Arts Initiative

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The City of Maricopa believes that for a community to thrive, the arts and all of it's different avenues is a critical component. It is also important to create a place that is worthy of our affection. Having a space where we can showcase the talents and diversity of our community allows us to bring in greater economic development, quality of life, and a family atmosphere that the city of Maricopa has fostered throughout its rich history. All of the hard work to enrich our community goes out to our committees, sponsors, volunteers, and of course, our wonderful local artists.

Now Accepting Applications For The Following Projects:

Call to Artists - Seasonal Galleries

The City of Maricopa in partnership with the Cultural Affairs and Arts Advisory Committee (CAAAC) will conduct a "Call to Artists" approximately 3-4 times per year in order for local artists to have the opportunity to submit their work to be on display in one of our public facilities.

Each gallery will be tied to a specific theme determined by the CAAAC. For more information including submissions guidelines, we invite you to view the Cultures on Display Policy.

Please see below for the current display schedule

Gallery Theme	Autumn Festivities: Good Times of Fall	Book Titles: Can’t Judge a Book by its Cover	Bon Appetit: Yummy in my Tummy
Call to Artists	7/1/2024	11/1/2024	4/4/2025
Submissions	8/5/2024	1/6/2025	5/5/2025
Jury	8/19/2024	1/27/2025	5/19/2025
Deliver & Install	8/22/2024	1/30/2025	5/22/2025
Gallery Display Dates	September - December 2024	January - April 2025	May - August 2025
Remove & Pick Up	1/30/2025	5/22/2025	9/18/2025

Celebration of the Arts - Grant Opportunity

Arts Grant Logo

The City of Maricopa is proud to announce the launch of the "Celebration of the Arts" Grant Program, an initiative aimed at transforming access to art in Maricopa through cultural expression and community engagement. Rooted in a deep-seated belief in the power of the arts to inspire, connect, and enrich lives, we hope this program will unlock a wave of creativity across our city.

Vibrant City Art Grant Application

The Vibrant City Art Grant is designed to empower artists, collectives, and organizations to bring their creative visions to life within the heart of Maricopa. With grants of up to $1,500 available, recipients can explore a myriad of artistic endeavors, from captivating performances and immersive workshops to thought-provoking pop-up events and art projects that beautify our city.

Support the Community Art Grant Application

For Maricopa-based non-profit organizations committed to creating inclusive arts and cultural programming, the Support the Community Art Grant offers support for facilitating more opportunities. With grants of up to $3,000 available, these organizations have the opportunity to amplify their impact, enriching our community through a myriad of artistic experiences. From vibrant festivals to transformative residencies, the Support the Community Art Grant empowers organizations to harness the power of art as a force for positive change.

Applications for both grants will undergo a rigorous review process, with final approval by the City. While funding is competitive and subject to availability, the City of Maricopa remains committed to supporting and celebrating the arts.

Applications are open and accepted beginning on Monday, November 4th with applications being due no later than Saturday, November 30th. Applications would then be reviewed and voted on between December 2nd through December 13th. Announcements will then be made in January 2025.

For more information on eligibility criteria and application procedures, please check out the links below:

For the Vibrant City Grant Application, click here.
For the Support the Community Application, click here.

Signal Boxes

Signal Boxes Art Project

While the wild horses reflect a piece of Maricopa's storied history, it is not the only canvas available to showcase the talents and diversity of our local artists. While taking a driver throughout some of our subdivisions or popular streets, Maricopa's signal boxes have been given a facelift to continue reinforcing the stroke of culture in the community.

"The Maricopa Arts Community is an active, vibrant, creative community,” described Maricopa Councilwoman, Amber Liermann, “Who is ready to work hard to celebrate and reflect Maricopa's past, present, and future.”

Want to see your art on a box?

Artists are invited to submit colorful sketches for aluminum utility boxes measuring 69 or 74 inches tall, 44 inches wide, and 26 inches deep. The designs should be richly detailed, offering the selection committee a vivid preview of the final artwork.

Here’s the twist—these signal boxes will need to be hand-painted by the artist. We want that personal, artistic touch to shine through with every brushstroke!

When are submissions due?

Artists must submit their captivating designs with their application by December 2, 2024.

Want more details? The info packet has everything you need, including the design template and agreement form. Click here to download.

Maricopa Wild Horses Arts Project

In celebration of the City of Maricopa’s growth, it is important to honor our roots and look to the future. In the early 1800s horse and mule drawn freight trains would pass through the area carrying goods from east to west. The mid 1800s brought the first continental Butterfield Overland Mail Line providing mail service and was the method used for communicating from coast to coast. The Pony Express were young, hardy riders traveling at great speeds by horse delivering catalogs and goods to the doorstep. In the late 1800’s four and six-horse Concord coaches would provide passenger service to and from Phoenix for those arriving by train. To the South, in the early 1900s horse drawn farming instruments where used by our native neighbors whose 16,000 acre Ak-Chin Farm is one of the most successful farming enterprises today. Entering Maricopa from the North passengers can likely find a heard of wild horses roaming the open fields and are living symbols of the historic and pioneer spirit of the West. In the heart of Maricopa lives the Heritage District. This unique district is generally defined as the “old part” of town where many “horse properties” still exist today. This is why the wild horse is relevant to the City of Maricopa’s History.

“The Arts are a core service, integral to the health and vibrancy of our community. A city with well-developed cultural amenities offers its residents an enhanced quality-of-life and is also an important criterion for the success of a community. The accomplishment of the Maricopa Wild Horses Project is a tribute to our heritage, to our community and to the talented artists and sponsors who made the project possible.” Rick Horst, City Manager

Wild Horses Interactive Map

Below you will find an interactive map on where all of the wild horse art projects are location throughout the city of Maricopa. You can scroll down and click on any of the numbered pinpoints to view a photo of the horse as well as information on the location, artist and sponsor.

Use the "+" or "-" buttons to zoom in or out of the map. Click here to open the map in a new tab.