This year, the National Endowment for the Arts is celebrating its 50th Anniversary. To highlight the agency’s nationwide impact over the past half-century, the NEA is visiting communities in each state and producing short videos that provide a snapshot of the local arts and culture. Last month, they visited Tucson to witness the city’s annual All Souls Procession (produced by recent NEA grantee Many Mouths One Stomach) and speak with State Senator/Public Artist Steve Farley, taiko drummer/teaching artist Karen Falkenstrom, and Arizona’s Poet Laureate, Alberto Álvaro Ríos. Today, we’re pleased to be able to share the finished video with you.

In addition to the terrific interviews and footage from the Procession, the video also features glimpses of the University of Arizona Poetry Center, Mesa Arts Center, and Phoenix mural art.

While it would be impossible to capture the full breadth, depth, and diversity of Arizona’s arts and culture sector in a three and a half minute video, we think they did an excellent job of presenting distinctly Arizonan voices and images. Thanks to the National Endowment for the Arts and all those who participated in the production.