Berkeley Cultural Trust

08/18/2026

TOMORROW at 10am the incredible Hanan Masri, Berkeley’s Poet Laureate, will be joining us as we gather in Berkeley City Hall (Floor 6)! She will speak about her work, experiences as Poet Laureate, and time in various art communities. We hope to see you soon!

02/27/2026

Hello wonderful people. It’s time to reinvigorate the Berkeley Cultural Trust (BCT) which fell apart during COVID. Let’s put it back together!

BERKELEY CULTURAL TRUST
Tuesday, March 24, 2026
2180 Milvia St., Redwood Room 6th Fl., City Hall
10:00-11:30 Meeting
11:30-12:00 Networking/Hugging/Schmoozing

Currently, I am on the Civic Arts Commission and at one point I chaired the BCT for over 5 years. I have been encouraged by the City to put the BCT back together, as the arts community is going through such difficult times. We need the networking and advocacy from which we all benefit. (Besides, I miss you all!) Whether you are an arts non-profit, a festival producer, an individual artist or a commercial arts enterprise, join us. Please note that this is an IN PERSON MEETING only.

The City’s two-year budget is already in the works and there is a huge deficit which may impact our grant programs. We have already lost our Chief Cultural Affairs Officer position, haven’t been able to get the additional $43K for festival grants for several years, have had various problems with rules and fees around festivals, halved the payment to the Poet Laureate, and had to cancel the Capitol Improvement Grant after the second year.

With that said, I am hoping that some of you might step into leadership of the BCT as I don’t want to do that for more than this first meeting. Happy to mentor, though! And we are lucky to have Cari Arredondo, Asst. to the City Manager and Secretary for the Art Commission, to act as secretary to the BCT. I’ve attached the leadership descriptions from earlier meetings. LMK if you have any interest.

AGENDA
Tuesday, March 24, 2026

1. Introductions (sign in please)
2. BCT Basics
a. Who makes up BCT?
b. Purpose: Advocacy, Education & Networking
3. City Budget
4. Berkeley Arts Parcel Tax
5. Invite one Mayor/Council Person/Staff Person each meeting
6. Next meeting: when and where if different from today
7. Announcements (bring flyers)
8. Adjournment and Networking time

Please RSVP if you’re attending.
Also, if you would like to be removed from this email list or if there is someone else you would like to add.

Thank you for all you do to make this fantastic City alive with the arts!

Lisa Bullwinkel

Send a message to learn more

05/10/2023

. . . AND WE’RE BACK! The Berkeley Cultural Trust’s Equity & Inclusion Committee is excited and grateful to have special guest speaker Corinna Gould of the Sogorea Te’ Land Trust at our meeting Thursday, June 15th at 10am on Zoom! Sign up to get the zoom link on our bio!

The City of Berkeley sits on the unceded ancestral land of the Ohlone people. Come learn about the work that the Sogorea Te’ Land Trust is engaged in, including the campaign to save the West Berkeley Shellmound, and how arts organizations, artists and cultural workers can support Indigenous Peoples rights! Anyone in the Berkeley arts & cultural ecosystem interested in learning how to be an ally of native stewards of the land and how to support indigenous-led projects on Ohlone land is welcome to attend!

SPEAKER BIO: Corrina Gould is the tribal spokesperson for the Confederated Villages of Lisjan. Born and raised in her ancestral homeland, the territory of Huchiun, she is the mother of three and grandmother of four. Corrina has worked on preserving and protecting the sacred burial sites of her ancestors throughout the Bay Area for decades.

03/08/2023

The Berkeley Cultural Trust’s Equity & Inclusion Committee
is excited and grateful to have special guest speaker Corinna Gould of the Sogorea Te’ Land Trust at our meeting March 16th at 10am. We hope you can join us! Anyone in the Berkeley arts & cultural ecosystem interested in learning how to be an ally of native stewards of the land and how to support indigenous-led projects on Ohlone land is welcome to attend!
Sign up to get the zoom link on our bio!
Berkeley Cultural Trust Equity & Inclusion Committee Meeting
Thursday March 16, 2023
10am-11am
Meeting Topic: Supporting Indigenous Peoples Rights in Berkeley

The City of Berkeley sits on the unceded ancestral land of the Ohlone people. Come learn about the work that the Sogorea Te’ Land Trust is engaged in, including the campaign to save the West Berkeley Shellmound, and how arts organizations, artists and cultural workers can support Indigenous Peoples rights!

Guest speaker: Corinna Gould of the Sogorea Te' Land Trust

(Ohlone) Corrina Gould is the tribal spokesperson for the Confederated Villages of Lisjan. Born and raised in her ancestral homeland, the territory of Huchiun, she is the mother of three and grandmother of four. Corrina has worked on preserving and protecting the sacred burial sites of her ancestors throughout the Bay Area for decades.