A non-profit community space fueled by collaboration, cooperation, and connection
- A collaborative programming space occupied by artists, creatives, educators, teams, and cross-sector organizations.
- A place for connection, gathering, and celebration.
- A mission uplifting sustainable collaboration and collective impact.
CATALYST combines over 14,000 square feet of flexible meeting, event, classroom and production space. SAACA conceived CATALYST after identifying a need for a dedicated community space that could uplift, connect and build stronger collaborations within our creative sector.
Hosting special events, seminars, presentations, arts experiences, rehearsals, performances and social gatherings from 25-350 people
Hosting special events, seminars, presentations, arts experiences, rehearsals, performances and social gatherings from 25-350 people
THE HISTORY OF CATALYSTWhen SAACA formulated the original concept for CATALYST, the primary focus was designing a multi-use space for co-working, hosting educational classes and workshops, and bringing artists and creatives together to collaborate on projects.
After facing the profound challenges of operating an indoor gathering space during the COVID-19 pandemic, SAACA adjusted the focus of CATALYST to serve the community in a new and sustained way. The creative community urgently required space to create mission-focused work with shared resources. CATALYST ultimately survived the pandemic’s trials through the resource sharing of over a dozen organizations and individuals coming together to collaborate and utilize the space for varied needs and missions. Rebranding to the CATALYST Creative Collective enables us to better embody the meaningful, necessary, and mission-focused role the space now serves in Southern Arizona. The new name tells a more relevant story of the work at CATALYST each day and ultimately better positions us to serve the creative community. LOOKING FORWARD CATALYST Creative Collective is a dynamic and inclusive space that reflects the essence of the hundreds of artists, creatives, community members, and nonprofit organizations that come together at CATALYST to collaborate and build shared value. Current CATALYST partners include working digital creators, culinary-based businesses, visual and performing artists, business networking groups, and nonprofit organizations such as the Southern Arizona Symphony Orchestra, Esperanza Dance Project, Tucson Youth Music, and the educational nonprofit Waters Center for Systems Thinking. Although the name evolves, the primary layout of CATALYST will remain unchanged with dedicated spaces to support a variety of disciplines: the Don Luria & Donna Nordin Teaching Kitchen, the Bob & Vivian Weede Digital Arts and Music Studio, the Watermark Community Room, and more. LOCATIONCATALYST is located in the heart of the Tucson Mall, on the lower level, between the former Sears and current Dillard's. CATALYST does not observe set operating hours. The space is open for private use, including pre-scheduled classes by local artists, special events and performances rentals, education classes and more.
CATALYST Creative Collective TUCSON MALL 4500 North Oracle Road, Suite 110 Tucson, AZ 85705 Phone (520) 797-3959 
PARKING
There are several Tucson Mall entrances that CATALYST is accessible from. Entrance #1 - Lower Level, between Sears and JC Penney (Handicap Accessible) Entrance #2 - Upper Level, between Sears & Dillards (Down the Escalator) Entrance #3 - Through the Food Court Entrance, towards Sears |
OUR PARTNERS                 |
MAIN FLOOR
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TEACHING KITCHEN
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MUSIC & DIGITAL ARTS LAB
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COMMUNITY ROOM
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MULTI-PURPOSE SPACE
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Gallery
BOB & VIVIAN WEEDE MUSIC & DIGITAL ARTS STUDIO
Bob & Vivian Weede are true disciples of the arts. As co-founder of the Greater Oro Valley Arts Council (GOVAC), Bob Weede believes in the trans-formative power and purpose of the role arts and culture play in a community. As lifelong supporters of music and arts education, it is our honor to dedicate the CATALYST Music & Digital Art Studio to Bob & Vivian Weede. Their firm belief, and tenacious support for the arts were truly the founding catalyst behind SAACA's drive to change the community we serve.
Philanthropy, leadership, and service barely touch the surface of that which describes what Bob & Vivian Weede have done for, and continue to do for the arts in Southern Arizona. Their life-long support for the arts are an inspiration to us all.
Bob & Vivian Weede are true disciples of the arts. As co-founder of the Greater Oro Valley Arts Council (GOVAC), Bob Weede believes in the trans-formative power and purpose of the role arts and culture play in a community. As lifelong supporters of music and arts education, it is our honor to dedicate the CATALYST Music & Digital Art Studio to Bob & Vivian Weede. Their firm belief, and tenacious support for the arts were truly the founding catalyst behind SAACA's drive to change the community we serve.
Philanthropy, leadership, and service barely touch the surface of that which describes what Bob & Vivian Weede have done for, and continue to do for the arts in Southern Arizona. Their life-long support for the arts are an inspiration to us all.
DON LURIA & DONNA NORDIN TEACHING KITCHEN
In 1981, Donald Luria retired from government work in Washington D.C. having served as a Consultant to the Assistant Secretary of Policy Development & Research at HUD, then as Chief, Center for Applied User Research at the Bureau of the Census and as Director of Research, Executive Office of the Mayor, Washington, DC. He moved to Tucson, Arizona (not knowing a single person) bought the Tasting Spoon Cooking School and launched a culinary career. He then started Gourmet to Go as a catering company and gourmet take out to-go.
