Berkeley Cultural Trust

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.

04/13/2022

Zoom link in bio!

03/09/2022

Zoom meeting link in our bio! General meetings are the second Wednesday of each month.

01/11/2022

Happy new year! Please join us for the first general BCT meeting of the year on Wednesday, January 12, from 10 AM – 11:30 AM. ZOOM LINK BELOW & IN BIO!

We'll be joined by Kim Anno, one of the arts commissioners for Berkeley, to share some updates about artist-specific housing advocacy work. https://cityofberkeley-info.zoomgov.com/j/1603068768?pwd=ZGI0NmFPc3FnWlRlQ3RSb0hGQStLZz09

12/28/2021

'Conservatory' is inscribed in ACT's middle name; without the master's program, the theater will have to forge a radically different identity.

12/17/2021

📢Deadline extended to December 23!!!📢

APPLY NOW FOR THE BERKELEY ARTS RECOVERY GRANTS FOR ORGANIZATIONS & FESTIVALS

These are one-time grants available to Berkeley-based nonprofit and fiscally sponsored arts organizations and festivals to help them sustainably recover from the negative economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Grant awards will range from $3,000 to $33,000.

Application deadline is December 23, 2021 by 11:59 PM.

Go to our website to learn more and apply. Link in bio

12/13/2021

Love this ❤️

12/07/2021

We hope you'll join us for the last general BCT meeting of the year on Wednesday, December 8 from 10 am–11:15 am. (Zoom link in bio.)

We have planned some time for folks to share about their big 2021 thing (interpret as you will). Each person gets 1 minute and 1 slide to explain. Fill your minute, but try not to go over (we'll be timing you!) Most importantly — this should be fun!

Please come prepared: Save your image on your computer, have it open, and when it's your turn, you will simply share your screen and voila!