Local Parks Grant Program

The Arts in California Parks Local Parks Grant Program revitalizes local parks with diverse experiences that foster creativity, community connection, and transform them into vibrant hubs of art, culture, and nature.

In 2024, we launched the inaugural cycle of the Arts in California Parks, Local Parks Grant Program with a $2.8 million investment to support 31 grant recipients across California. These innovative programs will bring art and cultural programming to local parks, transforming them into dynamic spaces that celebrate California’s cultural heritage and provide memorable experiences for visitors and residents alike.

A diverse group of folks pose excitedly in the bright sunshine. They're all in front of some trees and painted murals, and are standing on a temporary dance floor. The dark-skinned man in the front is balancing on one arm while pointing and grinning at the camera.

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

2024 Implementation Grantees

American River Conservancy

RIPE AREA: The Art of Native Plants Festival

The American River Conservancy (ARC) will partner again with Myrtle Tree Arts (MTA) to host the RIPE AREA: Art of Native Plants Festival at Wakamatsu Farm in Placerville during harvest time in September 2025. The festival will feature local artists expressing the benefits and uses of native flora in many art forms, including culinary arts. The event will offer a comprehensive range of artistic and cultural experiences using the farm’s native plant demonstration garden and nursery, ponds, woodlands, riparian areas, lake loop trail, and performance stage. A new tribal-led native plant tending and gathering garden will be a focal point. Artists and audiences alike will experience innovative ideas and artistic expressions with the goal of inspiring them to become informed land and plant species stewards and advocates for environmental protection and preservation. 

For more information, visit https://www.arconservancy.org/

Arts Connection Presents: Bloomington Arts in the Parks Program

The “Arts Connection Presents: Bloomington Arts in the Parks Program” is a transformative, year-long initiative designed to foster community engagement, celebrate Bloomington’s rich cultural heritage, and enhance the social determinants of health through diverse artistic expressions. This program will take place from October 1, 2024, to September 30, 2025, in Bloomington Community Park, a central and accessible location that symbolizes community unity and cultural vitality.

The program was designed through community feedback through our creative corps listening sessions that we engaged 72 individuals from Bloomington on their needs and desires for arts and cultural programming. The program features diverse artistic mediums, including visual arts, performance, music, and culinary arts. Key activities include traditional papier-mâché piñata making, open mic nights, movie nights featuring local films, printmaking, ceramics, and other cultural workshops and events.

For more information, visit https://artsconnectionnetwork.org/

 

Eskwela Kultura sa HiFi: A monthly mini FPAC in the heart of Historic Filipinotown

Eskwela Kultura is a monthly arts and culture series that celebrates Filipino heritage, strengthens community connections to shared history and vibrant art, and fosters economic opportunities for Filipino businesses. 

Traditional Philippine folk arts workshops by local folk-arts dance groups lead to showcases while Eskrima demonstrations highlight Filipino martial arts’ cultural significance. Storytelling sessions with local artists and live streams bring myths and legends to life. “Art Phair,” curated by visual artist Maryrose Mendoza, features Filipino American visual artists. Filipino food vendors, in partnership with Island Pacific, offer cooking demos. Live music and dance highlight both traditional and contemporary forms. Young Filipino Americans experience arts & crafts workshops from Filipino artists, historical scavenger hunts within Unidad Park, and cultural education led by Kubo Long Beach and Flipp Family. Spoken word enthusiasts can attend our revived Balagtasan event with Sunday Jump. A post-event brings everyone together to celebrate volunteerism and success. 

For more information, visit https://www.filamartsla.org/

Nevada County Art In Nature Collaborative Community Project

This project strives to bring the worlds of community, nature, and art together by changing art gallery walls to a backdrop of nature. Expanding the traditional stage for visual arts, spoken word, and musical experiences, and getting everyone into nature, are the goals of this project. Through this important partnership with the Nevada County Arts Council (Arts Council), Neighborhood Center of the Arts (NCA), and California Heritage: Indigenous Research Project (CHIRP) our community will empower artists and further integrate art and people into nature through exciting interactive projects. This Project will build upon Bear Yuba Land Trust’s existing Art in Nature Installation, Poetry on Preserves, and Summer Star Hike Challenge projects and will assist with the launch of a Music in the Meadow program. Another goal of the project is to create opportunities for participation from the community through workshops, collaborative built art projects, and self-guided art hikes.

