For decades, Tucsonans have visited the Tanque Verde Swap Meet to search for treasures, grab a bite to eat and support local vendors.
On Saturday, Aug. 15, visitors can also help create a piece of art that will remain at the market for years to come.
Canvas and Culture will transform the swap meet into a one-night art destination filled with live entertainment, hands-on activities, local artists and a community-painted mural.
The event, taking place from 5 to 9 p.m., is part of a three-city rollout organized by United Flea Markets, which operates 15 markets across the country, including the Tanque Verde Swap Meet. Canvas and Culture debuted in Denver earlier this month and will head to Houston in September.
Tucson was selected in part because the Tanque Verde Swap Meet is the company’s only night market and because of the city’s vibrant arts community, said Matt Dupuie, vice president of marketing for United Flea Markets.
“As a whole, our company has placed an emphasis on making our markets feel more like an event destination,” Dupuie said.
Visitors will still find the hundreds of vendors and food options that are typically part of a Saturday at the swap meet, but with an added lineup of art activities.
“You add an art element to that, and it just feels like a giant party,” Dupuie said.
At the center of the event will be a community mural designed by a professional muralist. The paint-by-number-style artwork will feature Freddie the Flea, the swap meet’s mascot, surrounded by cacti, sunshine and other elements inspired by Tucson and the market.
The muralist will complete part of the piece before inviting visitors to paint designated sections. Participation in the mural is included with admission, and the finished artwork will remain at the swap meet after the event.
Dupuie said having a muralist complete the entire piece alone would defeat the purpose of the project.
“But that takes the interactive element and the community involvement out of that, and that’s really what we’re looking for with this event,” Dupuie said.
Dupuie hopes families will return to the swap meet years later, point to the mural and remember the small part they played in creating it.
Beyond the mural, visitors can expect rock painting, chalk art, a canvas-painting class and body marbling, an activity that creates colorful patterns on the skin. The event will also feature live entertainment and additional art activities throughout the market.
The swap meet’s regular vendors and food options will remain open, with additional vendors joining them for the event. Artists, makers and other vendors interested in participating can apply through the Canvas and Culture website or contact the Tanque Verde Swap Meet.
Although the event is currently planned as a one-night event, Dupuie hopes it can return in future years. Future community art projects could be painted on buildings, stages, shipping containers or other parts of the market.
“There are different things that we can really get creative and have the community really put a fingerprint on and have something that they can cherish as a community for the next 10, 20 years,” he said.
The event is open to all ages. Admission is $2, and children ages 12 and younger get in free.
“Not only do people come to a swap meet to find great deals on products, but great deals on experiences as well,” Dupuie said.
If you go
What: Canvas & Culture Tucson
When: 5 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 15
Where: Tanque Verde Swap Meet, 4100 S. Palo Verde Road
Cost: $2; free for children 12 and younger
More information: mycanvasandculture.com
