(Photo by Ash Ponders)

Arizona artists Estrella Payton, Oliverio Balcells, Martin Moreno, Giovana Aviles, Jenea Sanchez, Leonor Aispuro, Gloria Casillas worked with Betsabee Romero (fourth from left).

Art can bridge borders. That’s the driving principle behind a first-of-its-kind professional development program for Phoenix artists.

The CALA Alliance and AZ Artworker, a program of the Arizona Commission for the Arts, recently brought renowned Mexican artist Betsabee Romero to the Valley to spend a week working with seven local artists in Phoenix to create a community art project.

Romero is known for her work using the everyday symbols and rituals of the culture of global consumption, like cars and urban signage. And for this project, she said the cross-border collaboration would send a message about dividing and blaming people for global problems.

The Show’s Lauren Gilger spoke with Gabriela Munoz, artist programs manager at the Arizona Commission for the Arts, as the project was getting underway.

The temporary art project went up earlier this month, and it’ll be on display at Growhouse 2.0 in downtown Phoenix until April 30.