Art Galleries
Whether you’re visiting Yuma for a short vacation or you’re staying longer, you’ll find that art abounds in Yuma. It’s with good reason that Yuma is becoming known as a regional center for the arts. Between gallery shows, displays at local shops, and artists sharing their work at outdoor markets, if the treasure is measured in art, Yuma is rich indeed!
The Yuma Art Center exhibits works of local and nationally known artists within its elegant galleries. With frequent day and evening events bringing art lovers into the center, there’s a show or event that will appeal to any taste. The Children’s Festival of the Arts is too large for just the Yuma Art Center; it flows up Main Street and back down the other way, with dozens of booths to engage young minds, blurring the line between a presentation of fine arts and a super fun day for the kids.
On the more mature end of the spectrum, local artists mirror back to us how they see what’s around them, at home or on a more global level. The Chicano Arts Collective shows art by their members several times a year and prolific artists like Lia Littlewood, Mark Wall, and Jose Arguelles translate the world through their eyes in their paintings and visual arts.
Colorado River clay and other types of clay provide ample material for a potter’s hands; local pottery studios show off their wares along “Pottery Row.” Likewise, simple desert rocks can offer gems and brilliant cuts of polished minerals to make jewelry and décor with a decidedly southwestern feel.
If you’d like a special piece of art for your home or to give as a gift, local artists sell their wares in both brick-and-mortar locations and also at frequent outdoor art shows and fairs. The Artisan Gift Shop at the Yuma Art Center displays works by members of the North End Artists Co-op. Opportunities abound for unhurried discovery at many outdoor markets throughout the year, providing engaging accessibility to the artists and their work in a fun, leisurely, or festive atmosphere. Here’s a quick list with general locations and contact info.
Annual Events & Festivals
As the Sunniest City in the World, Yuma holds nearly all its annual festivals and events on days that are warm and sunny. Needless to say, it would be extremely rare for you to need rain gear for a festival or event in Yuma. Just bring yourself and family or friends to enjoy a good time in Yuma.
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