We envision a Santa Cruz County where all artists have access to the resources they need to thrive; where a full range of creative expression is accessible to everyone; and the arts are recognized for their essential contributions to a healthy, vibrant, and representative community.
We are the top provider of arts education in the county, including classes in public schools. We provide $220,000+ in grants, support 300+ Open Studios artists, 18,000 youth, dozens of arts organizations, classes, teaching artists, and hundreds of individual artists.
If you value a strong arts ecosystem and living in a culturally rich community that provides inspiration, connection, and joy to so many, invest in the Arts Council. We’re engaging the next generation of creative thinkers and problem solvers — kids who will grow up to develop solutions to our world’s pressing issues and be prepared for a labor force that increasingly requires right-brain thinking.
We’re grateful to live in a place renowned for nurturing the creative spirit, but it only happens with community support. With your contribution, 18,000 youth will learn how to dream big, speak up, take positive risks, and turn mistakes into opportunities through arts education. We prioritize equity in all our work, making it easier for artists to live, work, and create here.
Your local Arts Council grew out of a collective desire to support artists, arts organizations, and arts education in our community because we understand: Art is essential.
Arts Council Santa Cruz County is like a support team that guides and provides you with opportunities to make your creative endeavors into reality. Above anything else, they provide community, connection, space for creative expression, and overall empowerment in each of our voices.
Josefina Rocha, Artist
