20 June 19th - June 25st, 2025 phoenixnewtimes.com PHOENIX NEW TIMES | NEWS | FEATURE | FOOD & DRINK | ARTS & CULTURE | MUSIC | CONCERTS | CANNABIS | Welcome Home Phoenix arts group CALA celebrates 15 years with a new location. BY OFELIA MONTELONGO A fter 15 years of champi- oning Latinx arts and culture in Arizona, CALA Alliance is marking a major milestone — and doing it in true quinceañera fashion. The Phoenix-based nonprofit is cele- brating its 15th anniversary by opening CASA CALA, a new multidisciplinary art space in central Phoenix located at 1005 E. Madison St., #3. “This is really our quinceañera moment,” says CALA director Stephanie Roman. “CASA CALA is a new beginning.” Founded in 2010 by Myra Millinger, José Cárdenas, Ruben Alvarez and Grady Gammage Jr., CALA — short for Celebración Artística de las Américas — has grown from producing cultural festi- vals into a multifaceted organization that nurtures Latinx and borderlands artists through residencies, commissions, work- shops and community engagement. CASA CALA is more than just a studio space — it’s a cultural hub designed to host everything from artist residencies and skill-sharing workshops to public events and collaborative gatherings. Before this space, the organization relied on renting venues. This new space gives CALA the capacity to do what we’ve always wanted — open studio, community programming and create a deeper sense of belonging. At the core of CALA’s mission is supporting emerging artists — not just creatively, but practically. “What folks are really interested in is developing their own capacity as an artist,” Roman explains. “So one of the workshops we’re offering isn’t even art-related — it’s about business skills, how they market themselves, so that they continue to advance professionally within their career.” CALA’s artist residency model offers 12-week residencies, artist commissions and scholarships and access to mentorship and training to empower artists to think of themselves as entrepreneurs and thrive in the arts ecosystem. Though CALA’s new home base is in central Phoenix, its reach is expanding. Roman, who grew up in Maryvale, is bringing programming to areas historically underserved by the arts. “This year espe- cially, we’re taking our activities to Maryvale — where there’s not one arts and culture organization,” she says, empha- sizing the importance of going where the need is. The organization’s programming remains mobile, intentionally connecting with diverse neighborhoods across the Valley and beyond. That includes cultural exchanges with artists outside of Arizona and a commitment to building cross-border relationships. “We’re really ramping up our CALA Presenta stage,” Roman says, while also keeping their cultural literacy program, How I Became an Artista. While rooted in Latinx culture, CALA’s approach is intentionally expansive and inclusive. Roman explains that to be Latinx doesn’t mean you have to be from one specific area. “It means you hold multiple identities at the same time. For me, it’s really important to expand that understanding.” That expansion includes CALA’s online presence, which will soon evolve into a bilingual platform that shares artist stories, program updates, and cultural resources in both English and Spanish. To mark its 15th anniversary, CALA will soon launch a crowdfunding campaign to raise $15,000 — a symbolic goal tied to its quinceañera moment. The funds will help support continued programming, artist support, and the development of CASA CALA as a community anchor. CALA Alliance’s leaders are, from left, Sofía Dominguez, Saúl Míllan, Francisco Diaz and Stephanie Roman. (CALA Alliance) ▼ Arts & Culture
