MEDIA CONTACT:
Kelli Klymenko, Marketing Manager
(928) 282-3809

 

Sedona Arts Center Opens New Gallery Space
Public Invited to the Village of Oak Creek Arts Annex

Sedona Arts Center continues its mission to bring the arts community together and expand creative opportunities. The nonprofit organization's latest development is the opening of a satellite co-op gallery and community arts space in the Village of Oak Creek. Known as the VOC Arts Annex, this temporary space is located at The Collective, (formerly Tequa Village) and is being operated every day of the week by two dozen local artists and volunteers.

The three month pilot project, coordinated by the Arts Center's Sharon Manzke and Vince Fazio, was made possible by a visionary landlord Thomas McPherson, who welcomed the organization's desire to support creative people and build community. The Village outreach project gained traction in early March, when 20+ generous artists agreed to pitch in through a cooperative approach. 

Now open and welcoming visitors daily, the VOC Arts Annex gallery features work for sale by local painters, sculptors, and mixed-media artists.  The public is invited to stop by and met them, Monday to Thursday from Noon to 6pm, and Friday to Sunday from 10am to 7pm. The Annex shares the building with other creative businesses who are bringing new life to the Village centerpiece. They include Adorn Collection, Zona Gallery and Sun Tea, a large-scale 3D printer, and a soon-to-open Village Visitors' Center. 

The activation of The Collective also includes a bi-weekly farmers' market, the new Village Grind Cafe, a major new event venue opening soon, and local favorites Cucina Rustica, Schoolhouse Restaurant, Miley's Cafe, and Full Moon Saloon. 

The VOC Arts Annex is another sign of expanding community outreach at Sedona Arts Center. We invite you to stop by, get to know the new environment and artists, and share your thoughts. Following a three-month trial, and with adequate community support, the satellite project could extend into summer and add workshops and other creative programming.  

continues below

The VOC satellite initiative began in late 2015, whe Arts Center executive director, Eric Holowacz, first met McPherson. After an introduction by community leader Bev Copen of the Village Vision Alliance, the two began discussing how to build genuine creative community, possible pop-up art spaces, and a bold vision for McPherson's Village of Oak Creek property. 

“We share the same ethic and desire to support creative people, and enhance community-building through the arts and culture,” said Holowacz. “It was so refreshing to meet a property developer with an interesting and beautiful vision that also involved the arts and highly creative sense of place."
 
McPherson toured the Sedona Arts Center campus in December, and came away knowing that the nonprofit organization would make a perfect partner to help activate The Collective. And with that the Arts Center, and its focus on outreach programming and building new audiences, had found a community arts venue in the Village.  

“Sedona Arts Center has a 60-year history of supporting Northern Arizona artists and working to develop creative places,” said Holowacz. “This new satellite space extends our outreach to the south, and has already helped us make hundreds of new creative friends. We invite everyone to stop in, share ideas for the Village, and think more about what we can do together.”  
 

- 30 -

VOC Annex Artists / Gallery Volunteers
 

This project would not have been possible without the time, energy, ideas, and ongoing leadership of the below local artists. As an artist-run gallery, the VOC Arts Annex is operated by these community-minded creative people. Sedona Arts Center is grateful to every one who is helping us find new ways to engage the community and expand our outreach to the Village of Oak Creek and beyond. 

E l a i n e   B e l v i n 
B i l l   B e l v i n
J i m   P e t e r s o n
A d r y a n n a   C i e r a
G a l e   C r a i g
B r i a n   G o l d
M e l a n i e   G o l d
I r i s   G r a e b e r
M a r y   H e l s a p l e
K e l l i   K l y m e n k o
P a t t y   L a m b
K a t h r y n   L o v e
C h i k a k o   M y e r s
D e n n i s   O t t
R o n   S c h n e i d e r
I s a b e l   S i m m e r
H o l l y   S t e d m a n
J u l i e   T a l b o t
C h e r y l   W a a l e
L a n i e   W i d m a r
K a r l   W i l l i a m s