Phoenix Festival of the Arts isn't happening this year. Here's why

But it seems like the popular annual event will return in 2024.

July 17, 2023

Image: The guide to the 2015 Phoenix Festival for the Arts

The guide to the 2015 Phoenix Festival for the Arts Phoenix New Times archives

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One of the most popular annual cultural events in Phoenix won't be happening this year.

In a Saturday morning email blast, Phoenix Center for the Arts announced that it would not be producing the Phoenix Festival of the Arts in 2023.

The email, which was presented as coming from Phoenix Center for the Arts CEO Sandra Bassett, read in part, "Due to our current financial challenges, we have made the difficult decision to cancel our Annual Phoenix Festival [of] the Arts. This decision was made after careful consideration, with the aim of reallocating funds to sustain our core mission of offering arts education classes, nonprofit organizational workspace and theater events at affordable prices. We understand the disappointment this may cause, and we share in that sentiment. However, we believe it is a necessary step to ensure the long-term sustainability of our programs."

The 2023 festival was scheduled for December 9 and 10; on the festival's website, those dates are now crossed out but the message "Join Us Again in 2024" sits below them, suggesting that the cancellation is not a permanent one.

Also in the email message was the news that prices would be increasing on classes and space rentals to help the nonprofit organization's bottom line.

The Phoenix Festival of the Arts has been a beloved local festival since its 2012 inception. Last year, the free event boasted more than 12,000 and over 150 art vendors plus live performances and food vendors, according to the website.

Jennifer Goldberg is the Senior Editor of Culture at Phoenix New Times. She joined the New Times staff in February 2016. In her role, Jennifer writes and publishes profiles of both local and regional musicians, previews upcoming performances and provides guides on the best of Phoenix’s entertainment scene. She also oversees the Best of Phoenix. Jennifer previously worked for Jewish News of Greater Phoenix. During her career, Jennifer has received awards from the Arizona Press Club, the Arizona Newspaper Association and the American Jewish Press Association. She holds a bachelor’s of arts in English from Arizona State University.

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