For more information, visit https://www.bylt.org/

Saunders Park Activation Through Art and Nature

The Saunders Park Activation Through Art and Nature project will transform Saunders Park into a vibrant cultural and natural appreciation hub. The project includes the installation of a large mural and a winding ADA accessible art path that will transform the park’s aesthetic and provide a gallery-like experience. The mural will have a stained-glass appearance and will be created in collaboration with local artists and community members to reflect the cultural heritage and diverse narratives of the community. The art path will include shade-trees, an ADA-accessible design, and benches for mural appreciation.

The project will revitalize a neighborhood park located in a disadvantaged community, providing residents with enhanced recreational and cultural opportunities. Local cultural, historical, and social contexts will be incorporated into the artwork as informed by the community through engagement that will take place from planning and design to construction and long-term maintenance.

For more information, visit https://artsconnectionnetwork.org/

Tolowa Interpretive Walk

The Tolowa Interpretive Walk will take visitors on a self-guided storytelling journey throughout the Beachfront Park and along the California Coastal Trail, ending at the historic Brother Jonathan Park, just over a mile away. Tribal patterned concrete and benchmarks will guide visitors to each of the five kiosks and three thematically designed art structures, which will present QR codes linked to video of Tolowa elders describing poignant moments leading up to Tribal life today, along with an audio platform and interpretive signage.

With so many elements to this storytelling project at play, guests in this space will be allowed to see, hear, smell, and touch the “living culture” of the Tolowa people. Sharing the region’s untold Tolowa stories, in such a relevant space provides the framework for a fully immersive experience, which in turn, lends to a stronger connection to the Tolowa land and its people.

For more information, visit https://www.crescentcity.org/

MoVal Arts and Culture Celebrations

The two main events of this project will be the “El Grito”” event in September 2025, celebrating Mexican Independence Day, and the MoVal Cultural Festival in Spring 2025. Both events will be held at the Moreno Valley Civic Center Amphitheater, which will be transformed into an outdoor art gallery, creating a culturally enriching environment for all attendees. Some activities will include cultural performances, live art demonstrations, art vendors, children’s activities, art exhibits, and multicultural food trucks.

The primary goal of these festivals is to offer local artists across all mediums a platform to showcase their talents. These events will celebrate diversity through public art and provide educational experiences to the community, fostering a deeper understanding and appreciation of different cultures. 

For more information, visit https://moval.org/

Communities of the Corridor

Coastal Corridor Alliance and Juaneño Band of Mission Indians (JBMIAN), Acjachemen Nation aim to harness the visual arts to connect underserved communities to Fairview Park’s Indigenous and ecological history. With the community, we will create a collaborative mosaic, titled “Communities of the Corridor,” composed of 80-100 art projects made from trash collected from Fairview Park and surrounding parks, supplemented by bird feathers and Indigenous plants.

Upon completion, the mosaic will serve as a backdrop for stories, history, songs, and culture of the region. This project aims to initiate discussions and teachings, connecting ecological and Tribal history to modern conservation needs, while emphasizing the connection of JBMIAN culture to the region’s flora and fauna. 

“Communities of the Corridor” underscores community engagement, representing voices from disadvantaged neighborhoods, ecological communities, and Tribal lands. It exemplifies how art can unify different voices towards common solutions and create a more inclusive future.

For more information, visit https://coastalcorridor.org/

Concerts in the Park: Reviving Fair Oaks’ Cultural Heartbeat

“Concerts in the Park” has been absent for more than 5 years due to the pandemic and a major multi-million park renovation. The series offered a space for the community to come together, enjoy live music, and create a sense of belonging. With the park’s reopening, we propose to revive and improve the concert series, making it family-friendly, inclusive, and representative of our community’s diversity.

