This month, in honor of our yearlong celebration of SMAC’s 40 years, we are highlighting Sacramento’s Art in Public Places program. In 1977, the City, County, and Commissioners were looking for ways that art could enhance the quality and aesthetics of the built and natural environment. They also wanted to encourage economic development and vitality by providing business opportunities for artists, contractors, and fabricators. To cultivate and honor the Sacramento region’s unique cultural heritage, building function, environment, history, and future, the Art in Public Places (APP) Program was born. APP is now a nationally recognized percent for art program that ensures 2% of construction budgets for public projects is allocated for public art. APP has facilitated many outstanding public as well as private projects over the years, resulting in commissions and installations of over 700 works of art throughout the City and County.
 
To this day, the Arts Commission's APP program encourages dialogue, interaction, and community education around art, and brings art into the daily life of residents and visitors, improving our quality of life here in Sac. Further, the collection, cited at conferences and in national art publications, has been recognized as including some of the best permanent artworks in the United States.Walking around the streets of Sacramento, you likely pass pieces from the collection every day!

Photo: The Arts Commission’s first, large-scale, collaborative project was the Light Rail Arts Plan, a joint project of Sacramento Regional Transit and the Art in Public Places program.

Big Day of Giving is a 24-hour online giving challenge that brings together the region's nonprofit community to help raise funds and shine a spotlight on the work nonprofits do to make the Sacramento region the place we call home. Support our arts community with a donation! Click here to learn more.

In 2016, Commission Chair Rebecca Garrison established a Race and Cultural Equity Task Force to ensure that the Commission's policies and procedures are equitable and reflect the cultural diversity of the Sacramento region. The main objective of the Task Force is to draft and recommend a Cultural Equity statement to be included as part of the Arts Commission's best practices. Commissioners Maya Wallace and Dr. L. Steven Winlock co-chair the task force with staff support.

Comprised of 16 community members representing the rich diversity of Sacramento’s cultural and under-served communities, the Task Force has been meeting monthly since early January. As of the April meeting, they have done extensive research on the Arts Commission processes and have drafted a revised Cultural Equity statement. Next steps include reviewing the grant-making processes, outreach, the application process, technical support, the review panel process, and data collection.

In addition to monthly meetings, Commissioners Wallace and Winlock are hosting two public meetings. At the first public meeting in January, the task force listened as individuals from various organizations, neighborhoods, and communities shared ideas regarding the definition of cultural equity and the work the task force should undertake. Members of the public are invited to attend the second public meeting on Thursday, May 11 to discuss the final draft of the Cultural Equity statement. The meeting will be held at Sol Collective (map) beginning at 6:00 p.m.

The task force will wrap up its work in June, and a final recommendation for this phase will be made to the Arts Commission at the July meeting.

A BIG shout out to the students at A.M. Winn Elementary from our Arts Education Team! The students wrote and decorated multiple cards for Calidanza after the group's Arts Exposure Experience performance at the  school on Friday, April 7th. Here's what a few students had to say:

“You guys [were] amazing. You guys were the bomb. I Loved it.” - Kailani

“I loved the dances and so did my brother Caleb. I am very thankful that you came to my school A.M. Winn. I will remember this day for a long time. I would be happy if you came back.” - Conner

“You guys are pretty good dancers and it is pretty nice that you guys take the time to go to schools and dance for that I thank you.” (unsigned)

Organizations and arts groups interested in offering assemblies through the Any Given Child program can now submit their applications. The deadline to apply is May 20. Please click here to find out more.

We are also accepting applications from artists interested in teaching their art form to K-8 students through residencies under the program. Deadline to apply is May 20.

Sign up for the Arts Education email list to receive information about the application cycle, as well as future notices about our arts education programs. 

Photo: Several students included drawings in their thank-you cards. 

Carol Borden passed away peacefully in her home surrounded by family on April 17, 2017. As an arts advocate and vital member of our Sacramento community, she will be missed.  

In 1984, her desire to be a part of the growing arts community led her to become a Commissioner with the Sacramento Metropolitan Arts Commission. She served as the Commission representative on the City's Downtown Urban Design Study and, in August 1985, became Chair of the Commission. As Chair, Carol appointed a Performing Arts Committee to assess the needs of the Sacramento performing arts community and created a Funding Committee to discuss funding and find long-term funding solutions for the Arts Commission's programs. After her time on the Commission, Carol continued to impact the Sacramento community through the Downtown Sacramento Partnership and the Sacramento Chapter of The Links, Incorporated.

Photo: Staff, Commissioners and guests following the September 10, 1985 Commission meeting: (standing) David Rible, Carol Borden; (back row) Dennis Wilkerson, Wendy Ceccherelli, Glenda VandeMark, Charles Smithers; (middle row) Bob Brown, Diana Perham, John Horrell, Judy Gordon; (front row) Tom Witt, Carson Wiley, Toby Johnson.