will take over the center, parts of Hance park, and Moreland Street from First to Third streets, where food trucks will be parked.

Artists are encouraged to apply to be a part of the festival by September 30. Juried artists booths will be set up and ready for art sales, the showcasing of live art, and networking with other creatives in the community. On October 12, acceptance letters will be mailed to the artists with booth fee information and requirements. For more application information, check out the Phoenix Festival of the Arts website.

Follow Jackalope Ranch on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.