We aim to provide free, ADA-accessible events, with new improvements including ADA-compliant parking and accessible restrooms, with a new playground near the concert site. Our partners, Fair Oaks Chamber, Fair Oaks Foundation for Leisure and the Arts, and Fair Oaks Rotary will help involve residents in planning, select artists, and promote the series, ensuring it aligns with community needs and local interests. The restoration of this series will transform the park into a lively cultural hub and center for arts and cultural programs.

For more information, visit https://www.forpd.org/

Traveling Tataveaveat (Tataviam Land): A’ichu’av (Create) Together

Participants in Traveling Tataveaveat (Tataviam Land) A’ichu’av (Create) Together will connect nature, culture, and art through engaging in meaningful experiences in local parks occupying the Tribe’s traditional homelands. To connect the public with the natural history and cultural heritage of this region, Fernandeño Tataviam Band of Mission Indians (FTBMI) plans to take a multi-step approach to program implementation where community contributions determine the direction our programs will take. Initial events will encourage parkgoers to explore and document the park’s biodiversity. With this community-sourced data, we will consult with culture bearers to identify the significance of identified species. Their expertise will guide the development of culturally relevant art programs. The diversity of art mediums we can explore include traditional songs, language, food, stories, and visual arts. Involving Tribal elders in this process will create mentorship opportunities and creative pathways for FTBMI citizens and the next generation of culture bearers.

For more information, visit https://www.tataviam-nsn.us/

Artisteando en Parques – Artist-ing in Parks

Artisteando en Parques (AEP) invites the Live Oak Latine community to reclaim public spaces through the creation of artwork and installations representing their cultural traditions. Designed by Live Oak artist, teacher, County Park Friends (CPF) staff, and community leader Yadira Flores, AEP is a series of three participatory art projects founded on community input and engagement. During classes, participants will create unique, temporary art installations such as mosaics, yarn/wooden sculptures, and large-scale papier-mâché with Indigenous, Mexican, and immigrant culture and symbolism. CPF will lead small group conversations about park history and encourage participants to share stories connected to the artwork and their culture. Carlos Campos, filmmaker and staff member, will record this process and participants’ experiences to create a mini documentary for each project. After each project, CPF will hold a public celebration to share project outcomes with the community.

For more information, visit https://www.countyparkfriends.org/

Hijos del Sol Experimental Traveling Arts Studio to Benefit the Residents of Acosta Plaza

Hijos del Sol’s Experimental Traveling Arts Studio is a unique and innovative initiative designed to provide individuals with free visual arts instruction, supplies, and freedom to express themselves. 

The traveling studio will conduct workshops at the open space surrounding “The Sanborn Ranch House” at Acosta Plaza. Programming will be geared towards youth and encourage parent participation. Workshops will include a) structured projects with tutorial periods and b) free-spirited unstructured space. Professional arts instructors will be available for 1:1 instruction and mentorship.

In preparation for annual community events and exhibits, these workshops will promote themes—Día de Muertos, Posadas, A Toda Madre, and Garabatos—that play a crucial role in keeping our Native American and Latino traditions alive, preserving and sharing our heritage, and fostering a sense of belonging and cultural appreciation–all while establishing The Sanborn Ranch House grounds as a sacred space of connection.

For more information, visit https://www.hijosdelsol.org/

Cine En El Parque

Cine En El Parque is a multi-faceted, community oriented, outdoor film screening series designed to serve one of San Diego’s most diverse communities, Barrio Logan. Through this program, Media Arts Center San Diego (MACSD) will create dynamic and engaging open-air screening spaces at Chicano Park that are accessible to residents looking to learn about their community’s history while celebrating Chicano culture. Hosting this series at Chicano Park, a National Historic Landmark, is a privilege made possible by the Chicano Park Steering Committee, who are co-presenting this initiative. Chicano Park is a mural-filled park unlike any other, born from community resilience and resistance. It is emblematic of the historical challenges and triumphs of Chicano/a communities in the United States and is still an active political site as organizers continue to extend the Park’s mission throughout San Diego. 

