Arizona Arts & Culture News: A summary of the leading media stories about the state’s arts and culture community

January 24, 2022

By brianpowell

Shakespeare helped her through hard times. Now she shares that love with Arizona audiences / Arizona Republic

Debra Ann Byrd, Southwest Shakespeare’s new artistic director, hopes to foster diversity and inclusion at the Mesa-based organization as she did in Harlem while growing a bigger audience.


Phoenix Art Museum names Jeremy Mikolajczak next director / ARTnews

The Phoenix Art Museum has named Jeremy Mikolajczak, who has served as the director of the Tucson Museum of Art since 2016, as its new director. Mikolajczak will begin in April.


Ballet Arizona executive director to step down in June / Phoenix Business Journal

Samantha Turner, who joined Ballet Arizona in 2013 and spent the past six years as executive director, will step down at the end of the 2021-22 season in June.


Tucson Symphony Orchestra hosts rising soprano for Desert Song Festival / Arizona Daily Star

Soprano Nicole Cabell will make her Tucson debut singing American ode “Knoxville: Summer of 1915” on a program that also includes work by Black composer Florence Price.


Why FilmBar, downtown Phoenix’s funky home to independent movies, has closed permanently / Arizona Republic

FilmBar, the funky home to independent film in downtown Phoenix, has closed after struggling to remain open during the COVID-19 pandemic.


Skull of extinct crocodile-like reptile to be on display at Arizona museum / KTAR

The skull of a crocodile-like reptile that lived in Arizona millions of years ago will be on display later this year at the Rainbow Forest Museum at Petrified Forest National Park in eastern Arizona.


Chandler traffic control boxes get makeovers from local artists / ABC 15

Dozens of traffic control boxes in Chandler are being decorated with new designs with the help of Valley artists and funding from the city of Chandler.  


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