45th Annual 4th Avenue Winter Street Fair

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Poster drawn by local Tucson artist Courtney Kelly. Has it really been 45 years of this festive street fair?

I hear that the Sun Link modern streetcar will simply operate from both ends to the 4th Avenue Streetfair during the fair’s hours, and go back & forth to their east/west stations. People seeking to go through to the other end will need to walk or catch a shuttle bus to other end of the street fair (between University Blvd. to E. 9th Street).  See map below.

The next Street Fair is December 12, 13, 14, 2014. Hours are 10 am to 6pm (dusk) each day. The Street Fair takes place between Ninth Street and University Blvd. along Fourth Avenue. The Fourth Avenue Street Fair brings together 400+ arts and crafts booths, 35+ food vendors,Main Stage, street musicians, food, jugglers, street performers, the ever so popular Free Kids hands-on-art Pavilion. There is face painting, balloons, demonstrations, sidewalk entertainment and tons of other fun activities. This is Tucson’s Largest Arts Venue. A Tucson Tradition.

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Play at Playground Games

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Press release from the UA Confluencecenter for Creative Inquiry:

PLAYGROUND GAMES: WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 10

7:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m.

Two research units at the University of Arizona are teaming up to play matchmaker. The Confluencenter for Creative Inquiry (CCI) and the Institute of the Environment (IE) are hosting a live game show-like event Playground Games—think  speed-dating meets Shark Tank, but with an academic spin—from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. on Dec. 10 on the roof of the Playground Bar & Lounge in downtown Tucson. The faculty contestants are divided into interdisciplinary teams that will speed-network, plan a project, and pitch their ideas to a panel of three judges and the audience. Two winning teams will be funded before the fast-paced night is over!

Drawing on IE’s Art and Environment initiative and CCI’s collaborative and interdisciplinary endeavors, the night will bring together faculty who didn’t necessarily know each other beforehand. The groups will be formed, randomly, on the spot. When you get brilliant people together on a roof, sparks can fly!

The judges will evaluate the project pitches and the audience will help make the final decision on which teams are funded. Audience participation space is limited, so RSVP here today!

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UA School of Theatre, Film & TV presents “What’s Up Docs?”

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 10 AT 7:00PM | FREE ADMISSION! Loft Cinema, 3233 E. Speedway Blvd. Presented by the University of Arizona’s School of Theatre, Film and Television Come see your world as you’ve never seen it before! This year’s What’s Up, Docs? program features short documentaries from the UA School of Theatre, Film & Television about … Read more

Walk around downtown on 1st Saturday Art Walks

For several years now the Central Tucson Gallery Assn. (CTGA)  has sponsored art walks on the 1st Saturdays of each month, to encourage Tucsonans to visit art galleries and shop local.  Tonight several of these galleries are open from 6 (or 7) p.m. to 9 p.m.

Here’s the list of 17 art galleries included in CTGA: http://firstsaturdayartwalks.com/index.html.  Some are open tonight, others may not be, so check w/ the individual galleries.  Those I know are definitely open tonight:

Baker + Hasseldenz Design, 100 E. 6th St., with art by Norwegian photographer Ole Marius Jørgensen (7 to 10 p.m.)

Conrad Wilde Gallery, 101 W. 6th St. , with a group show by Jessica Drenk, Yechel Gagnon, Marvin Shaver, Victoria May, Pamela Paulsrud, Dave Zaslow

Contreras Gallery, 110 E. 6th St., with art by Tucsonan Ruben Urrea Moreno, “Snakes and Ladders” (see image below)

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Dragonfly Village inspires hope for homeless/low income

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A way out of homelessness and poverty was the message today at the grand opening of the Dragonfly Village and Community Center, 10496 E. Tanque  Verde Road in Tucson, east of Houghton Rd.  Described as a “majestic setting, Dragonfly Village is 30 furnished rental apartments in its own gated communities, utilities are included with studio, 1, 3, and 4 bedrooms. Subsidies & housing vouchers are welcome.”

These 30 units are intended for homeless and low income individuals and families, with leases for transitional stays of 12 months, then 6 months, for no more than 24 months total.

The facility (still in construction) is located on 4.5 acres on the south side of Tanque Verde Road just east of the Agua Caliente Wash, in a lovely, spacious setting. The grand opening, attended by over 60 people was held today for board members, donors, community partners, neighbors, etc. with speakers emphasizing Amity Foundation’s commitment to helping people move from “hopelessness” to “hope” through programs such as these, with quality, affordable rental housing.  Founder Naya Arbiter explained why the dragonfly was chosen for the logo because it is an ancient helpful creature, tied to the Spirit World of the Zuni Indians.

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