Urban Collection Gala Benefitting Four Charities Raises $55,957.84 for Downtown Tucson Youth-Serving Nonprofits
Thirty-piece mural collection sells out at charity art auction
TUCSON, Ariz. (July 23, 2026) — Downtown Tucson Partnership (DTP) announced that Saturday's Urban Collection Gala Benefitting Four Charities, held at The Grand Tucson, raised $55,957.84 in support of four nonprofit organizations serving children and families in the downtown district: City High School, Children's Museum Tucson, Tucson School for the Blind, and Imago Dei Middle School. Roughly 100–125 guests attended, based on ticket sales, comped tickets, and volunteers.
The gala capped off a project that began in January 2025, weeks after Gibson's Market closed and graffiti began appearing on the construction plywood surrounding the site. Property owner Steve Gibson reached out to DTP for help. Around the same time, DTP CEO Crystal Moore encountered local artist Ignacio Garcia painting the Rodeo mural at Alameda and Toole and invited him to view the site.
Garcia proposed transforming the plywood hiding the construction of Gibson’s Food Hall & Market into a canvas, painting an "urban collection" of murals that would discourage vandalism while ultimately becoming pieces for a charity auction. DTP, Gibson, and the operators of HighWire and Gibson Food Hall & Market embraced the idea, and over the following months Garcia created 30 panels for the collection, produced under the Storefront Vinyl Program, funded by Rio Nuevo.
The panels were removed earlier this month, prepared for an online auction, and unveiled at Saturday's gala. Every piece sold, with the top lot, "Puppy Love," fetching a final bid of $3,200.
"This project is a testament to what makes downtown Tucson special," said Moore. "A property owner, local businesses, an artist, community partners, nonprofits, and Downtown Tucson Partnership came together with a shared purpose: to transform graffiti into opportunity and invest in the next generation."
Proceeds will be distributed among the four beneficiary organizations, all of which serve children and families within the downtown district.
DTP thanks its sponsors, Rio Nuevo, Gibsons Food Hall & Market, The Grand Tucson and The Tucson Gallery, along with volunteers, bidders, and everyone who supported the project.
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About Downtown Tucson Partnership
Founded in 1998, the Downtown Tucson Partnership (DTP) is a nonprofit organization that manages and markets the Downtown Tucson Business Improvement District, supporting the property owners, businesses, and residents who make up downtown. The district spans 54 blocks in downtown Tucson's heart, centered on Congress and Stone Avenues. Funded primarily through a stakeholder-approved property assessment, DTP provides enhanced safety, cleaning, marketing, economic development, and placemaking services designed to strengthen downtown's role as Southern Arizona's civic and economic center. Learn more at downtowntucson.org and follow DTP on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
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Brian Garrido
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