Mission & History

Our Mission Statement

To advance artistic expression, civic participation, and equitable economic growth of our diverse community by supporting, promoting, and advocating for arts and culture in our region.

Kinetic Arts Tucson, Project Creosote Grantee, 2021. Photo by Piamedea Digital

Who we serve

The Arts Foundation provides funding and services to artists, organizations and community members residing in the City Tucson, Pima County, rural communities and Tribal Nations between the Gila River and the US Mexico Border. This includes Pima, Santa Cruz and Cochise counties and southern portions of Pinal, Yuma, Greenlee, Graham, Maricopa County, and Tribal Nations of Ak-Chin Indian Community, Sovereign Nation of the Cocopahs, Quechan Tribe of the Fort Yuma Indian Reservation, Gila River Indian Community, Pascua Yaqui Tribe, Tohono O’odham Nation, San Carlos Apache Nation. 

History

In 1971, a group of citizens came together to form the Tucson Council on the Arts; and organization to serve as a catalyst and information resource for cultural development.

The year 1984 marked the establishment of the Tucson Pima Arts Council (TPAC) as the arts council for the City of Tucson and Pima County, “the principal mechanism through which arts and cultural activities will be planned and carried out within the metropolitan area.”

In 2016, the Board of Directors voted to change the name of TPAC to The Arts Foundation for Tucson and Southern Arizona. This name change reflects the vision of the agency as one that serves a community and region rich in culture and committed to supporting the arts in both the public and private sectors within the Southern Arizona region.

In 2021, the Arts Foundation was able to provide resources to our full-service area including Tucson, Pima County, rural communities and Tribal Nations between the Gila River and the US Mexico Border.

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