Arts Now Santa Cruz County

03/09/2026

Get your tickets and go early! The Santa Cruz Warriors are hosting their first ever ART NIGHT before the game on Thursday, March 19!

02/11/2026

Add Your Voice to the Blueprint for Creative Schools!

Create CA has partnered with WestEd to update the California Blueprint for Creative Schools and ensure it reflects today’s realities and priorities for equitable arts education. First published in 2015, the Blueprint outlines a vision for making arts education a core part of every student’s learning experience—this revision will build on that foundation to address the current needs of communities across California.

WestEd is gathering input from stakeholders statewide through a brief, anonymous survey (10–20 minutes). We invite you to review the current Blueprint and share your feedback—your perspective will directly inform the updated Blueprint.

Please complete the survey by Friday, March 13.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CABlueprintRevisions

Send a message to learn more

02/04/2026

Join the SRI Arts Education Landscape 2025 Report Event where they share findings from its recent field scan of Arts Education across California. CA Arts Education Landscape 2025 is a scan of arts education in California in light of the evolving conditions catalyzed by new funding and policy shifts. Commissioned by the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, the report is designed to support funders, advocates, and policymakers as they work to strengthen the conditions for equitable access to a high-quality arts education.

Join us as SRI shares findings from their landscape scan of Arts Education in California.

11/21/2025

Did you miss our first Pathways for Arts Educators event? Don't fret!

Join our Virtual Community Meeting
Pathways for Arts Educators: A Regional Creative Workforce Project

Ready to help shape the future of arts education and create more good, sustainable jobs for local artists and educators in our tri-county area?

Pathways for Arts Educators strives to create solutions and sustain full-time salaried jobs with benefits for those who enrich our communities. Your voice is essential as we work together to identify our region's strengths, challenges, and opportunities.
This 90-minute session will be structured for sharing ideas and planning the future with lead facilitator Aimee Espiritu, M.Ed. of Espiritu Consulting.

Where and When to Connect
Dec 10 | 12:30 - 2:00 Virtual
Register to attend this important conversation!!

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/pathways-for-arts-educators-virtual-tickets-1974932656740?aff=erelexpmlt

10/31/2025

Pathways for Arts Educators - A Regional Creative Workforce Project

Ready to help shape the future of arts education and create more good, sustainable jobs for local artists and educators in our tri-county area?

Pathways for Arts Educators strives to create solutions and sustain full-time salaried jobs with benefits for those who enrich our communities. Your voice is essential as we work together to identify our region's strengths, challenges, and opportunities.

Everyone is welcome to attend any or all of the sessions—it's all about community!

The first 30 minutes are for community building and networking, followed by a 90-minute session for sharing ideas and planning the future with lead facilitator Aimee Espiritu, M.Ed. of Espiritu Consulting.

Where and When to Connect
Nov 13 | 3:00 - 5:00 The Epicenter, 440 San Benito Street, Hollister

Nov 14 | 2:30 - 4:30 Watsonville Center for the Arts, 375 Main Street, Watsonville

Nov 15 | 10:00AM - 12:00PM United Way Monterey County, 232 Monterey St, Salinas

Register to attend a meeting near you: https://www.eventbrite.com/cc/tri-county-pathways-for-arts-educators-4726553

10/22/2025

Join a Community Meeting
Pathways for Arts Educators - A Regional Creative Workforce Project

Ready to help shape the future of arts education and create more good, sustainable jobs for local artists and educators in our tri-county area?

Pathways for Arts Educators strives to create solutions and sustain full-time salaried jobs with benefits for those who enrich our communities. Your voice is essential as we work together to identify our region's strengths, challenges, and opportunities.

Everyone is welcome to attend any or all of the sessions—it's all about community!

The first 30 minutes are for community building and networking, followed by a 90-minute session for sharing ideas and planning the future with lead facilitator Aimee Espiritu, M.Ed. of Espiritu Consulting.

Where and When to Connect
Nov 13 | 3:00 - 5:00 The Epicenter, 440 San Benito Street, Hollister

Nov 14 | 2:30 - 4:30 Watsonville Center for the Arts, 375 Main Street, Watsonville

Nov 15 | 10:00AM - 12:00PM United Way Monterey County, 232 Monterey St, Salinas

Register to attend a meeting near you!
https://www.eventbrite.com/cc/tri-county-pathways-for-arts-educators-4726553

10/02/2025

09/17/2025

PLEASE NOTE THE DATE CHANGE. Due to several factors, we have decided to postpone this event until January 22, 2026 from 6:30-7:30 PM.

Hello Arts Advocates, arts teachers, and community,
Please share the attached fliers for the Arts Now Prop 28 Parent information session with parents and colleagues.

Join Arts Now Santa Cruz County to learn more about the guidelines and opportunities of Proposition 28! We will also review how parents can become an important advocate for their children's Arts Education in their school and district!

This will be a bilingual session. The event will be held at the Pajaro Valley Arts Porter Building but county-wide participation is encouraged. Please RSVP so we can plan accordingly.

09/09/2025

We are hearing so many concerns around Prop 28 implementation in PVUSD: the supplanting vs supplementing happening, the layoff/reassignment of the two VAPA positions and hiring of a new STEAM director that has far too much on her plate, and the misconception that 80% of funding must be spent at a school site before their 19% can be uses for supplies, PD, and arts partnerships.

https://lookout.co/pajaro-valley-unified-faces-financial-future-with-vote-on-new-business-chief-look-at-unspent-arts-funding-and-budget-update/story?fbclid=IwY2xjawMtUJRleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHkC6gk9dcXVIi93hXyca00_-77QAzQaV7sE1Ifq6FLyAvZoAJ639GpJ--O9p_aem_kchcWZFYT4pyoEX0jfnrHQ

The Pajaro Valley Unified School District board will vote Wednesday on a new chief business officer as it faces continued fiscal challenges. Trustees will also hear a report showing improvements in student attendance, suspensions and graduation rates across the district.

08/16/2025

Check out the Arts Council Santa Cruz County Quarterly Arts Education newsletter here! It is chop full of lots of updates, resources, and professional development opportunities!

As we begin the new school year, I’m filled with excitement for the work ahead and all that is to come. Our commitment to making space for imagination, expression, and artistic growth is steady. Together, we’ve built something vibrant and vital—and together, we will continue to grow it.

08/15/2025