16 • Parks, Open Space & Cultural Services County Arts Commission - Mission Statement The Mission of the Santa Cruz County Arts Commission is to promote, expand, and plan for the cultural life of Santa Cruz County and to bring artists and arts organizations together with government for the benefit of all county residents. Percent For Art Program: Building A More Beautiful Community In April of 1991, the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors took action to establish a Percent for Art Program applicable to County construction projects. Up to 2% of the cost of construction of buildings and parks is designated to fund the inclusion of public artwork. Projects recently completed include the Live Oak Library Annex, the Heart of Soquel Parkway, The South Co. Government Ctr. at 500 Westridge. Upcoming public art opportunities include Hidden Beach, Simpkins Swim Center slide replacement, Juvenile Hall, and Pace Trails. Visit the website for details: www.scparks.com/Home/AboutUs/ WorkWithUs/CalltoArtists.aspx Art Exhibitions Paintings, prints, crafts, photographs, jewelry, ceramics, sculpture, drawings, and mixed-media works by local artists and crafts people are exhibited year-round at the County Government Center, 701 Ocean Street, Santa Cruz. Exhibits typically run for 4 months on the first and fifth floors. Artists interested in showing their work at a County facility (Government Center, Simpkins Swim Center, Health Services Agency, and others) can visit the Arts Council website at www.artscouncilsc.org for more information about the application process. Recognizing Local Emerging Artists Through the Spotlight Award, the Santa Cruz County Arts Commission publicly recognizes individuals who have achieved a high level of excellence and creativity in their work, but who have not received widespread acknowledgment of their talent. This award recognizes younger artists as well as those who are discovering their artistic voice later in life. Nominations are due March 3, 2025. More information about the award, the application process for nominated artists, and a list of 2024 recipients can be found at scparks.com. Artists, David and Soo Choi Public Art Walk & Talk at the Heart of Soquel Parkway Thursday, April 3, 10-11am / Ages 18+ Join Artist Justin Francavilla for an art walk and talk in the park and experience public art in a new way! We’ll turn a simple stroll into an immersive experience that highlights the hidden gems of the animal kingdom. We’ll take rubbing prints along the way of the newly installed bronze plaques in the Heart of Soquel Parkway and discuss how inspiration can be found all around us. As we explore each plaque, which highlights the under-appreciated animals from our neighborhood, attendees will create their own prints of these often-overlooked creatures. This event is a hands-on celebration of how art and nature intersect, inviting a fresh perspective on the familiar and the hidden marvels of our environment. Saturday, May 3, 10-11am – All ages Join Artist Justin Francavilla for a fun art adventure in the park! We’ll turn our walk into a treasure hunt, discovering cool animal art hidden on bronze plaques along the Heart of Soquel Parkway. As we explore, we’ll make rubbing prints of these special plaques and learn about some of the neighborhood's lesser-known animals. This event is a hands-on way to see how art and nature come together, showing us amazing things right around us! ART PROGRAMS
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