2017-19 (First Playlist)
Photo by Michael Williams
The program was originally supported through the Arizona Creative Communities Institute (AZ CCI), funded by the Arizona Commission on the Arts, and ASU Herberger Institute of Design and the Arts.
Two events in 2017 led to the development of the first Tempe Playlist (formerly Tempe Playlist: Saturn Sessions).
- In 2017, Tempe was selected for the inaugural AZ CCI. Tempe was one of nine selected teams, each composed of diverse members of the represented community received intensive training, one-on-one mentorship, and funding supports as they explored the myriad ways that creativity can be put to work for positive community impact.
- Also in 2017, Tempe's free neighborhood circulator Orbit began operating its sixth route: Orbit Saturn. This route is the only route in south Tempe and is a free service accessible to all Tempeans.
As a part of the program, the Tempe AZ CCI team developed a creative project that would activate specifically south Tempe. This location was chosen because of a lack of arts engagement. Orbit Saturn was the perfect creative connector because it travels within south Tempe and is freely accessible to all Tempeans. A partnership between the arts and public transit teams was created and as a result, Tempe Playlist: Saturn Sessions was born.
The first Tempe Playlist included both music and poetry, providing those who live, work and/or study in south Tempe with a platform to share their story and connect with their community through free, locally infused art that is accessible to everyone. City of Tempe Community Arts Manager Maja Aurora, Changing Hands Bookstore Co-Owner Gayle Shanks, Tempe Union High School District Specialist Maggie Fountain, Founder of AZ Beat Lab and ASU School of Music Clinical Assistant Professor and Assistant Director of Popular Music C. Samuel Peña, Tempe Arts and Culture Commission Vice Chair Aaron Thacker, AZ CCI Mentor Michael Rohd and the rest of the Tempe team worked with KJZZ’s Spot 127 Youth Media Center to produce the playlist, which was edited into two publicly broadcasted radio segments. QR codes with a link to the sessions were available on the Orbit Saturn buses.
Read more about the original Tempe Playlist project.
2020-21 (Second Playlist)
OxDos by Billy Hardiman
In 2020, Tempe Playlist received a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. Tempe Community Arts partnered with C. Samuel Pena and TopKat Studios for a two-year project, which widened its call for music to musicians who live, work, or play anywhere in Tempe (not just the south). Each selected musician/band was paid to have one song placed on the 'Tempe Playlist' on Spotify. In addition to this, selected musicians received professional development opportunities such as professional recording sessions and photoshoot.
2023-25 (Third Playlist)
Chrome Rhino by Mike Williams
In 2023, the Tempe Playlist Program became fully funded by the City of Tempe and was extended to include musicians throughout the Phoenix Metro area. The 44 selected musicians received an honorarium and a professional photoshoot. This playlist also became a pre-qualified list of musicians who are eligible to perform at various Tempe Community Arts events, such as Arts in the Parks and Tempe Jam.
Tempe Jam
Tempe Jam by Billy Hardiman
In June 2021, Tempe Community Arts presented the first Tempe Jam, a free, annual music celebration to honor and highlight local bands and musicians from the Tempe Playlist. The Jam also features art activities, performances, food trucks, and a beer garden in partnership with the Tempe Diablos. The fourth annual iteration of the Tempe Jam will happen November 16, 2024, at the Tempe Sports Complex. Learn more about Tempe Jam.
