The Phoenix Parks and Recreation Department’s Center for the Arts currently is accepting entries for all four of their juried annual exhibitions – Photography & Kiln Worked Glass Show; Metals & Jewelry Show; African American Vibes of the City; and Arte Latino en la Ciudad. The entry deadline for submissions is Sept. 2, 2008.

Exhibitions are open to artists of all levels of experience, media, style and technique, allowing emerging artists the opportunity to exhibit and make connections in the local art community. Submitting artists must be Arizona residents and 18 years of age at the time of application and exhibition. Submissions must consist of work completed with the last two years.

A complete application packet must be submitted for each exhibit entered and must include:

• A current resume and artist statement
• Five to 10 digital images on a CD labeled with artist name and show title
• Thumbnail printouts/small images of all digital images on the CD
• A list including title, medium, and size of all images
• A self-addressed envelope with adequate postage
• A $40 application fee (payable to City of Phoenix)

Upon selection, each exhibit fee is $40. Fees are nonrefundable.

Entry forms are available at the Phoenix Center for the Arts, 1202 N. Third St. Additional information is available by calling 602-262-4634.

Information about the Phoenix Center for the Arts and a complete listing of the classes offered, are available online at phoenix.gov/parks

It's high time for high fashion.

Finally, a Phoenix area fashion show is going to be held in downtown Phoenix.

Phoenix Runway will make its run of October 3-4, 2008 at the Herberger Theatre. Sponsored by the Art Institute of Phoenix, PR is a 501(c)3 formed to raise money for Alice Cooper's Solid Rock charity. 

The week leading up to PR will feature a bevy of fashion design, photography and merchandising classes at AiPX, with the show kicking off on October 3 with a celebrity fashion show. Confirmed guests include local reporter and former Apprentice contestant Jenn Hoffmann, Phoenix mayor Phil Gordon, Sean Connery impersonator Dennis Keogh, with more on the way, all hosted by AZCentral entertainer of they year Scott Shapiro.

The second night will feature nationally-acclaimed designers looking to make their mark on our adolescent market. Clarissa Burt will host the Saturday evening affair.

For more information, check out phoenixrunway.com. kontakt magazine will also be giving out VIP passes for their green room, check out kontaktmag.com/blog for details.

Phoenix Runway

October 3-4, 2008.

Herberger Theatre

Rumor has it that Hotel San Carlos, now fairly well-known for the all-age pool parties it hosts every weekend and a few nights per week, is planning to add to its repertoire with bigger events to be held in other areas of the hotel.

Perfect opportunity for those who like to meet and greet new people downtown, but prefer to stay both dressed and dry.

Rooms are still $79/night.

Stay tuned for more details.

Hotel San Carlos
202 North Central Avenue
Phoenix, AZ 85004

According to a Press Release from our good friend Doug Bale, the last time that the Drip will host "last Saturday night" musical happenings is the last Saturday of August.  I hope I haven't confused you, but apparentlly, Saturday night August 30th is when the event is happening.  8:30 PM - Admission is $3, plus $5 if you bring your own wine.  for more info contact Doug Bale at predure@hotmail.com .

Perfoming on Saturday night, August 30th at the Drip Coffee Lounge will be Jump Back Heart Attack, Mike Montoya & Doug Bale.

Watch for a soon coming Italian Dining experience at the Drip.  That's what I heard.

Presented by Fred Astaire Dance Studios

Stage West at the Herberger

Aug 09, 08

An MS Foundation Benefit - Fred Astaire Dance studio proudly presents a showcase performance of students and professionals dancing to some of the biggest and best Broadway songs and shows. All proceeds benefit the Arizona Multiple Sclerosis Foundation.

Tickets are $15.

Showtimes: 

Show begins at 2pm. Doors open at 1:30pm.

info and tickets online

Produced by Valley Youth Theatre - August 8 - 24 at the Herberger Theater Center

Valley Youth Theatre opens its 20th anniversary season with AIDA, the epic tale of love, loyalty and betrayal featuring the exhilarating Tony® and Grammy® Award-winning score by Elton John and Tim Rice in their first collaboration since writing the music for the worldwide phenomenon The Lion King. Set in ancient Egypt, AIDA is the contemporary musical reincarnation of the tale of love between a soldier and an enslaved princess – a love that condemns them to death, but ultimately transcends the vast cultural differences between two warring nations. Tickets are $17.00 - $33.00 (additional fees may apply). For tickets call(602)252-8497. Showtimes:Thursdays and Fridays at 7:30 p.m., Saturdays at 2:00 and 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2:00 p.m.

more info online

Thursday, August 14th - Presenting the new play, "The Last Hurrah of the Clementines".

Creating original theatre; aggressively experimental, while tipping its hat to established traditions such as clown, vaudeville, and storytelling.

Press quote: "Along with their exaggerated make-up and elaborate, self-made sets and costumes, The Missoula Oblongata avoided the melodramatic and pretentious tendencies of some independent theater and arrived at a quirky nostalgia, a quality that briefly poked its head into the indie music scene with bands like The Decemberists and, more recently, The Arcade Fire." Sarah Gibbons, The Valley Advocate

Show starts at 8 PM, Tickets are $7.

Trunk Space website

The Missoula Oblongata website

August 5th - 14th - Tuesdays thru Thursdays

Jeffrey and Patrice, stuck in a parking garage after a game (for nearly an hour) take a funny and heartwarming look into the rear view mirror of their marriage.

Herberger Theater Center at 12:10pm. Tuesdays-Thursdays. Tickets are $6, optional lunch is $5.50-$6.50. Call 602 373 6570 to pre-order lunch. For information, call 602 254 7399 x 104 or get info online

If you are a "First Fridays" veteran, you already know where everything is on Roosevelt and probably on Grand Avenue so this First Friday, do something new and different.  Stop by the Royal Coffee Bar and it's neighbor the Sweet Pea Bakery for some Java and a goodie and check out their "local Artist's work on display".  The 2 establishments are right next door to each other on the corner of 2nd Ave & Jackson in the Warehouse District. 

They have plenty of seating available both indoors and outdoors.

Royal Coffee Bar website

Sweet Pea Bakery website

Burton Barr Central Library will host an exhibit of abstract paintings by P. Hanson titled, “On the Move and Other Stories,” Aug. 1 – 28 at the library’s @Central Gallery, 1221 N. Central Ave.

A free artist reception will be held from 7 to 10 p.m. Friday, Aug. 1. The reception is part of Artlink First Friday, a free self-guided tour of downtown Phoenix galleries and art spaces. Refreshments will be served.

Inspired by history and myth, Hanson’s work explores the marks and symbols we use to explain the world. Her mixed-media paintings are composites of shape and line; their surfaces reveal both the physical activity and the thought process that occurs in creating the work.