Kenny Barrett is an artist and entrepreneurial community leader from Phoenix, Arizona and based in New York, NY, whose work bridges public art, sustainability, and community transformation. His practice reflects a lifelong commitment to creativity, collaboration, and place-making.

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Barrett studied contemporary art at Metáfora International Workshop in Barcelona, Spain, and is best known for Valley of the Sunflowers (2011)—a two-acre urban agriculture project that converted a vacant downtown lot into a vibrant sunflower field. Partnering with Bioscience High School, the project connected art, science, and sustainability through a “seed-to-engine” biofuel initiative, while also creating a shared space for learning, creativity, and gathering.

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As co-owner of Phoenix General Store, Barrett has helped shape one of the city’s most beloved retail brands. Since opening in 2016, the store has been voted “Best Clothing Store” in Phoenix every year, expanded to a second location, and built a strong online presence, alongside its in-house line of sustainable clothing and apothecary products inspired by community garden roots. Before that, he co-founded the GROWop handmade + found artist collective (2010–2016).

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Barrett’s civic leadership includes serving as Director of the Roosevelt Row Community Development Corporation (RRCDC), where he oversaw one of the nation’s largest monthly art walks and launched signature programs such as the ARTS Vacant Lot Activation Program, Mural Match, Chile Pepper Fest, and CultivEAT farm-to-table dinners. He later served on the RRCDC Board of Directors. As Project Manager for HandsOn Greater Phoenix, Barrett organized large-scale service events—including Serve-A-Thon, Make a Difference Day, and MLK Jr. Day of Service—and led a national partnership with The Home Depot to rehabilitate veterans’ homes.

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Since 2008, Barrett has also co-founded and served as part-time Executive Director of the Growhouse Urban Agriculture Center, a hub for sustainability education, urban farming, and creative re-use of vacant land. His community-building work has been supported by grants from ArtPlace America, the National Endowment for the Arts, Intel, and Keep Arizona Beautiful.

 

Recognized as a Community Cultivator in the Phoenix New Times’ Best of Phoenix: Superheroes edition, Barrett continues to champion inclusive, sustainable, and creative spaces in the Sonoran Desert. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Marketing and Advertising Management from Arizona State University’s W. P. Carey School of Business. Outside of his professional work, he is a master gardener, beekeeper, chicken whisperer, and avid cyclist—currently training for the AIDS/Lifecycle 545-mile charity ride from San Francisco to Los Angeles.

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Barrett has built his career on the belief that creativity, paired with community, has the power to transform lives. His work is grounded in a vision of sustainability, inclusivity, and connection—illuminating pathways for others while shaping a deeper sense of purpose in his own life.

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