Organizations

Ground Floor Artists was founded by Kelley Smith and Padraic Murphy as a place for artists to gather and create. Phoenix West Valley has many talented artists. Some are just emerging, some are mid career change, yet others are retired and perusing their passion. There are several barriers for artists in Phoenix West Valley. Many young artists coming from an academic setting find that they no longer have access to state of the art equipment after leaving school. Another segment are those artists that have an interest in learning a new medium or technique, mid career artists, hobbyists and retirees. They are looking to produce printed art projects, sculptures, jewelry, metal work, ceramics and other mediums without a large capital investment in equipment and space. Cost of equipment can be prohibitive. Owning specialized equipment for individual use can take years to justify the expense. Space to produce their creations can be expensive and not conducive to producing their art. Artists are seldom good business people, their focus is on creating, they need support and mentoring in understanding the business of art. The final barrier for most artists is the fact that they need other artists around them to develop ideas, learn new techniques, and find community and others with similar interest in art. Ground Floor Artists center is the place where these barriers are addressed through support staff, affordable collaborative workspaces and state of the art equipment that is available for all members.

The Mission of Mesa Arts and Crafts Festival (MACfest ) is to provide an environment that encourages the economic and artistic growth of emerging and established artists and crafters while revitalizing downtown Mesa and building a sense of community.