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You Can't Spell Heart Without Art: Celebrate 30 Years of Art Detour March 15-20

by Lauren Potter
Arts & Culture Lauren Potter March 2, 2018

(Photo: Courtesy of Valley Metro)

You can’t spell heart without art and Art Detour 30 is just that — the heart of downtown’s thriving arts and culture scene. As Phoenix’s original art walk, we guess you could say Art Detour gave our arts scene its beat when it started 30 years ago.
And this year, for its 30th anniversary — the event has been completely re-imagined, and expanded from three to six days of creative arts programming.
Once a “choose your own adventure” weekend of gallery openings and art exhibits, Art Detour 30 is different. This year, it’s district driven — with each day of the weekend-long celebration focusing on a particular district within the greater Downtown Phoenix. And this year, we’re pretty thrilled to share that the Downtown Core will stand out with creative arts events including a fashion show, and — held in our very own DTPHX headquarters — the Pedal to the Metal: Bike Art Show.
While the Art Detour format has changed, some things have stayed the same, like the amazing Art d’Core Gala kick-off event. So be sure to check out our round up of daily happenings to get the most out of Art Detour 30.
Find daily program schedules for participating galleries, studios, retail and dining at ArtDetour.com.

THURSDAY, MARCH 15 | ART D’CORE GALA

(Photo: Courtesy of Artlink Phoenix)

Kick-off Art Detour’s 30th year inside an exquisite historic warehouse located in the heart of Phoenix’s urban-chic Warehouse District. You’ll be surrounded by original brick walls, exposed beams and sparkly bistro lights — not to mention the who’s who of Phoenix’s art and culture scene.
Come as you are or wear creative cocktail attire encouraged. Spoiler alert: You’ll get a serious case of FOMO if you miss out on this one.
Get tickets before they’re gone: $20 single, $30 pair.
When: Thursday, March 15 from 6-9 p.m.
Where: Warehouse215 at Bentley Projects 215 E. Grant Street

FRIDAY, MARCH 16 | ROOSEVELT ROW

(Photo: Courtesy of Roosevelt Row CDC)

Nationally known for its arts and cultural events, award-winning restaurants, galleries, boutiques and live music, Roosevelt Row is where First Friday all began. Trolleys will connect with the Valley Metro light rail station at Central/Roosevelt and circulate through the district from 6 to 10 p.m.
Friday Night After Party
After you’ve experienced the festivities happening along Roosevelt Row, stroll on over to FOUND:RE Phoenix hotel for an after party with DJ vibes provided by Rani G.
When: Friday, March 16 from 9 p.m. to 12 a.m.
Where: FOUND:RE Phoenix, 1100 N. Central Avenue

SATURDAY, MARCH 17 | GRAND AVENUE – DAY

(Photo: Lauren Potter)

Spend the afternoon on Historic Grand Avenue — a quirky part of town known for its eclectic mix of art studios and galleries, vintage architecture and interesting adaptive reuse projects. Artist-decorated planters, green bike lanes, art installations, colorful murals, free on-street parking, and small businesses highlight this unique area situated on the western edge of downtown.
Trolleys will connect with the Valley Metro light rail station at Central/Roosevelt and Central/Van Buren, then circulate through the district from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

SATURDAY, MARCH 17 | DOWNTOWN CORE – NIGHT

(Photo: Hector Primero)

Pedal to the Metal: Bike Art Show
We’re lending our walls (and floors) to a group of super talented local artists and designers to celebrate bikes during Art Detour weekend. In addition to original works for sale by amazingly talented local artists, we’ll be unveiling the winning prototypes of the Pedal to the Metal: PHX Bike Rack Project. Functional, yet stylish — these bike racks are a little out of the box, and works of art in their own right. The inspiration behind both the racks and the art show grew from (and were inspired by) downtown’s growing bicycle culture. Beer, wine and snacks will be provided.
When: Saturday, March 17 from 5-7 p.m.
Where: Downtown Phoenix Inc., 1 E. Washington St., Ste. 230
On Central Fashion + Art Weekend
Get ready for some traffic-stopping art (literally). Come see the works of Phoenix’s most talented fashion designers, artists and trendsetters in a high-energy event held in the middle of Central Avenue (it’ll be closed to traffic, of course).
When: Saturday, March 17 from 1-10 p.m.
Where: CityScape Phoenix, 1 E. Washington St.

SUNDAY, MARCH 18 | WAREHOUSE DISTRICT DAY

(Photo: Courtesy of Bentley Gallery)

Experience the Downtown Phoenix neighborhood that Thrillist recently said is about to become “crazy popular.” The intersection of history, creativity and innovation, the Phoenix Warehouse District provides an inspiring glimpse of Downtown Phoenix’s past and future. With an eclectic collection of office spaces, restaurants, galleries, museums and one-of-a-kind venues for music and events, its urban realness draws creative ventures and tech start-ups alike.
Trolleys will connect with the Valley Metro light rail stations at Third Street/Washington and Third Street/Jefferson, then circulate through the district from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Artist Studio Tour
Get behind the scenes of an artist’s creative process and take a guided tour of working artists’ studios. The tour departs at 2 p.m. on Sunday from Bentley Gallery, where parking for the tour is also available.
Participating venues/artists include The Hive, Halldor Hjalmarson, Rick Naimark, Amber Lillie, Marilyn Szabo, Helmut Hammen, Stacey Gordon and more.
When: Sunday, March 18 from 2-5 p.m.
Where: Bentley Gallery, 215 E. Grant St.

MONDAY, MARCH 19 | SYMPOSIUM

Creative City Symposium Day 1
The Intersection of Art + Architecture
A talk by Alexandra Lange, Architecture Critic for Curbed.com, and author of Writing About Architecture: Mastering the Language of Buildings and Cities (Princeton Architectural Press, 2012), a primer on how to read and write architecture criticism.  In partnership with Modern Phoenix Week, Phoenix Urban Design Week, AIA PHX Metro, and in collaboration with the City of Phoenix Office of Arts and Culture. Tickets $10.
When: Monday, March 19 from 4- 8 p.m.
Where: Crescent Ballroom, 308 N. Second Ave.

TUESDAY, MARCH 20 | SYMPOSIUM

Creative City Symposium Day 2
Artists + Collectors Night
For the closing day of Art Detour 30, sit back and listen to a panel discussion on curators, collectors, arts professionals and contemporary trends of art collecting. Moderated by Joshua Rose, Editor of American Art Collector. Tickets $10.
When: Tuesday, March 20 from 4-8 p.m.
Where: Phoenix Art Museum, 1625 N. Central Ave.