For more than two decades, the "Chaos Theory" exhibition has been one of Phoenix's best-loved arts traditions, in part because it brings together a stellar lineup of some of the Valley's most renowned artists for a night of not just artwork, but also vibrant conversations and pop-up music performances. It's typically held on First Friday in October, but that didn't happen in 2020 when, like everything else, it was canceled due to the pandemic. But organizer and artist Randy Slack brought "Chaos Theory" roaring back in October 2021 with works by more than 70 artists, most of whom are already part of the unwritten "who's who" list of metro Phoenix creatives (or rapidly rising stars). It's a night when artists take time to appreciate each other's work and people from art bigwigs to the merely art-curious gather in one place to celebrate the city's creative side — without having to pay a dime for the experience. After all that COVID-19 isolation, "Chaos Theory" was an exhilarating way to reenergize the Phoenix creative scene.