Arts Council Santa Cruz County

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Arts Council Santa Cruz County We nurture and invest in artists, culture, and the arts throughout Santa Cruz County.✨
Santa Cruz County Open Studios Art Tour 2026 🩵

This Saturday at the Watsonville Center for the Arts – the very special Opening Reception of Esperanza del Valle’s Threa...
10/07/2026

This Saturday at the Watsonville Center for the Arts – the very special Opening Reception of Esperanza del Valle’s Threads of Identity: The Art Of Folklorico Attire.

This October 10, the vestuarios won’t just be sitting on mannequins - they’ll be taking center stage. The opening reception starts at 6pm, followed by a fashion show at 7pm.

Read our latest blog where WCA Manager, Yesenia Molina writes about the richness and cultural knowledge Esperanza Del Valle brings to our community and highlights the importance the vestuarios hold.

“Over the years, generations of dancers have learned the dances, music, stories, and traditions of different regions of Mexico. And while we often think of folklórico through the movement of the dancers, there is another important piece of the story that deserves its own spotlight: el vestuario.”

Swing by to appreciate the artistry, learn the significance, and help keep these traditions alive. We look forward to seeing you!

Acompáñenos este sábado 10 de octubre en el Centro Artístico de Watsonville para la recepción inaugural de Esperanza del Valle - Hilos de Identidad: El Arte del Vestuario Folklórico.

Este vestuario no se limitará a los maniquíes, sino que será el centro de atención. La recepción comienza a las 6pm, seguida por un desfile de moda a las 7pm.

Lee nuestro último blog, en el que la directora del WCA, Yesenia Molina, escribe sobre la riqueza y los conocimientos culturales que Esperanza del Valle aporta a nuestra comunidad. Además, destaca la importancia que tienen los trajes folclóricos.

“A lo largo de los años, generaciones de bailarines han aprendido las danzas, la música, las historias y las tradiciones de diferentes regiones de México. Y aunque típicamente pensamos en el folclórico a través de los movimientos de los bailarines, hay otra parte importante de la historia que merece su propia atención: el vestuario.”

Ven y aprecia la artesanía, conoce su significado y ayuda a mantener vivas estas tradiciones. ¡Esperamos verlos allí!

10/04/2026
Thank you to our partner Good Times Santa Cruz for the cover article. Pick up one of the beautiful printed guides from t...
10/02/2026

Thank you to our partner Good Times Santa Cruz for the cover article. Pick up one of the beautiful printed guides from their newspaper distribution sites today.

South County Open Studios kicks off this weekend!

Download the awesome new app and head to the website to learn more and plan your tour.

Support the arts. Keep Santa Cruz creative.

Arts Council Santa Cruz County Good Times Santa Cruz

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Join us this evening, October 1st from 5-7pm at Pajaro Valley Arts for the opening reception of the South County Open St...
10/01/2026

Join us this evening, October 1st from 5-7pm at Pajaro Valley Arts for the opening reception of the South County Open Studios Preview! Meet the artists and plan your route for the art tour this weekend💫

Exhibit Open: September 26 - October 18
Hours: Tuesday-Saturday 11am-4pm
Opening Reception: Thursday, October 1, 5-7pm

Be sure to also visit the gallery during South County & All County weekend to view the stunning work of Woodworking Artist Hermelinda Vasquez 💚

Who’s ready to kick off the Santa Cruz County Open Studios tour?Join us tomorrow, Saturday, September 26 from 3-6pm at m...
09/25/2026

Who’s ready to kick off the Santa Cruz County Open Studios tour?

Join us tomorrow, Saturday, September 26 from 3-6pm at m.k. contemporary art for the opening reception of the Open Studios Preview Exhibit 💚

Over 300 artists in 22 mediums, 67 joining the tour for the first time! A chance to see it all in one place, plan your route, purchase original pieces, and get to know the artists.

Tag yourself in the comments if you spot your artwork 👀

Thank You Shmuel Thaler and Santa Cruz Sentinel for the coverage. We love to see our local media outlets supporting the ...
09/22/2026

Thank You Shmuel Thaler and Santa Cruz Sentinel for the coverage. We love to see our local media outlets supporting the arts! 💎

Santa Cruz Open Studios Art Tour preview exhibit at m.k. contemporary art opens this Friday!