For more information, visit https://mediaartscenter.org/

Land and Lenses: a Youth Storytelling Project of Healing and Heritage

This placemaking program will activate San Diego’s Otay Valley Regional Park, located just four miles from Mexico’s border. Teens and transitional age youth have the opportunity to take part in a paid apprenticeship program, empowering them to act as community leaders and changemakers. After participating in program development and leadership training sessions, apprentices will draw the broader community through arts-based activities, encouraging meaningful connections with their local park. Through art, participants will explore the intersection of healing, land, and the enduring impacts of colonialism.

For more information, visit https://outsidethelens.org/

Somewhere to Land

Somewhere To Land is a series of interactive vertical dance, music, and intergenerational social art practice to enliven flight paths through parks and public spaces in the heart of Oakland – from Latham Square, through Khans Alley, into Frank H. Ogawa Plaza, circling the Great Jack London Oak tree to the facade of Oakland City Hall. Each week will feature a variety of thematically aligned art events, including music and vertical dance performances, accessible wellness movement classes, and facilitated social art practices for all ages. In process and performance, “Somewhere To Land” invites artists and the public to engage personally and socially in themes of migration, belonging and ecological inter-being.

For more information, visit https://www.bandaloop.org/

Rising Seas

Rising Seas is a site-specific multidisciplinary series of free public art events designed to increase awareness of the impacts of rising sea level and climate change on the island of Alameda, engage people in imagining a better future, and provide a sense of hope through community dialogue and action.

Island culture, music, and folkloric traditions offer a global perspective of living in balance with natural surroundings. Site-specific stories will tell the history of the land, shedding light on the past, present and future of Alameda’s waterfront. The dance score will mix original music with the voices of residents and sustainability leaders, sharing their thoughts on the joys and the concerns of living on an island amid a climate crisis. Climate Arts workshops will lead up to each performance. Dancers will teach the audience movements to create an immersive art experience during each performance that encourages the community to work together.

For more information, visit https://www.rhythmix.org/

Murmur Dance in the Parks Tour

Murmur is a mesmerizing journey into the world of immersive dance theater, delving deep into our multifaceted relationships with birds. Exploring the language of birds, symphony of the senses, and  the profound interconnection of all living beings, this transformative project blossomed from an enriching Artist Residency jointly held by the Sarah Bush Dance Project and Audubon California spanning 2020-2022. Grounded in mindful, place-based practices, we embarked on a journey of relationship-building with local birds and ecosystems.

The diverse cast of Murmur encompasses threatened and resilient bird species in California. Each dancer undergoes a deeply personal creative process, channeling the spiritual, physical essence of their avian counterpart. This profound exploration intertwines themes of Blackness, gender, white supremacy, climate change, ancestral connection, grief, and joy, offering a rich tapestry of storytelling and meaning. Audiences are invited to wander natural landscapes during our live performances, encountering dancers embodying nine distinct bird species.

For more information, visit https://sarahbushdance.org/

Generations of Wisdom –Taaxor: An Indigenous Serpent Mound Project

This project will create two permanent land sculptures, serpents that gracefully wind through the Ya’anna Village landscape. The larger “elder serpent” is designed to suggest that it is passing knowledge on to the smaller “youth serpent.” The design symbolizes wisdom, growth, and fertility while including environmental art elements such as natural rocks, tiles, and recycled materials, along with terrain shaping landscape design.

The Wisdom Serpents will serve as an important cultural symbol for modern-day Indigenous communities by representing the historical bonds between the Gabrielino Shoshone of Southern California and their Uto-Nahuatl ancestors, and the interconnected heritage of these communities. Intergenerational community members will gather and shape the narrative of the Wisdom Serpents during workshops. The ceremonial circle, included within the Serpents’ design, will serve as a gathering place for Indigenous rituals, storytelling, and cultural celebrations, providing a space for community members to meaningfully connect with each other and their culture. 

