Art is often perceived to be for the specially trained or as a luxury activity, but Tucson’s Borderlands Theater has worked to change that narrative with their Art is Vital campaign, which is coming to an end.
Borderlands Theater has been taking part in One Nation/One Project’s national campaign titled “Arts For EveryBody.” Part of an 18-city cohort, Borderlands’ officials say the company has worked to prove how the arts can lead to healthier people and healthier communities. The year-long campaign will end with their “Art is Vital: An Art and Wellness” fiesta on Saturday, July 27, from 6-10 p.m.
“We’ve always had this kind of focus, but this year we’ve really went out and said, ‘Hey, Art is Vital,’” said Borderlands Theater Associate Artistic Director Milta Ortiz. “As theater makers, the reason we do this is because we know it helps our wellbeing and helps our community’s wellbeing... now we have the research that proves that is factual.”
The fiesta will take place at Berger Performing Arts Center, 1200 W. Speedway. It will start with a concert reading of “Anita,” a musical by Borderlands Theater that showcases “the power of joy to create a sense of home and belonging,” says the event website.
“The plot of the musical is a little girl has been separated from her parents at the border, and she never gives up the hope of finding them,” Ortiz said.
Following the concert reading, the event will move to the courtyard, where attendees can take part in art activities, grab food from booths offering Tohono O’odham, Cuban and Salvadorean cuisine, get poetry tarot card readings and listen to live music by Dos Sueños band.
“These are all very accessible experiences,” Ortiz said. “We’re saying art is for everybody, so everyone can get involved.”
Mayor Regina Romero will also attend and announce the winners of the “Art is Vital” art contest, which was showcased on July 12 at Galeria Mitotera, 1802 S. Fourth Ave.
“We had an art call, so anyone could submit any type of art... and the community went in and voted,” Ortiz said. “Congressman (Raul) Grijalva’s office is going to award the three finalists congressional certificates, and then the winner will get a $500 cash prize.”
The submissions showcased on July 12 will be up for viewing at Berger Saturday night.
The concert reading starts at 6 p.m. and the courtyard activities follow at 8. Tickets for the concert are $15 for students/industry and $30 for general admission through tucne.ws/btaiv or at the door. The courtyard activities are free, but bring money for food.
If you ever wondered what the green dress from "The Wiz" looked like up close, the colorful look of the Ziegfeld Follies costumes, or wanted an extensive view on the elements that make a groundbreaking musical, then the newly opened Museum of Broadway is for you. Broadway's first museum opened this week and provides fans with a combination of history, memorabilia and education. "Showboat," Rent," "Company," and "A Chorus Line" are but a few of the shows that have elaborate displays that let fans get up close and personal. Museum Co-Founder Julie Boardman says one of the hardest parts of setting up the museum was figuring out the story they wanted to tell. "There's so much history. So how are we going to organize it and make it in a way the people you know, really with the guest experience in mind? So we've landed on this idea that we stand on the shoulders of those who came before us. So had all these people not pioneered, broken ground, taken risks along the way, we would never have the art form and the art that is created today."
