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.
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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 art and engage community in creating opportunities for anyone to perform just about anything
Our Vision
The Foundry will be a hub for Flagstaff’s eccentric, experimental, and diverse voices, offering a space where innovators feel welcome to create, perform, and connect. We will offer a haven for creative expression, inspiring the embracement of bold, uncategorizable art. Equally, we will help foster an audience that is receptive, supportive, and feels they are part of an art community.
The Foundry will remain a sustainable and approachable space—emotionally, culturally, and financially—hosting regular shows that celebrate silliness, creativity, and human connection. By valuing participation over perfection, we will nurture performers and audiences, creating a lasting bond within the community.
The Foundry aims to strengthen Flagstaff’s artistic identity by celebrating experimentation and defying categorization. Through accessible programming, it will inspire deeper connections across diverse groups, empowering the city to embrace and expand its unique, weird universe.
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.
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To the audience: We will give you a “non-professional” show that is great, fun, diverse, sentimental, provocative, absurd, and entertaining.
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To the volunteers: We will welcome you to the Foundry Family and give you experience staging a live show.
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To all: We will promote art that is radically inclusive of all people and encourages empathy for other living beings.
