Mesa Prototyping Festival

Dream | Design | Discover

The Mesa Prototyping Project (MPP) asks, “How does a community design itself?” In spring of 2020, we’ll continue the Mesa Prototyping Project with community-engaged design in neighborhoods south and southeast of downtown Mesa.

The Mesa Prototyping Festival on March 21, 2020 will feature 10 temporary installations resulting from neighborhoods identifying their needs and applicants experimenting with creative ways to address them, with the resulting prototypes installed for a one-day community event. The Mesa Prototyping Festival empowers all residents to think about ways to improve the beauty and functionality of their environments. It builds community relationships by connecting neighbors and neighborhoods to each other and to cultural resources, and by offering creative ways for ideas and community opportunities to be explored, expressed and celebrated.

Prototyping: (verb) to create and test an experimental model of a new idea or object.

Use #mesaprototyping when taking and posting photos and videos of you interacting with our prototypes and workshops!

Learn more about the initial project, the 2017 Main Street Prototyping Festival, in the final evaluation report.

Artists and Prototypes

Canal Eleven

Tanner Christensen, Tempe, AZ

Proposed location: 1st Avenue between Pomeroy & Hibbert

Canal Eleven will create a usable gathering space outside the community garden to cater to community events and everyday use.

Pause and Play 3.0

Milagros Zingoni, Tempe, AZ

Proposed location: Hibbert between 1st & 2nd Avenue

Pause and Play 3.0 will be a participatory collaboration with youth in the community exploring play.

ABNR Functional Signage (solar-powered)

Nik Ridley, Phoenix, AZ

Proposed location: Pomeroy between 1st & 2nd Avenue

ABNR combines function, form, art, and sustainable lighting elements for the benefit of the Mesa community.

Cloudy Sunday Morning

Tim Boyle, Mesa, AZ

Proposed location: Sirrine & 2nd Avenue

Cloudy Sunday Morning is overhead solar smart panels intended to respond to pedestrian movement with shade on a sunny day, sunlight on a cool day, and light at night.

Flowering Intersection

Tara Kosciukiewicz, Apache Junction, AZ

Proposed location: Hobson & Marilyn

The Flowering Intersection intends to calm traffic and invite community members to participate in designing their community.

hello holla

Justin Azevedo, Tempe, AZ

Proposed location: Sirrine & 1st Avenue

Hello Holla is a welcome landmark for Mesa Arts Center and adjacent neighborhoods exemplifying the similarities and unity within the cultural makeup of the community.

Story Paths Café/Camino de Cuentos Cafe

Johanna Richards, Mesa, AZ

Proposed location: Broadway between Pioneer & Lesueur

Story Paths Cafe/Camino de Cuentos Cafe connects people and community through visual storytelling and an interactive cafe setting with unique lighting/seating where participants stories are added to the larger community story.

Piecing Together Mesa

Chrystal McConnell, Oro Valley, AZ

Proposed location: Marilyn between Bellview & Horne

This project is a life-sized jigsaw puzzle that will help complete the sidewalk in the neighborhood.

Shady Lady

Catie Raya, Mesa, AZ

Proposed location: 3rd Avenue & Pomeroy

Shady Lady is a garden trellis shade structure featuring interactive wind chimes and the Lady Banks rose.

Bridging Broadway: Shadow Play/Juega en sombra

David Crummey, Mesa, AZ

Proposed location: Bellview & Broadway

Bridging Broadway: Shadow Play / Juega en sombra focuses on creating interactive connections that cross Broadway more easily than pedestrians and address one of the community’s most expressed needs: shade!

Get Involved

Join us on March 21, 2020

The festival will feature 10 projects installed in downtown Mesa and throughout the neighborhoods southeast of Mesa Arts Center. Multiple transportation options will be available to help you see all ten projects and vote on the ones you feel are the most effective in addressing community needs.

Help Spread the Word

Help us reach as many neighborhood residents as possible to encourage participation. Place a poster at your place of business, have some fliers on hand, share the Facebook event, and talk to your neighbors. Contact Jennifer Gastelum to request materials: jennifer.gastelum@mesaartscenter.com or 480-644-3652.

Community Partner Opportunities

Local neighbors, businesses, restaurants, schools and community organizations are encouraged to get involved. For example, we can promote your organization/business in our marketing materials, and you can drive customers to experience the event. Let’s discuss how we can best work together to support each other as community partners. Contact Jennifer Gastelum at jennifer.gastelum@mesaartscenter.com or 480-644-3652.

Volunteer Opportunities

Pulling off a large community event such as this takes a lot of work and we could use your help! Consider volunteering your time to the Mesa Prototyping Project. Contact Sarah Goedicke at sarah.goedicke@mesaartscenter.com or 480-644-6607 for more information.

Sponsorship Opportunities

Festival or project sponsorship can connect your business with new audiences. Contact Renee Lopata at developmentdirector@mesaartscenter.com or 480-644-6604 to discuss customized sponsorship.

Interested in other ways to connect with new audiences, engaging your employees and promoting your brand at Mesa Arts Center? Learn more about sponsorship and business engagement opportunities here.