For more information, visit https://www.anawakalmekak.org/

Free Shakespeare in the Park

As one of the only resident theatre companies in the entire Bay Area offering free Shakespeare in the park, SVS is unique to our region and makes San José unique to the Bay Area. This free, family-friendly event opens financial and cultural access to those who might otherwise be shut out of the arts, with financial and social accessibility if a child (or adult) falls asleep on the picnic blanket in Act 2—a low-risk way for a family to test out live theatre and Shakespeare together. In fact, up to 1/3 of our audiences are experiencing theatre and/or Shakespeare for the first time. Because this park is centrally located in a residential neighborhood served by public transportation, we see significant foot traffic. Nightly, multiple families end up staying for the show (or return the next night) after walking past from the playground or picnic areas. 

For more information, visit https://www.svshakespeare.org/

VETART Paint and Pastries in the Park

“Paint and Pastries in the Park” is a hands-on recurring painting class in the City of Encinitas that will be open to the public, including Veterans and civilians. Each event will include instruction on activities such as plein air painting, 3D sculpture painting, or other accessible mediums decided by highly practiced fine arts instructors. Participants will be led through an instruction of visual observation, materials instruction, and finally the creation of artworks. Before each class groups will take short walking tours around the park discussing cultural heritage and land stewardship. While painting and sculpting, artists will follow prompts based on what they see in the park or surrounding area, including observation of passersby, nature, weather, sports groups, or animals. Each class will include art materials for class-use and take-home materials for further individual exploration, including a sense of understanding of the history of the parks in Encinitas. 

For more information, visit https://saveourplanet.org/

Sunland Tujunga Indigenous Peoples Day 2024

Building on the experiences of presenting our first three annual festivals, we will in 2024 celebrate historic and contemporary performing and fine arts, craft, and relational ethno-botany and cuisine of Indigenous tribes (original to and settling in northeast Los Angeles) in a five-hour free festival, hoping to further broaden the experience of all participants and uplift our native presenters, by featuring: presentation of performance and ritual, on a site of historic/cultural significance; punctuated by audience sharing, demonstration, participation, exhibition, cultural group tabling, workshops, a pop-up contemporary Indigenous art exhibition, a panel discussion on the community advantages to land back, and Chef Lou’s frybread tacos.

For more information, visit https://www.stforward.org/


Oaks of Tovaangar Tours to Preserve Tongva Art and Nature Heritage in Los Angeles

TreePeople will partner with The Broad in their upcoming initiative, “Social Forest: Oaks of Tovaangar,” to integrate watershed ecology and environmental justice, along with Tongva arts and cultural presentations – , allowing more youth and families to participate in these important reconciliation and restoration events. TreePeople will help expand this important initiative with art and nature education events at the Audubon Center at Debs Park, Elysian Park, and Coldwater Canyon Park.

Tongva artist-led visual events will teach traditional painting methods utilizing native plants for natural pigments, map local locations with known Tongva heritage sites, and lead outdoor environmental stewardship tours encompassing the influences of Tongva history and culture. In addition, curriculum information on native plants and geography related to Tongva arts and culture will be recorded for public online access and virtual field trips to provide sustainable awareness of Tongva influences for all Angelenos.

For more information, visit https://treepeople.org/

2024 Planning & Development Grantees

Asian Pacific American Public Affairs (APAPA)

Asian Heritage: A Californian Celebration of Art and History

For Asian Heritage Month, APAPA will hold weekly community events for a month-long art and educational experience through Asian Pacific Islander history, cultural heritage, and celebration.

The Jupiter Train Float, a life size replica of the historic train from the late 1800’s, will be displayed to highlight and honor Chinese laborers who built the Transcontinental Railroad. A historian and docent from the California State Railroad Museum will share stories about the contributions and sacrifices of Asian immigrant railroad workers. The artist and designer involved in the construction of the train float will share the features of the project. Japanese-American history will be honored by highlighting the experiences of internment camps, inviting descendants to share their families’ stories.

Storyboards with images and captions will be displayed to provide an immersive educational experience. Displays will include Asian musical instruments, clothing, calligraphy, artwork, lanterns, origami, photos, fans, and other cultural and historical items.

