SVCREATES

10/14/2026

Join the San Jose Office of Cultural Affairs and the Arts Commission for the Cornerstone of the Arts Awards on Friday, October 16 from 5:30pm - 8:30pm at the Hammer Theatre Center. Celebrate and recognize the cultural impact of this year’s honorees: Diane Brandenburg, 1Culture, and Erin Salazar.

RSVP: https://bit.ly/47bxymP

10/09/2026

The City of Mountain View is requesting qualifications from artists and artist teams for public art commissions at the new Public Safety Building, which will serve as the administrative headquarters for the City of Mountain View Police & Fire Departments, Emergency Communications Center, and Emergency Operations Center.

Apply by Friday, October 16 by 11:59pm. Learn more: https://bit.ly/45S5cwC

10/09/2026

The City of Sunnyvale, California (Government) invites community members with a Sunnyvale address to create and submit their own poster design for the Freedom 250 City Art Poster Project. Each design should celebrate local Sunnyvale history and inspire hope for the future. The official city poster will be chosen by the Mayor's Office. Deadline: Sunday, October 18

Learn more: https://bit.ly/4z8VmDL

10/06/2026

1202 Contemporary invites emerging and mid-career artists to submit work for their 6th Annual Paper + Fiber exhibition, The Many Faces of Frida, which celebrates the legacy of Frida Kahlo. The show will open during La Ofrenda Festival on October 24, 2026 and be on view through January 2, 2027.

The exhibition is made possible with a Gilroy Elevate the Arts Grant, a program of SVCREATES, with support from the City of Gilroy Government and the County of Santa Clara, California.

Apply by Friday, October 16: https://bit.ly/4zDt3xN

10/06/2026

Tomorrow! Join Create CA and WestEd on Tuesday, October 6 at 4:00pm for an online conversation about the emerging impact of Proposition 28 Arts and Music in Schools funding on arts education across California. WestEd research leads Sharon Herpin, EdD, and Kelly Wynveen will present findings from statewide research examining Prop 28 implementation, its challenges, and insights regarding student access to equitable and inclusive arts education.

Register: https://bit.ly/4AJNeez

09/29/2026

Join SVCREATES on Friday, October 2 from 12:00pm - 1:30pm for an interactive workshop led by Silicon Valley Council of Nonprofits and designed to support arts leaders in the shift from individual survival to collective power. We will demystify the advocacy landscape and explore how strategic collaboration can turn solo requests into movements.

Learn more and register: https://bit.ly/3TxntgL

Join SVCN for a session about utilizing collective power for meaningful change

09/27/2026

Make your voice heard! The California Arts Council (CAC) has received additional appropriations of $10M in Local Assistance for general operating support and $4M to support the Cultural Districts program through the Budget Act of FY26-27. The CAC will hold a special hybrid meeting on Wednesday, September 30 at 10:00am to discuss how these funds might be allocated. You can listen in to the discussion and submit public comment on Zoom or at San José City Hall in the 11th Floor Tower, Room 1132. Join:

View schedules and records of the Council's public meetings.

09/25/2026

This month we are pleased to feature a guest blog from Gordon Yamate, who is coordinating a series of community-based, participatory art events across the Town of Los Gatos - Government called "Handwriting the Constitution." SVCREATES is proud to be a fiscal sponsor of this civically engaged art project.

"When I interviewed for the Town of Los Gatos Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) Commission, I told the Town Council that I often look to artists and the way they think to solve problems," writes Gordon. "Later, that approach would inform the Commission’s work, given its lack of funding and limited staff resources, and no independent authority (we act only to advise the Town Council). When the Commission began grappling with how to unify the community under the DEI umbrella, the artist mindset proved extremely helpful—artists often work under conditions of funding scarcity, but are incredibly resourceful in using their creativity to create art and solve problems."

Read and share his full piece: https://bit.ly/4xNTjEe

By Gordon Yamate, Chair, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Commission, Town of Los Gatos

09/25/2026

The next Gilroy Arts Roundtable on Wednesday, September 30 will take us back to school—we will be meeting at Gavilan College in the campus library's art gallery. Our thanks to Gavilan art faculty Max Rain for hosting us. Currently on view in the gallery is the exhibition "Beautiful Encounters," featuring the work of Korean women artists from the Nokmee Art Society.

Wed, September 30
6:30-8:00pm
Art Gallery, Gavilan College Library
5055 Santa Teresa Blvd
Parking: Free. We recommend parking in Lots A or C in spots labeled General Parking.

Here is a link to the campus map: https://www.gavilan.edu/about/maps/main_map.php

09/22/2026

Join Silicon Valley Council of Nonprofits (SVCN) this Thursday, September 24 for Five Things Every Nonprofit Needs to Know About Compliance Right Now.

With so much changing for nonprofits right now, SVCN is teaming up with Melissa Hollatz, the attorney behind the Nonprofit Protection Project (NPP) at the Law Foundation of Silicon Valley, for a session on housekeeping basics, information management, filings, employee matters, and external risk and relationships. This session is free and open to SVCN members.

Learn more: https://bit.ly/4hd1p2Q