They say art in Tempe takes its inspiration from the magic of the desert. It must be true; the Tempe art scene offers a bounty of visual and performing arts. The Arizona State University Art Museum is recognized as one of the Southwest’s top contemporary museums. In addition to the main art museum, art permeates the ASU campus. The ASU Ceramics Research Center features more than 3,000 ceramic objects of art. The Computing Commons Gallery features electronic art exhibits. The Northlight Gallery presents exhibits of contemporary and historical photography and other galleries present works by national artists and ASU art students. Art seems to be everywhere in Tempe. Look for art and poetry on the sides of local city buses and along the tranquil pathways of Tempe Town Lake. And in December and April each year, go on a quest for a Tempe art treasure as 450 booths in 20 diverse categories fill the sidewalks in the Mill Avenue District.

In addition to visual arts, Tempe is a magnet for performing arts. The Gammage Auditorium designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, draws top touring Broadway productions and local performances. The new Tempe Center for Arts, scheduled to open in Fall 2006, will showcase both visual and performing arts in a state-of-the-art facility surrounded by a 17-acre art park.