We nurture and invest in artists, culture, and the arts throughout Santa Cruz County. 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 award over $220,000 in grants and support more than 300 Open Studios artists, numerous arts organizations and teaching artists, and hundreds of individual creatives while providing arts education to 18,000 youth annually.
Imagine arts in every school, every day, across our county. We’re at a pivotal moment in arts education with exciting Proposition 28 funding available to expand programming. Schools are eager to enhance their programs, but there’s a shortage of teaching artists and credentialed arts teachers. As the top provider of arts education in local schools, we must grow our team, launch new training, and expand our Summer Arts Education Institute to meet the growing need.
Our community understands: Art is essential. Together, we ignite imaginations, enhance learning, empower educators, and create vibrant learning environments!
I learned that arts integration supports English Language Learners and students with learning differences. The different teaching modalities support student success, allowing for deep student engagement.
Anonymous, Santa Cruz, 2024 Summer Arts Education Institute Participant
