Arizona: Arts Administrator Exchange Program

In December 2008, the Arizona Commission on the Arts in conjunction with the Arizona-Mexico Commission and the Instituto Sonorense de Cultura offered an exchange program for seven arts and cultural administrators. In the first part of a two-part exchange, administrators from Tucson, Mesa, Phoenix, Glendale and Chandler met for five days with their counterparts in Sonora, Mexico. The goal of the experience was to provide participants networking, professional development and a cultural understanding of the work in Sonora. The experience gave the administrators tools to organize, plan and sustain their careers, as well as strengthen professional ties. The group visited local landmarks, theatres, galleries, the university, and museums and observed young people’s classes in the arts. They were greeted at the governor’s palace by Sonora Governor Eduardo Bours. Potential outcomes from the exchange include a tour of Borderlands Theatre from Tucson to Hermosillo and an exhibition of photographs from Mexican artists in Glendale. The Arizona participants will host their Sonoran counterparts in Tucson and Phoenix in the spring. For more information, contact Arizona Commission on the Arts Executive Director Bob Booker.