Category: Art

By Wendy Weitzel

Local artists continue connecting and sharing their craft, knowing their voice is amplified when they work together. That was the message April 8 at a virtual meeting of Arts Alliance Davis.

The 18 attendees heard first about the newly formed Sacramento Alliance for Regional Arts. The nonprofit promotes and advocates for arts, art education and cultural equity in the greater Sacramento region. Bill Blake of AMS Planning and Research, a Sacramento consulting firm specializing in the arts, said SARA “came about because of COVID and all of the things that have happened,” in the arts community.

While there are state and national arts organizations, artists and related groups needed a regional voice with organized, sustained advocacy. If a concert hall closes in Folsom, he said, the impact is felt far beyond that city’s borders. Musicians or employees may live in Davis or Roseville, for example.

“You don’t need to follow the jurisdictional boundaries for it to have an impact in the area,” Blake said, calling it “a cultural ecosystem.” By creating a regional coalition, “if something’s happening in Placer County, those elected leaders are hearing from other surrounding counties that it impacts. … Elected officials can easily dismiss the arts if we don’t speak with one voice.”

He urged Alliance attendees to become involved in SARA as it’s being built. “We need more representation from your community,” he said, referring to Yolo County. Visit https://www.artsforsac.org/.

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By Wendy Weitzel

Members of the local arts community met virtually on Oct. 7 to support each other and share how they are reimagining their work in the time of COVID-19.

Arts Alliance Davis was formed a few years ago as a grassroots effort to give artists and their supporters the opportunity to gather, collaborate and create meaningful impact. Meetings, typically every other month, are open to anyone. The October meeting, via videoconference, included 17 artists or representatives or arts organizations.

Much of the discussion focused on anti-racism. Davis resident NJ Mvondo, a self-described Black artist and community organizer, recently launched the interactive Healing Art Project to provide a positive platform for dialogue about systemic racism. Mvondo runs Multiculturalism Rocks!, an organization celebrating cultural diversity in the arts. The Healing Art Project is a treasure hunt for two-dimensional art – displayed in merchant windows in downtown Davis and beyond – encouraging patronage to local businesses.

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Artist Danielle Fodor created stencils to print in “places we can’t gather.” This one, talking about the importance of hand washing, uses mud as paint. (Danielle Fodor/Courtesy photo)

By Wendy Weitzel

The arts community is one of the hardest hit by the pandemic. With shows, concerts, galleries and all public work halted, local artists are looking for other ways to connect with the community. That was the focus at the May 21 Arts Alliance Davis meeting, where artists from all mediums gathered virtually to collaborate and brainstorm.

Arts Alliance Davis typically meets every other month. This one was via Zoom. The group unites artists, civic and arts organizations, businesses, patrons and other community arts supporters. Meetings are open to anyone.

Many artists and organizations rely on grants as an income source. Rachel Hartsough, the city’s arts and culture manager, said the city of Davis will be extending the terms of its Community Arts grants, and allowing flexibility for artists to postpone or reinvent their projects.

But budget-wise, Davis – like most government bodies – is eyeing cuts. “It’s looking really tough.” She said to expect a substantial reduction in the arts budget.

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Dylan Wright of Third Space waves his hand in reaction to a student’s artwork based on a prompt to 3- to 5-year-olds: “What does your world look like?” Wright was among the Arts Alliance Davis participants who toured Peregrine School on Nov. 21. (Wendy Weitzel/Courtesy photo)

By Wendy Weitzel

Davis artists and arts allies met Nov. 21 to collaborate about their holiday events and programs, and learn about an unlikely arts event space in town.

Arts Alliance Davis meets every other month, at rotating venues. It unites artists, civic and arts organizations, businesses, patrons and other community arts supporters. The meetings are open to anyone.

This gathering of nearly 30 members of the local creative community was at Peregrine School, 2650 Lillard Drive. School Director Lorie Hammond led a tour, offering information about its potential as a performance and meeting space. The 1-acre campus near Cowell Drive in South Davis has an outdoor stage, garden and grassy area.

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