About
Our HISTORY
In 2015, the Flagstaff Foundry’s founder, Garrison Garcia, wanted to create an ongoing, monthly opportunity for talented community members to express themselves. Garcia realized that, while there are many incredible performance troupes and arts organizations in Flagstaff, there wasn’t a venue or event that allowed a wide variety of performers to express themselves. Open mic nights are limited to music and spoken word, and dance shows are few and far between. Most performances are booked, organized, and curated by organizations with specific themes and visions for the final product. Garcia conceptualized a community show that brought elements from all throughout northern Arizona. It’s like inviting your friends to come over to dinner and having each of them bring an ingredient to throw in the pot – what comes out is funky, one-of-a-kind, and always satisfying.
After several great years under the banner of a local circus troupe, The Foundry graduated to independence. Garcia convened an incredible board of directors and the Foundry was established as a 501c3 non-profit corporation in the spring of 2018. Fresh off a nomination for a Viola Award in the Community Impact category, the Foundry is committed to continuously creating collaborative creative community performance opportunities.
Our mission
To incubate community-based art and
create opportunities for anyone to perform
just about anything.
Our Vision
The Flagstaff Foundry will offer grants and other forms of support to local artists and facilitate educational opportunities, such as attendance at workshops. The goal of these efforts will be to help the artists incubate ideas and polish their craft, as well as bring new knowledge back to the Flagstaff arts community.
We will have a dedicated space for regular FF variety show performances and special events.
By 2028, Over a thousand Flagstaffians will have performed and/or volunteered for the Flagstaff Foundry and will consider themselves part of the Foundry Family.
Flagstaffians will talk about Flagstaff Foundry performances for days or weeks afterward, creating anticipation among those who missed it. The best performers in the region will perform and improve through the Foundry and will perform there often. We will be what Second City is to Saturday Night Live – a training ground for performers on their way up.
Our PROMISES
To the performer: We will give you a safe and supportive atmosphere to incubate your art and express yourself. We will produce shows that are so organized and well produced they border on professional – but without an ounce of pretentiousness.
To the audience: We will give you a “non-professional” show that is great, fun, diverse, sentimental, provocative, absurd, and entertaining.
To the volunteers: We will welcome you to the Foundry Family and give you experience staging a live show.
To all: We will promote art that is radically inclusive of all people and encourages empathy for other living beings.
