Phoenix, Arizona: The Center of an Arts Archipelago

Maricopa County´s population is growing at a rate of 100,000 per year, makig a lot of residents and officials think that it´s time for some urban revitalization in the Phoenix, Arizona area.

Arts groups are guiding the way in this revitalization as new multiuse theatres are in the works for Mesa, Tempe, Peoria and Avondale. "The emerging arts landscape mirrors the tremendous growth on the edges of the Valley in the past few decades," and local arts groups see the increasing number of citizens and theatres as "an opportunity to reach new audiences."

Phoenix, Arizona used to be the top destination in the Valley for the arts, but artistic groups hope that with the new theatres the Phoenix, Arizona area feels more like a "´network city` rather than an old-style metropolis with dominant core and secondary suburbs." The goal is to create an "arts archipelago, venues of varying sizes with distinct, if overlapping, niches."

With the construction of new restaurants, boutiques and galleries in these emerging communities, civic groups hope that the Phoenix, Arizona area will begin to generate more revenue for arts and cultural organizations and hopefully rank higher than ninth when compared to peer cities.