After participating and donating food to the Tucson Festival Society, Tucson Museum of Art and the Tucson Symphony Orchestra, he was asked to join their Boards of Directors. With a dedicated passion for community, culinary arts and giving back, Don has served on over 25 area non-profit Boards, and is fully committed to moving Southern Arizona forward. Many of the Board leadership roles were related to his interest in expanding Tucson’s culinary field.
He founded the Tucson Originals Restaurants and the Tucson Culinary Foundation and notably served on the Board of Tucson Meet Yourself, Native Seeds/SEARCH and Local First Arizona. He was Board Chair and then President of the Council of Independent Restaurants in America.
Donna Nordin, whose teaching and culinary career began in San Francisco, is the former owner/chef of Terra Cotta in Tucson, Arizona. Under Donna’s culinary guidance for 23 years, Café Terra Cotta was one of Tucson’s most popular restaurants. This success came from her creative merging of French culinary techniques with the flavors of the American Southwest.
Donna studied at Le Cordon Bleu and Lenôtre Pastry School in Paris. Donna continues to teach cooking in Arizona and California. Donna was the 1993 James Beard nominee for Best Chef Southwest and was inducted into Arizona’s Culinary Hall of Fame in 1994. In 1999, Donna received IACP’s Award of Excellence for Chefs. Donna was seen in segments of three nationally televised cooking shows.
The Southern Arizona Arts & Cultural Alliance is honored to pay tribute to Don Luria and Donna Nordin, with the naming of our community teaching kitchen, in their honor.
In 1981, Donald Luria retired from government work in Washington D.C. having served as a Consultant to the Assistant Secretary of Policy Development & Research at HUD, then as Chief, Center for Applied User Research at the Bureau of the Census and as Director of Research, Executive Office of the Mayor, Washington, DC. He moved to Tucson, Arizona (not knowing a single person) bought the Tasting Spoon Cooking School and launched a culinary career. He then started Gourmet to Go as a catering company and gourmet take out to-go.
After participating and donating food to the Tucson Festival Society, Tucson Museum of Art and the Tucson Symphony Orchestra, he was asked to join their Boards of Directors. With a dedicated passion for community, culinary arts and giving back, Don has served on over 25 area non-profit Boards, and is fully committed to moving Southern Arizona forward. Many of the Board leadership roles were related to his interest in expanding Tucson’s culinary field.
He founded the Tucson Originals Restaurants and the Tucson Culinary Foundation and notably served on the Board of Tucson Meet Yourself, Native Seeds/SEARCH and Local First Arizona. He was Board Chair and then President of the Council of Independent Restaurants in America.
Donna Nordin, whose teaching and culinary career began in San Francisco, is the former owner/chef of Terra Cotta in Tucson, Arizona. Under Donna’s culinary guidance for 23 years, Café Terra Cotta was one of Tucson’s most popular restaurants. This success came from her creative merging of French culinary techniques with the flavors of the American Southwest.
Donna studied at Le Cordon Bleu and Lenôtre Pastry School in Paris. Donna continues to teach cooking in Arizona and California. Donna was the 1993 James Beard nominee for Best Chef Southwest and was inducted into Arizona’s Culinary Hall of Fame in 1994. In 1999, Donna received IACP’s Award of Excellence for Chefs. Donna was seen in segments of three nationally televised cooking shows.
The Southern Arizona Arts & Cultural Alliance is honored to pay tribute to Don Luria and Donna Nordin, with the naming of our community teaching kitchen, in their honor.
ACCESSIBILITY
A prime location for a permanent home for SAACA, the Tucson Mall offers ample parking, year round air conditioning, over 8 Million annual visitors, and mixed used amenities as well as access from the newly established Chuck Huckelberry Loop, access to the arroyo, the highly trafficked Tohono Tadai Bus Transit Center at Stone/Wetmore, as well as existing infrastructure and expandable indoor and outdoor spaces to host events, partnering organization tenants, and a central location with access to surrounding communities off of Oracle and River Road.
To learn more about adaptive reuse of mall spaces throughout the world, check out the SAACA TenWest Social Impact Presentation on trending rethinking of mall spaces around the country.
To learn more about adaptive reuse of mall spaces throughout the world, check out the SAACA TenWest Social Impact Presentation on trending rethinking of mall spaces around the country.
OUR COLLABORATIVE DESIGN PROCESS
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The space is supported as a signature Arts & Business Partnership between SAACA and Brookfield Properties at Tucson Mall.
The space is designed in partnership with the Frank Lloyd Wright School of Architecture at Taliesin (SoAT) Dean Chris Lasch, a partner with the New York and Tucson-based firm Aranda/Lasch, which is a leader in “computational architecture,” or the application of the latest tools and theories coming out of computer-assisted design and manufacturing to architecture. |
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