Groundworks Tucson
Groundworks Tucson is a local nonprofit dedicated to promoting the youth-driven music and arts community in Tucson, AZ. We provide youth ages 14-24 opportunities to explore art through a music venue, art gallery and more!
Category: 501(c) 3 Organization
Discipline: Other
Program Affiliations: Arts Foundation Grantees
About Groundworks Tucson
Groundworks was established in 2019 by a team of artists, musicians and teachers in order to provide a space for youth to explore and experience the arts through their own expression and effort. Though initial fundraising efforts helped secure a building for Groundworks to begin operations in 2020, the pandemic caused delays in opening in-person, so Groundworks shifted to virtual activity until a new facility was secured in late 2021. Since then, Groundworks has hosted hundreds of concerts and dozens of gallery exhibitions inviting thousands of youth patrons into our space as performers, volunteers, audience, and supporters of the cause. In 2023, we welcomed over 10,000 patrons through our doors.
Today, we are working to build a better organization both internally and with our physical space to allow a safer, more accessible alternative than what would otherwise available to youth interested in the arts in Tucson. Going forward, Groundworks will continue to grow and remain a haven for creative youth seeking art in Tucson.
Logan Greene
Preferred Pronouns: He/Him
info@groundworkstucson.com
520-360-3579
https://www.groundworkstucson.com/
The crowd having fun at Camp Groundworks 2023
Camp Groundworks 2023
Our annual Camp Groundworks event is a capstone project of the organization and an opportunity to highlight all of the music and art that has contributed to our vibrant creative community each year. This event is a gallery exhibition, a multi-day music festival, and a live-streamed telethon fundraiser for the space featuring dozens of perfomers, artists and youth volunteers!
A mural inside of Groundworks by local artist John Rowse
Space Mural
In addition to ephemeral artistic events, Groundworks is also home to many permanent installations of murals and other visual art. These range from full mural walls to smaller, bite-sized “sticker murals” in our classroom. This Space Mural piece by John Rowse covers an entire section of a hallway in Groundworks spanning 360 degrees, from floor to ceiling, and in every which way you look to create a more experiential way to enjoy the art.
Our youth volunteers are passionate about the work we do.
Job Training at Groundworks
Groundworks is run entirely on volunteer support. We have nearly 50 volunteers we see monthly who staff events, create programming, and even handle administration of the organization. A majority of these volunteers are youth under 25 and are involved in the space not only through experiencing the art, but also through creating the very programming that their Tucson peers benefit from. Youth work with experienced volunteers on job skills in the arts like box office management, event management, sound/lighting design, booking, arts administration, and more.