One of the best ways to plan your Open Studios art tour is to start at the preview exhibits!This year, we’re thrilled to...
09/16/2026

One of the best ways to plan your Open Studios art tour is to start at the preview exhibits!

This year, we’re thrilled to be partnering with 3 local galleries to highlight the work of the 350+ participating artists. Mark your calendars for opening receptions & visit during their open hours!

Opening Receptions:
✨ MK Contemporary Art (All Artists): Saturday, Sept 26 from 3-6pm

✨Pajaro Valley Arts (South County Artists): Thursday, Oct 1 from 5-7pm

✨ Santa Cruz Art League (North Coast & SC Mountain Artists) Friday, Oct 2 from 5-8pm

Get inspired, pick your favorites pieces, and plan your weekend route! We look forward to seeing you on the art tour 💚

Head to the Arts Council website 🔗 to discover all the ways to experience open studios!

Congratulations Joshua! One of 14 artists and culture bearers receiving a 2026 California Arts Council Individual Artist...
09/15/2026

Congratulations Joshua! One of 14 artists and culture bearers receiving a 2026 California Arts Council Individual Artists Fellowship through Arts Council Santa Cruz County.

Joshua Escobar is the author of the chapbooks Califorkya Voltage (No, Dear/Small Anchor) and xxox fm (Doublecross Press). Their first full-length poetry collection Ba****ck Nightfall (Noemi Press/Letras Latinas) was a finalist for the 2021 California Book Award. In 2023 they won the Bo Huston Award, which led to the publication of their debut novel Demons of Eminence (Fellow Traveler’s Series/Publication Studio Hudson).

A 2026 Q***r Arts Fellow, they are working on adapting their writing to film and television. They direct the Creative Writing Program at Santa Barbara City College, where they have produced events featuring Latinx poets, translators, drag queens, trans artists, and art historians—sometimes in collaboration with the Santa Barbara Museum of Art. As a director of a HSI grant, they founded the Multimodal Lab, a space dedicated to post-traditional learning. Recipient of the 2022–2023 Faculty Excellence Award, they also publish Open Fruit, a student magazine for the arts.

Website: http://joshuaescobar.com/ Joshua Escobar

Learn more about the 2026 Fellows at artscouncilsc.org (http://artscouncilsc.org/)

Congratulations Renee! One of 14 artists and culture bearers receiving a 2026 California Arts Council Individual Artists...
09/14/2026

Congratulations Renee! One of 14 artists and culture bearers receiving a 2026 California Arts Council Individual Artists Fellowship through Arts Council Santa Cruz County.

Renée Pepion (she/her) is an emerging artist practicing on California’s Central Coast. Her sculptural works strike a balance between the beautiful and the grotesque, tackling themes relating to animality, disability, and the Latin American diaspora. Her first solo exhibition, Invitation, took place in 2025 at Monte Vista Projects, and she is scheduled to exhibit work at the Torrance Art Museum in late 2026.

Website: https://www.reneepepion.com Renée Pepion

Learn more about the 2026 Fellows at artscouncilsc.org (http://artscouncilsc.org/)

Congratulations Miguel! One of 14 artists and culture bearers receiving a 2026 California Arts Council Individual Artist...
09/14/2026

Congratulations Miguel! One of 14 artists and culture bearers receiving a 2026 California Arts Council Individual Artists Fellowship through Arts Council Santa Cruz County.

Miguel Orozco is a playwright, theatre producer, filmmaker, and educator whose work centers Latino stories, immigrant experiences, and communities too often left unseen. His artistic journey was shaped by time spent with family in Guanajuato, México, where he reclaimed his name, Miguel, and a deeper connection to his identity and heritage.

Inspired by acclaimed writer Octavia Butler’s idea of a “positive obsession,” Miguel founded ÁNIMO Theatre in Ventura County to create culturally relevant work that empowers communities through storytelling. His original works include ¡Ay Chihuahua!, Los Braceros de Buena Vista, and Mixteco Kid. He is currently developing God Speaks Spanish for the stage, with plans for a 2027 production. He is a Lecturer of Theatre at California State University Channel Islands, where he engages students in creating and staging stories rooted in culture, history, and lived experience.

Learn more about the 2026 Fellows at artscouncilsc.org (http://artscouncilsc.org/)

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Santa Cruz, CA

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

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+18314759600

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