For more information, visit https://www.apapa.org/

Art, Nature, and Flourishing in the California Foothills

Balanced Rock Foundation is creating a transformative community education program aimed at young adults ages 18-24, but open to everyone. Set at Midpines Park & Community Hall, this initiative blends art, nature, yoga, and mental wellness practices to foster resilience, adaptability, and flourishing. Combining in-person and online sessions, the program ensures accessibility and flexibility, enabling participants to pursue a 200-hour Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT) certification through Yoga Alliance.

This program will be the first official collaboration between two impactful local non-profits, raising awareness of an underutilized public space and catalyzing more community events and gatherings, vital for mental health and human flourishing in rural areas.

The program incorporates various artistic mediums, including basketry, painting with natural dyes, nature journaling, mandala construction, poetry, creative writing, and music. Additionally, the program will integrate environmental sustainability practices and stewardship through planned activities, programmatic philosophy, and instructor role modeling.

For more information, visit https://www.balancedrock.org/

Arts and Cultural Programming at FRLT’s Sierra Valley Preserve and Nature Center

FRLT will connect people to nature through inspiring, expansive, and culturally connected artistic programming, including Indigenous people’s cultural and artistic events, programs to engage families and kids, nature-based art workshops, art exhibits, and healthy outdoor experiences. Reoccurring weekly, monthly and annual events, workshops and festivals will be created to bring all members of this rural community together via t weekly, monthly and annual events, workshops and festivals will be created to bring all members of this rural community together via three focus areas: Indigenous People’s, Children and Family, and Nature-based programming. One such event will be a multi-day replicable eventnature festival which will cohesively bring together all the aforementioned focus areas. The festival will feature arts, music, food, dancing, birding and cultural programming. The annual festival will be a cornerstone gathering in the region for years to come; a celebration of art and wildlife and a catalyst for generational environmental and Indigenous cultural engagement.

For more information, visit https://www.frlt.org/

Mariposa Creek Parkway Artist-in-Residency Planning Grant

Mariposa County Arts Council (MCACI) proposes to develop an artist-in-residency program for the Mariposa Creek Parkway (MCP), a linear park that spans the town of Mariposa. The Parkway addresses critical public health and social issues, including the marginalization of the Southern Sierra Miwuk Nation (SSMN) and the restoration of climate-adaptive, indigenous landscapes as a wildfire mitigation strategy. This traditional arts residency will address the injustices suffered by the SSMN, while all residencies will explore Mariposa’s relationship to land and stewardship.

Planning will be a collaborative effort with partners such as Parks and Rec and Planning Departments, the SSMN, local artists, partner community organizations, and the public. Key focus areas include securing funding, establishing an artist selection process, defining the scope of each residency, outlining parameters and permitting requirements, developing thematic content, determining maintenance requirements for potential permanent public art pieces, and addressing other crucial components identified during the planning phase.

For more information, visit https://www.mariposaartscouncil.org/

We Help Each Other: Representing Tradition in a New Community Space

The planning grant will enable this collaborative to select a location(s) onsite, identify opportunities for murals, signage, installations, and other emerging concepts, identify cultural elements to represent in a visual form, coordinate community feedback, and build excitement. The timing of this planning grant is especially useful since incorporating Native elements into a brand-new park is both respectful of Native communities (not an afterthought) and negates the need for public debate about change to an existing park (an all-too-common trauma for Indigenous communities seeking belonging). McKFRC anticipates that the art developed for this project will likely include Indigenous languages, native plant life, basketry designs, ecologically important species, and color schemes found in many Indigenous arts.

For more information, visit https://www.mckfrc.org/

Ground UP

We propose to engage residents with a focus on youth in planning a park redesign that welcomes diverse populations while providing opportunities to connect and heal through art installations and cultural programming. This process anchors resident visions and empowers them as park stewards. Elements of the new park design may include embedded storytelling on benches and/or sidewalks, murals, tile work, solar lighting, shade sails, performances, and opportunities for state-of-the-art augmented reality experiences. The 8-month process will inspire participating youth to pursue creative careers with the support and guidance of our leaders and local artists. Our team’s efforts will be supported by experienced landscape architects and planners who will guide us through permitting and approval processes to ensure safe, environmentally responsible, and climate resilient redesign elements. This project is rooted in our community, youth engagement work, and existing relationships with Parks & Recreation, Arts & Culture departments, and local planning boards.

