THERE SPACE, VOLUMEN GALLERY & VIVA PHX PRESENT... DEEP TIES VIVA PHX Kickoff & Group Art Exhibition Doors at 5PM FREE 21+ -- Kick off VIVA PHX 2026 with the second annual DEEP TIES group exhibition at There Space — a night of art, music, food, and community bringing together a wide range of local artists and collaborators. Built to celebrate the connections that shape our creative scene, DEEP TIES sets the tone for the week ahead by strengthening the relationships that make it all possible. -- Artists: Ian Solansky (@bleshue) Karen Robnú (@karenrobnu) Villamil y Villamil (@villamilyvillamil) Caleb G (@desertdeer) Jacey Coca Steffi Faircloth (@babeimpala) Jeremy Ripley (@jeremypaulripley) Tra Bouscaren (@tra_bouscaren) Ellier English (@ifeelloveandifeelpain) Philip Steverson (@sugaredstrawberry) Joshua Castañeda (@castanedajoshua) Scott Agustin (@scottagustin) Alexia Klein (@hopelesschromatic) Max Telos (maxtelos.com) Milan Bobinac (@alrightmilan) Sound: Djentrification (@djents) Earthsurfaceopen (@earthsurfaceopen) Elusiva (@eluusiva) DJ Perrito (@adiosulises) Avion Amarillo (@avionamarillo) T-Shurt (@bleshue) Food: El Fogón de Joy (@elfogondejoy) Beverages: CRETE (@crete.tearoom) TEMPORAL (@temporalbarradematcha) Deep Ties are characterized by duration, intensity, and embeddedness. They are not instrumental, they're constitutive. This means the relationship actually shapes the people in it rather than simply connecting them. The phrase 'deep ties' extends sociologist Mark Granovetter's concepts of "Strong" and "Weak" Ties. It's related to Aristotle's complete friendship (philia teleia): a relationship grounded not in pleasure or utility, but in shared life and mutual formation over time. The idea behind Deep Ties is to provide an opportunity to engage with art and music at There Space outside the often transactional logic of a typical festival relation. Deep Ties offers a space for contemplation, togetherness, and resonance.

Crossfade LAB is an event series that presents intimate conversations around art, identity, and social justice with some of the most thought-provoking Latinx and Latin American artists of our time. Since 2016, Crossfade Lab has presented the work of artists who crossfade–that is, artists who find the unexpected points of connection in our world and who animate political and cultural ideas in new and public ways. Crossfade LAB takes its name from a DJing technique of crossing and merging two music tracks into one new “mixed” track. It uses the crossfade as a metaphor for a kind of social thinking that celebrates in-betweenness and mixing without erasing. Crossfade LAB is moderated by 2016 MacArthur Fellow and cultural writer Josh Kun. Crossfade LAB is organized by CALA Alliance. Organizing curators for Crossfade LAB are, Stephanie Roman, Executive Director, 2025 NALAC Fellow and 2023 Aspen Fellow and Josh Kun, Professor and Chair in Cross-Cultural Communication, Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, University of Southern California.

Cannabis continues to evolve as both a wellness resource and a creative catalyst. This conversation brings together artists, cultural leaders and medical voices to explore how cannabis shows up in their work, daily routines and communities. Instead of viewing it simply as a product, the discussion looks at cannabis as a supportive force that inspires creativity, informs well-being and shapes the culture around us. -- Participants: William Troutt — Medical Director, Trulieve Rob Mora — Director of Marketing, Timeless Chloe Tang — VIVA PHX Artist Moderator: Konya Lindsey — Executive Director of Marketing, Trulieve

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ASUPROX is Arizona State University’s flagship music industry conference, a convergence of music, technology, innovation and business designed to bring people closer to what’s next in the industry and their careers. Hosted by the Popular Music program at ASU’s state-of-the-art facilities in Downtown Phoenix, ASUPROX brings together artists, creative leaders, entrepreneurs, technologists and industry decision-makers to explore how music is created, distributed, experienced and scaled in today’s rapidly evolving landscape. Formerly known as the Music Industry Career Conference (MICC), ASUPROX has grown into one of the region’s most influential creative arts gatherings. Built on the belief that proximity is power, ASUPROX connects emerging talent and established leaders to the ideas, tools and relationships shaping the future of music and creative expression.

