OUR IMPACT ON
THE COMMUNITY
CALA Alliance envisions a cultural landscape that values the creative and artistic contributions of Latinxs in the United States, understanding that these histories are integral to the cultural fabric of this country.
ABOUT CALA
Mission
Celebración Artística de las Américas (CALA) Alliance is a Latinx arts organization in Arizona that has been active for more than 15 years. We collaborate with artists and arts organizations to nurture artistic talent, focusing on artists from the Latin American diaspora. Through innovative artist residencies, commissions, community workshops, and public programming CALA positions the South West region as a fruitful site that acknowledges and contributes to the promotion of Latinx art inclusive of Indigenous, Afro-Latinx and Queer histories throughout the United States.
CALA Alliance envisions a cultural landscape that values the creative and artistic contributions of Latinxs understanding these histories are integral to the cultural fabric of this country.
Our Story
CALA Alliance was established in 2010 with a mission to celebrate the richness and depth of Latinx artistic talent in Arizona, and to strengthen connections to Latin America through arts and culture. Between 2010–2014, CALA Alliance presented the CALA International Festival, which brought together Phoenix arts organizations to showcase Latinx and Latin American dance, music, theater, film, poetry, and visual art. In 2016, CALA Alliance transitioned from presenting the festival to collaborating with artists and arts organizations year-round, telling new stories about our transborder cultural connections and moving our cultural imagination forward in Arizona.
Why the Arts Matter
CALA Alliance envisions a cultural landscape that values the creative and artistic contributions of Latinxs Artists. Understanding these histories are integral to the cultural fabric of this country - telling new stories about our transborder cultural connections and moving our cultural imagination forward through Fine Arts.
Why CALA
CALA Alliance invests simultaneously in artists, through paid residencies, professional development, and curatorial support, and in communities, through free, multilingual, and accessible programming, because neither works without the other. Over time, these investments accumulate into structural change: artists who sustain long-term careers, communities who participate in cultural life on their own terms, and a national field with a more honest and complete account of American art.
2025-2026
Our Impact
Wages Redistributed
Artists Supported
Events Held
Individuals Reached
2025-2026
Our Impact
Wages Redistributed
Artists Supported
Events Held
Individuals Reached
Learn about our
programs
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CALA Alliance’s residency program is one of the only programs that fosters Latinx artistic talent in the United States, providing artists with unparalleled resources that enable them to realize innovative, ambitious new work.
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smART workforce development program empowers amateur and emerging artists by enhancing their entrepreneurial skills through a collaborative and hands-on learning environment.Participants leave the series certified and better equipped to pursue funding opportunities to support their individual practices.
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CALA organizes programs with local, national, and international artists. Artists present public programs and community engagements as part of CALA Presenta.
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PROGRAMS
This Year's Highlights
Residencias Artísticas
Resident Artists, Omar Soto and Samantha Vo completed their residency with CALA Alliance. Their completed projects will travel to San Francisco to exhibit at Galeria de la Raza in Spring of 2027. Subscribe to our newsletter to follow their journey.
smART
The 2026 Summer Cohort certified 18 artists , strengthening their entrepreneurial skills by teaching them how to write an artist statement, build a budget, document their work, and applying for grants. Our next cohort will be taking place in Yavapai County!
CALA Presenta
Ten students from Trevor G. Browne High School worked directly with Guatemalan cellist Mabe Fratti to compose and perform original collaborative work then took the stage in front of 100+ attendees at Crossfade Lab during the Viva Phoenix festival. What began as a single-night event became a two-part bridge between a West Phoenix classroom and a professional arts stage.
IMPACT REPORT
Download the Impact Report
Get to know us - CALA is a leading voice and facilitator of innovative collaborations for Latino and Latin American artistic exchange in Arizona, connecting local communities more deeply to the cultural production, histories, and creative practices of the Americas.
Our Supporters
Get Involved
Through attendance, volunteering and contribution, get involved with CALA and help us amplify Latinx Art in Arizona!