ART ALMQUIST hero arts

“At the heart of acting is empathy,” Almquist says. “You’re telling stories that people sometimes may not want to hear, but need to hear. Just learning about empathy is so important, particularly now.

I think rather than creating artists we’re creating people with artistic sensibilities.”

Ensuring Healthy Eyes for the Arts Throughout Southern Arizona

Live performances at Tucson High return this school year after a pandemic-related hiatus. That doesn’t mean students’ voices have been silent. Almquist and his team found other ways for students to express themselves. For example, students in a storytelling class recorded a podcast last spring that should be available soon.

Do you know an Arts Hero? Someone who works tirelessly to strengthen, improve and enhance the arts in our community?

Nominations at onmediaaz.com sponsored by

Beautiful Beads

Jean Gribbon is the visionary behind an inspiring effort to see courage for what it is about 14 million times a year. There’s an art to it.

Tucson-based Beads of Courage is what happens when a pediatric oncology nurse establishes through research and experience the importance of tending to the emotional and mental needs of young patients in the fight of their lives.

For every challenge met — a round of chemo, a blood transfusion, a surgery — children are awarded a representative bead. There are 18 different ones. Artists volunteer to make special beads for treatment milestones that are integrated into the strand.