Southwest Contemporary magazine, MOCA Tucson, and Etherton Gallery co-host a panel discussion and conversation exploring the current state of art criticism and arts writing in Arizona and the greater Southwest region.

Art and cultural criticism can play many roles within the arts ecosystem and beyond. We’ll discuss how critical discourse constructively serves artists, institutions, and the general public; how it propels creative work forward; and what is at stake within the unique cultural environment of the Southwest region. We’ll also speak to the challenges and opportunities for arts writing to advance the arts, support critical thinking more broadly, and resist the almighty algorithm.

Panelists are: Adriana Gallego, executive director of the Arts Foundation for Tucson and Southern Arizona, Erin Joyce, curator and scholar of contemporary art, Lauren Tresp, publisher and editor of Southwest Contemporary, and Lynn Trimble, award-winning Arizona-based arts writer.

The panel will begin at 6:00pm, followed by light refreshments. This program will take place at Etherton Gallery, located at 340 S. Convent Avenue.