Arts in CA Parks - logo - white turquoise
Arts in California Parks logo - white and yellow on a transparent background

Hip Hop for Change Camp at Candlestick Point SRA © 2021 Hip Hop for Change.

California State Parks
CA Arts Council logo - A State Agency
Parks California logo - Celebrating Five Years

Local Parks Grant Program now available!
Learn more on the Local Parks Grants page.

Welcome to Arts in California Parks, a new program from California State Parks that supports artists, culture bearers, California Native American tribes, and communities in creating artwork that offers perspective on our past and present and help us imagine our potential. The program will establish art installations and programming in State and local parks as catalysts for sustainable community connection, health, and well-being. This program is aligned with the goals of the Outdoor Access for All initiative championed by Governor Gavin Newsom and First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom and the Natural Resources Agency’s Outdoors for All initiative as well as California State Parks’ Reexamining Our Past initiative.

Around the outside of the circular image is the text "artists, culture bearers, California Native American tribes, and communities" with two-way arrows showing collaboration between those groups and the next ring. The middle ring is Arts in State Parks in turquoise on the left and Local Parks Grants Programs on the right; the two colors blend together in smooth gradients above and below the Arts in California Parks logo.

Arts in California Parks will fund two distinct programs:

  • Arts in State Parks will fund projects located within State Park boundaries.
  • The Local Parks Grants Program will award funds for projects and programs in local parks throughout California through three grant cycles, anticipated for 2024, 2025 and 2026.
Arts in State Parks
Local Parks Grant Program
A bright sunny day along a gravel path in a park. The path is full of people dressed in traditional Japanese robes, most of whom are also carrying paper parasols and other shade. In the background are several folks holding support poles for a light blue ribbon of fabric representing the Los Angeles River.
Procession Community Event at Los Angeles State Historic Park. Led by Lazaro Arvizu Jr., Tina Calderon, and Nobuko Miyamoto. Photo by Fulcrum Arts.

Experience art in State Parks! Installations, events, and programs funded as part of Arts in California Parks’ Pilot Projects can be found on the Explore Projects page. Use the map to find an Arts in California Parks project in a park near you!

Explore Projects
Artist Katie Bush draws chalk art at the Dia de los Muertos event in Old Town San Diego State Historic Park. ©2023, California State Parks.

Are you an artist interested in creating public art in California State and/or local parks? You’re invited to join the Arts in California Parks Artist Directory. The directory is a resource available to all State and local California Parks staff, as well as the general public, to be used to search for artists based on location, art medium, or other considerations, in order to explore opportunities for collaboration. These opportunities may involve State or local parks.

Artist Directory

Share your thoughts on art in parks by taking the Arts in California Parks survey! Your input will inform future development of the Arts in California Parks program.

Take the Survey
California State Parks
Parks California logo. It's in our nature.