Our commitment to collaboration & creativity.
Creative Flagstaff champions catalytic initiatives to support entrepreneurship and nonprofit excellence through year-round programming. Our programs and initiatives help connect the community to one another for greater collaboration, resource sharing, and creative opportunities.
Resiliency beyond the pandemic.
We are committed to helping Flagstaff’s creative sector rebound from the pandemic. Early in the pandemic, we worked with the City and other partners to increase general operating support to nonprofits and launched the Cultural Sector Manager’s Facebook group. Moving forward, our investment in programming is focused on ensuring arts, science, and culture are central to post-pandemic life in Flagstaff.
In 2021, Creative Flagstaff adopted a new strategic plan based on extensive community input. Over the next several years, we will be investing in our programs to support our strategic priorities.
Our Strategic Priorities
- Effective & resilient leadership agency
- Strong & resilient arts, science & culture nonprofits
- A shared community experience
- An emerging identity as one of the Southwest’s most creative cities
- A thriving center for the arts
Initiatives
- Collaborative Fundraising & Development
- Build Arts & Ideas Framework
- Expand Sector Awards & Recognition
- Sustainable Coconino Center for the Arts
- Focused Advocacy & Outreach
Signature Programs
The Viola Awards
The Viola Awards celebrate excellence in arts, science, and culture, recognizing the artists, educators, organizations, and leaders who make positive contributions to the community. Honoring Viola Babbitt, a long-time pioneer of the arts in Flagstaff, this annual event is at the heart of our work to acknowledge those that continue to build our creative city.
Coconino Center For The Arts
CCA features live events, exhibitions, workshops, and more, presenting creative endeavors across the arts, sciences, and humanities. Visit CCA’s website for information about the facility including rental information.
ArtWalk FLG
Presented by Desert Financial Credit Union
ArtWalk FLG brings Downtown Flagstaff to life every first Friday of the month. A collaboration between Creative Flagstaff, Coconino Center for the Arts, and Flagstaff Downtown Business Alliance, art galleries and businesses open their doors to the community with special art exhibitions, performances, live music, and more.
Art & Science Fund Grants
The BBB tax supported Art & Science Fund grant program is Creative Flagstaff’s largest program investing several hundred thousand dollars annually into Flagstaff’s cultural sector. The flagship General Operating Support grant program is supplemented by annual Capacity & Innovation Project Grants and occasional targeted grant opportunities such as professional development.
New programs, new life.
Through grants, funding, and support, Creative Flagstaff has incubated arts, science, and culture programs to help build community and local organizations. Explore more about our history of strategic initiatives and creative programming.
Congratulations 2024 Viola Awards Finalists & Klee Benally as Legacy Award Recipient
In a move to expand the geographic representation, Governor Katie Hobss has appointed two Flagstaffians to the Governing Commission of ...
Fall Exhibitions at Coconino Center for the Arts
This summer, Coconino Center for the Arts is hosting two wonderful exhibitions between their Main and Project Galleries. ...
ARTx: Art + Ideas Experience Pilot Event takes over Flagstaff
ARTx Art + Ideas Experience Arizona pilot event took place from May 25-27, 2023. The pilot event gave Flagstaff and ...
Other Current Programs
Advocacy & Outreach
Creative Flagstaff staff and board are regularly active at the local and state level to support initiatives that strengthen the creative sector. Over the coming year, the board has committed to the formation of an Advocacy Council to establish a formal advocacy agenda and outreach priorities.
Flagstaff 365
Flagstaff365.com is Flagstaff’s event calendar. Presented in partnership with Discover Flagstaff, the City’s tourism agency, the calendar features everything from festivals to classes.
Networking & Roundtables
Throughout the year we offer formal and informal opportunities for cultural leaders and stakeholders to get together, spark conversations, and promote collaborations.
Responsive Training
Over the years, we’ve offered training opportunities from professional development grants to the creation of the ArtBox curriculum. Our FY22 action plan calls for at least two training opportunities to be offered.
“One of the main reasons that I moved to Flagstaff decades ago was the vibrant arts scene. Creative Flagstaff is one of the main forces that creates that vibrancy.”
Jim McCarthy, Flagstaff City Councilmember
Join our advocate list, sign up for program updates or receive updates about fundraising.
Explore open career, internship, and volunteer opportunities within Creative Flagstaff and share your passion with our dedicated team.
Future Programs
Collaborative Investment
Based on research conducted by American’s for the Arts, organizations supported by collaborative fundraising programs had “more revenue and twice the net worth of their counterparts” in cities that did not have similar programs. Creative Flagstaff recently conducted a feasibility assessment for a collaborative fundraising program and is exploring actionable ways to increase community-wide philanthropy and investment.
Dark Sky Arts & Ideas Festival
A world-class festival celebrating the culmination of arts and sciences in our community is soon to come. Stay tuned for news, updates, and showcase opportunities.
Current Action Plan
We are currently in the first phase of our strategic plan. In addition to restoring programming cancelled or postponed by the pandemic, our action plan focuses on building a leadership and development foundation for the programs and initiatives called for in the strategic plan.
