Art Detour Ahead!

Over ten thousand people will soon descend on downtown Phoenix for the 18th annual Art Detour, a 3-day open studio and gallery event reputed to be one of the largest in the nation! This year's Art Detour will offer, for only the second time, a special kid-friendly Kids' Detour to-day event that was a huge hit when it was introduced last year.

Art Detour is one of several ways that artlink, Inc. fulfills it's mission of bringing together artists, the public and business for a greater understanding, appreciation, and promotion of the arts, and the development of a strong and vital downtown Phoenix.

Please see the Media Advisory below for more information.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Prudence Crosswhite

artlink Inc.
iprudence@cox.net

www.artlinkphoenix.com



Caution: Art Detour Ahead !!!

One of the Nation's Largest, Most Well Attended Art Events Back for Year 18



Phoenix, AZ—February 13, 2006-- artlink, Inc.'s 18th Annual Art Detour, reputed to be one of the largest, most well attended annual art walks in the country, will take place March 24, 25 and 26 in downtown Phoenix. This 3-day, self-guided tour of downtown galleries and artists' studios is the principal art event in Arizona with over 60 galleries participating and an additional 18 local artists opening their studios to the public. For most, this will be the only opportunity all year to visit many of these artists' studios. Last year Art Detour was expanded to include Kids' Detour and this popular family experience will be offered again this year. Also included will be the time-honored Mystery Galleries that allow artists not affiliated with downtown galleries or studios to exhibit their work during Art Detour.



Art Detour started as an artists’ open studio tour in 1988 and served as a launch pad for artlink’s First Fridays, an art walk that attracts thousands of art enthusiasts to downtown Phoenix each month. Art Detour now draws over 10 thousand art lovers from all over the country each year. Artlink, Inc. provides free shuttle buses that make continuous circles on several different routes providing access to areas of downtown Phoenix containing a high concentration of art venues. Buses leave from the Burton Barr Central Library and maps and brochures are available there as well as at most participating venues. Patrons can board and disembark the buses at any stop on the route.



The Burton Barr Central Library serves as the headquarters for the second annual Kids’ Detour. Kids' Detour is a special art event for children and their parents hosted by Burton Barr Central Library’s Center for Children’s Literature from noon to 5 p.m. on Saturday, March 25 and Sunday, March 26. Kids’ Detour will feature a variety of hands on art activities and kids can pick up a free Kids’ Detour Passport to get stamped at a selection of “family friendly” art venues.



Kids' Detour, Open Studios, Mystery Galleries, maps for self-guided gallery/studio visits, and free shuttles are among the attractions that set artlink's Art Detour apart from all other art walks and accounts for its overwhelming popularity. Art Detour is a fun, exciting and educational family event and Art Detour 18 promises to be the best Art Detour yet!



About artlink, Inc: artlink, Inc. is dedicated to bringing together artists, the public and business for a greater understanding, appreciation, and promotion of the arts, and the development of a strong and vital downtown Phoenix arts community. In addition, artlink, Inc. serves, whenever possible, as a liaison between the city government and our members in matters of concern to the downtown arts community. Run solely by volunteers, artlink Inc. is funded in part by venue participation fees, private and public donations, and membership dues.



For more information on Art Detour, Mystery Galleries, or Kids’ Detour, E-mail iprudence@cox.net.
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Randy Zucker
Welcome to my different reality!
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