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An Immersive Food + Art Experience at VIVA PHX 2026 COMEAL is an immersive storytelling food experience within Viva PHX that celebrates culinary culture, community, and memory. Four Arizona-based chefs and cultural storytellers guide this experience, inviting guests into a neighborhood-inspired journey shaped by the places where food and stories are shared. Led by Chef Antonio Padilla, the chefs will collaborate to create a 4-course menu. The food honors their journeys by celebrating lived experiences, ancestral knowledge, and the relationships formed through food. What’s Included: An immersive neighborhood experience Walk-through art activations and mini market Multi-course art + food–paired meal Craft cocktails inspired by each chef’s community Live chef talks, music, and storytelling moments woven throughout Experience Pillars: Commemorating Cuisines of Culture Conversation & Memory Neighborhoods Are Community Important Information: Tickets are required for entry and often sell out. Limit 2 RSVP per person. WHY THIS MATTERS COMEAL is rooted in how many of us first learned community: chasing the ice cream truck on bikes, at corner food stands, or gathered around a matriarch, tía or abuelita’s table where love was measured in portions and stories simmered with the food. It’s a neighborhood you can step into: an immersive experience inspired by mercados, family kitchens, backyard pop-ups, and local bars. Food as memory. Each dish and cocktail carries stories of migration, resilience, creativity, and care passed down through generations. More than a meal. Art, music, and live chef storytelling bring the experience to life, honoring those who nourished us and the moments that shaped us. A pause within VIVA PHX. Step away from the festival to gather in an intimate space designed for connection and reflection. Deeply Arizona. Four local chefs and cultural storytellers guide you through the communities that shape this plac This storytelling experience is curated by Dusk Market Matriarch Mixer by Indigenous Community Collaborative Uplifted by Chahachi Collaborations Alita by Chef Antonio Padilla Please note that photographs and footage will be taken throughout this event. Indigenous Community Collaborative LLC for marketing and publicity in our publications, on our website and in social media.

ASCETIC HOUSE & VIVA PHX PRESENT... OBLIQUE AXIS - SATURDAY STUDIO A: DESTRUCTION UNIT Kali Malone & Drew McDowall (duo, live) Rabit Bapari S280F Body of Light Corridos Ketamina Mondo Mundo Yellowcake Speedboat BLUE ROOM: Sueño Shocksite Myopia Sebastian Online VS Elusiva LOBBY: DJENTS -- Saturday, April 18th 2026 @ Walter Studios Doors at 8PM FREE 21+

ASUPROX is Arizona State University’s flagship music industry conference, a convergence of music, technology, innovation and business designed to bring people closer to what’s next in the industry and their careers. Hosted by the Popular Music program at ASU’s state-of-the-art facilities in Downtown Phoenix, ASUPROX brings together artists, creative leaders, entrepreneurs, technologists and industry decision-makers to explore how music is created, distributed, experienced and scaled in today’s rapidly evolving landscape. Formerly known as the Music Industry Career Conference (MICC), ASUPROX has grown into one of the region’s most influential creative arts gatherings. Built on the belief that proximity is power, ASUPROX connects emerging talent and established leaders to the ideas, tools and relationships shaping the future of music and creative expression.

COOPERATIVE FUTURES & VIVA PHX PRESENT... SURVIVING AI A variety show about our future with technology Hosted by Shane Mauss & Athena Aktipis -- Sunday, April 19th 2026 @ Valley Bar Doors at 7PM / Show at 7:30PM FREE 21+ -- The future is here, whether we like it or not. Self-driving cars. Talking robots. Self-replicating AI agents with their own missions and crypto wallets. Comedian Shane Mauss and author/professor Athena Aktipis host a variety show exploring our wild AI-infused present through comedy, conversation, and live art. Digital artist Michael Strauss generates visuals in real time and rapper Baba Brinkman goes head-to-head with an AI rapper - programmed by Harmon Leon - in an epic human vs. machine battle. Are we in an inevitable AI apocalypse or is there a win-win future worth building with the machines? One night of comedy, music, and science to figure it out. April 19, Valley Bar.

ASCETIC HOUSE & VIVA PHX PRESENT... OBLIQUE AXIS - SUNDAY Featuring: Rib Cage Impiverno Omeed Norouzi Kem948 Common Defense High Castle C.O.N. Panpsych MUNEY PAIN Shannon Cornett TK Nicholson Speedboat + Secret Guests -- Sunday, April 19th 2026 @ Dirty Drummer Doors at 7pm FREE 21+

Step inside the Dorrance DOME at Arizona Science Center as Garrison Jones & Friends bring the 360-degree canvas to life with an improvised, atmospheric electronic jazz soundtrack performed live to immersive visual journeys. This experience is produced by CONTEXT and is part of VIVA PHX.