Chalk Walk: A Festival of Street Paintings + Chalk Murals Will Transform Tempe Marketplace into a Colorful Canvas on April 27

All roads lead to creativity as talented artists transform the sidewalks of Tempe Marketplace into beautiful works of art during Chalk Walk: A Festival of Street Paintings + Chalk Murals, a family-friendly event on Saturday April 27th from 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. Visitors to the Marketplace will watch as local muralists create spectacular painted works throughout the shopping center and will have the opportunity to translate their inspiration into their own colorful creations.

After several successful years in existence, the Tempe Marketplace Chalk Art Festival has evolved to include acrylic painting as a medium used by artists at the festival, in addition to pastel chalk. The new format invites artists to craft eye-popping, dimension-bending illustrations on 5-by-5-foot canvas murals on the walkways, in just 6 short hours, while the permanent canvases will allow the murals to be enjoyed long after the festival concludes.

Inspired guests can head over to Chalk Art Avenue located near Dave and Buster’s and create their very own mural masterpiece. Participation is FREE to all attendees. Pastel chalk and artist instruction will be provided at no cost. 

 “Given the festival’s long history in the community, we are excited to present the re-envisioned format and continue to showcase the work of so many talented artists from around the state, while holding true to some of the most beloved aspects of the event” says Emilie Andrews, Tempe Marketplace Senior Marketing Director.  
 
Vestar, Tempe Marketplace’s parent company, continues to support the arts year round. Chalk Walk is yet another example of the center’s dedication to driving economic development and cultural placemaking through the arts. In 2018, Vestar received the coveted Arizona Governor’s Arts Award, recognizing their continued support for the arts. In Arizona, Vestar works with hundreds of musicians and visual artists throughout the year, in addition to hosting numerous arts-based festivals, events and installations.  

“Tempe Marketplace provides tremendous support to artists and the local creative economy,” said Kate Marquez, Founder of the Arizona Business Committee for the Arts. “We are proud to continue to partner with them on this outstanding community festival and bring street painting to Tempe.” 

Tempe Marketplace Street Painting Festival
When: Saturday, April 27, 11:00 a.m. – 5 p.m. 
Where: Tempe Marketplace (2000 E. Rio Salado Pkwy. Tempe, AZ 85281) 
Cost: Free
Online: https://www.saaca.org/streetpainting.html
 
Note to Media: Photos Available Upon Request

About Tempe Marketplace
Second to none, Tempe Marketplace is the ultimate interactive shopping, dining and entertainment experience in greater Phoenix. Situated in a vibrant, high-energy outdoor environment, it’s a shopper’s paradise, a diner’s dream and a resident’s cultural hub. True to its marketplace name, there’s something for everyone as more than 100 retailers and restaurants call the 1.3 million-square-foot retail destination home. The center’s dramatic lights and eye-catching laser elements give it a modern and energetic feel, yet the gathering spaces and entertainment areas make it a warm community hub. Located in the heart of the Valley at the Loop 101 and 202 crossroads, Tempe Marketplace is minutes from Phoenix, Scottsdale, Mesa, Chandler and Gilbert. For more information, visit
tempemarketplace.com.
 
About Vestar
One of the leading privately held real estate companies in the western United States, Vestar specializes in the acquisition, management, and development of commercial real estate, including entertainment-retail complexes, power and lifestyle centers, and neighborhood centers of varying size and scale that serve as community shopping destinations with a unique sense of place. For more information, please visit www.vestar.com.
 
About Arizona Business Committee for the Arts 
The Arizona Business Committee for the Arts is a program of the Southern Arizona Arts & Cultural Alliance, a not-for-profit organization that exists to ensure that, through engagement in arts and culture, our communities produce strong, inspired citizens. AZBCA enlists artists, businesses, governments, and individuals to expand artistic and cultural opportunities in their respective communities. To enhance access to the arts and to promote cultural awareness in the communities it serves, AZBCA presents large-scale festivals, events and other programs. For more information, please visit www.saaca.org.