Sedona / Arizona / United States
Inspired by the natural beauty of Sedona, Egyptian sculptor, Nassan Gobran, and a group of local visionaries recognized the need for a place where artists could work, teach, and learn together. In 1958, they established Sedonas first art center, "Canyon Kiva." They purchased the old Jordan Apple Packing Barn, now known as the Art Barn, which quickly became the communitys creative and social hub. During the early 60s Sedona was populated by an eclectic group of characters - artists, big city refugees, and entrepreneurs who foresaw the areas potential and participated in its development. Through all the dramatic growth and demographic changes, the Arts Center remained one of the cultural constants, even though it experienced its own series of changes. In 1961, the name was changed to the Sedona Arts Center and officially re-opened with a celebration attended by 300 guests. 1994 was the year of expansion with the addition of a new building to house an art gallery, classroom space, and a community theatre, which had a successful run until 2001. At that time, the mission was redefined to focus primarily on the development of creative talents through the School of the Arts and gallery exhibitions of the visual arts.
