ArtBeat Issue 548 July 2024

8/1 Council Meeting, Grant Cycle Update, Arts Intersections

Summer 2024 arrived like a light switch. One day, it was spring; the next, it was 110 degrees in the Sacramento Valley. I sincerely hope you are hydrating and finding ways to beat the heat.

Last week, I traveled to Placerville to participate in a roundtable conversation with a group of artists and creative entrepreneurs hosted by Arts and Culture El Dorado, in collaboration with the City of Sacramento, at their Switchboard Gallery in downtown Placerville.

The candid conversation reinforced my perspective that 1.) artists are often the most interesting people in a community, 2.) they are actively working to make their community a better place to live, work, and play, and 3.) they are in a constant state of dialogue with their work and are keenly interested in sharing their ideas with members of their community and 4.) in virtually every community throughout our vast state, there is a group of artists and creatives working collaboratively with a State Local Partner (SLP).

The CAC’s SLP network represents 52 local independent local arts agencies diligently and tirelessly working to build and sustain an ecosystem where artists thrive at the local level. The conditions for this work are complex and vary from community to community. What remains consistent is the essential need for every community to have a support organization advocating for resources, increasing visibility, and building public will for the arts locally. SLPs collaborate with local elected and appointed officials, community foundations, and philanthropy (when available), civic groups (Kiwanis, Rotary, Business Improvement Districts), local tourism, as well as California Native American tribes, to develop and adopt favorable arts policies, grow resources, and expand opportunities for artists. (Read the rest of this blog here.)

California Arts Council Meetings

The Council, chaired by Roxanne Messina-Captor, will convene the Council on August 1 at The Western Stage at Hartnell College in Monterey County. All of our Council meetings are hybrid, and we invite members of the public to attend them in person or virtually. In addition to discussing the allocation framework for the FY23–24 grant cycle, the Council will report on the committee work and discuss meeting dates for 2025. As always, public comment is welcomed and encouraged.

Creative Economy Workgroup of California

On May 17, the Creative Economy Workgroup (CEW) convened at the Annenberg Beach House in Santa Monica, California. This advisory body, comprised of a diverse range of professions and practitioners from every corner of the state, is helping to develop a Creative Economy plan for California. We invite you to subscribe to our Creative Futures newsletter to remain apprised of the CEW’s development and to visit our website for updates, upcoming meetings, and executive summaries.

Our next public meeting for the Creative Economy Workgroup is Tuesday, October 15 in Salinas.

Arts at the Intersection of…

The arts serve a crucial role in every facet of our lives. We know the arts improve connectivity, bolster overall well-being, and can deliver a message that humanizes the many issues we face as a society. In our almost 50-year history, the CAC has funded projects exploring these intersections, such as public health, civic life, and climate conservation. Core to our seven-year Strategic Framework is our ability to explore these intersections, where we forge dynamic partnerships. Keep your eyes peeled on our social media as we dive into some collaborations.

Arts and Health

In June, Qiana Moore, Events and Outreach Coordinator at the CAC, attended the third annual Los Angeles County Arts & Health Week Summit at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Downtown Los Angeles. The free event — with a registration list of 500 people, requiring a waitlist — was hosted by LA Opera in collaboration with LA County Supervisor Hilda L. Solis, First District; LA County Department of Arts and Culture, a State-Local Partner of the CAC; and Jameel Arts & Health Lab.

• Every resident in our cities, counties, states, and county, have a right to quality arts and health access.
• Cross-sector partnerships and collaboration are critical to start conversations, develop new ways of thinking strategy, to successfully make change. We must be in this together.
• The intersection of arts and health as a field of study and practice might appear new to some, but culture bearers and practitioners have seen the connection and benefits for years.

Read about her experience at the summit here.

Arts in Corrections

This past May, Jonathan Estrada, Arts Programs Specialist, attended a unique theatrical experience: Marin Shakespeare’s production of “Titus Andronicus,” performed by the incarcerated citizens of San Quentin Rehabilitation Center who have been rehearsing for over 8 weeks. Marin Shakespeare, 1 of 9 coordinating organizations, has been an Arts in Corrections (AIC) Coordinating Organization for over 21 years and is based in Marin County, California.

Since 2003, Marin Shakespeare Company has provided rich, relevant, trauma-informed, and healing-centered programming in up to 14 CDCR institutions. Their Drama Therapy-inspired curriculum combined with exploring Shakespeare’s texts are powerful tools for people to examine shared humanity, practice self-reflection and self-expression, build healing communities, and explore living a more pro-social, positive life.

Administered by the California Arts Council, Arts in Corrections programs are designed to prepare individuals experiencing incarceration for success upon release, enhance rehabilitative goals, and improve the safety and environment of state prisons. The program is internationally recognized for its high-impact, innovative approach to addressing the state’s public safety needs and rehabilitative priorities through the arts.

Arts in Parks

The CAC is partnering with the California Department of Parks and Recreation (State Parks) and nonprofit partner Parks California to offer a new program connecting artists, culture bearers, California Native American tribes, and local communities. The Arts in State Parks grant will fund projects within state parks, focusing on building capacity to use the arts as a catalyst for community connection, health, and well-being.

In June, representatives from State-Local Partners of the California Arts Council and District Interpretation Coordinators from State Parks met virtually to share and identify collaborative opportunities- forging new relationships between the arts and parks.

In its most recent cycle, over 200 statewide applications were received, and panelists are now hard at work reviewing them. An artist directory was created to provide a space for collaboration, networking, and finding artists interested in public art in the parks projects.

Future Events

Nothing is quite as powerful as being able to see, touch, and feel the impact of your work in your community. If you and your community want to host the California Arts Council, complete a scheduling request.

Onward,
Danielle Brazell, Executive Director
California Arts Council