For more information, visit https://www.midcitycan.org/

Outside Arts: Creative Spaces in Natural Places

The purpose of Outside Arts: Creative Spaces in Natural Places is to make use of current community assets through intentional resource sharing and collaboration, to deepen our relationship with local artists and community groups, and work with the City of Arcata to inhabit public parks for our community to gather, heal, commune and laugh.

Some of the mediums we imagined being used were collective movement, storytelling, music, visual art, traditional arts such as weaving and dance, choral installations, pageantry, and night walks. Playhouse Arts has deep connections with many diverse people in our community that have been forged over time. We will use these relationships to build connections and to create space for the creative evolution of Outside Arts. All our materials and outreach will be in both Spanish and English and we have access to ASL and other interpreters as needed.

For more information, visit https://www.playhousearts.org/

Redlands Eco Arts Community Home (REACH)

The Artlands Creative will activate the initial planning and development of an environmentally focused arts and gardening hub at an under-utilized park space in the City of Redlands. The Redlands Eco Arts Community Home (REACH), would include a publicly engaged environmentally focused artist-in-residence program (AIR), an artist’s garden with plants for papermaking, natural inks and dyes, weaving and other creative endeavors, a native plant demonstration garden highlighting the traditions and ongoing stewardship of our indigenous communities, a fire prevention demonstration garden, community plots for edible gardens, a community composting site, and gathering spaces for community groups and workshops. The AIR program would provide paid opportunities for a diverse group of local artists and bring free arts and cultural programming to the community, while highlighting local environmental issues and encouraging sustainable practices among residents. A variety of mediums would be encouraged, and the AIR would address environmental topics relevant to our area. 

For more information, visit https://www.theartlands.org/

Reclaiming Our Sisters Everywhere (R.O.S.E): South LA

Black Coalition Fighting Back Serial Murders (BC) works to draw attention to and get justice for serial murders of Black women in South Los Angeles. This project seeks to heal a community devastated by loss and reminds all that every life is of value. BC will convene a community planning group to devise three outreach events, such as handmade flower offerings, collages, storytelling, music, and a healing therapeutic garden, to engage community, build awareness, and offer healing and hope. Healing modalities such as somatics, plant healing, meditation, and sound baths demonstrate self-care methods and the resilience of families and communities through ancestral connections. Each event provides free childcare to ensure unencumbered attendance.

ROSE: South LA events complement a future permanent memorial reclaiming the dignity of victims and their families, demonstrate that Black women’s lives count, provide a safe space for community reflections, and ensure the victims will never be forgotten.

For more information, visit https://wccww.wordpress.com/

A diverse group of people, ranging from children to seniors, seated on wooden benches in a forest setting, attending a community event. People are seen to be chatting and relaxing in the environment, surrounded by tall trees and lush greenery.

Attendees gathered for the Sylvan Sounds concert featuring the Bloomfield Bluegrass Band at the Redwood Forest Theater in Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve on August 2, 2024. Photo by Stewards of the Coast and Redwoods.

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Projects launched in October 2024 and will continue through September 2025.

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A group of people gathered around a large table engaged in a creative activity, weaving, with natural materials such as leaves, grasses, and reeds. The participants appear to be focused and engaged, with some standing and others sitting as they work on their individual projects. The room has warm lighting, with various colorful artworks displayed on the walls, adding to the vibrant and artistic atmosphere. There are tools and supplies scattered on the table, suggesting an organized workshop or community art session.

Participants weaving with locally sourced natural materials. Materials are seen spread across a large table at Blue Door Gallery for Pond Farm Pottery’s August Artist in Residence event on Friday, August 16, 2024 near Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve. Photo by Stewards of the Coast and Redwoods.

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