December 24, 2021
Each week, Arts Orange County and Voice of OC are excited to deliver to you this look at the stories and events happening in our arts and cultural community.
♦ Local Arts Spotlight ♦
The annual production of the holiday perennial by the Festival Ballet Theatre is one of Orange County's most beloved traditions, with a cast of hundreds taking the stage at the Festival Ballet Theatre. MORE
For many people, this year’s Christmas could not come soon enough. For others, the fact that it’s tomorrow has not even registered. Whether you have been planning for this holiday months in advance or are just now realizing that you have not finished gift shopping, there is still time to plan a fun-filled day.

Just as little kids eagerly and annually wait for Santa on this very night, Orange County churches have also been anticipating the craving for Christmas spirit, especially given the restrictive traveling circumstances of the past couple years.
With 55 years of history, Vans has impacted the skateboarding, music and pop culture scenes with its unique waffle soles and endless custom designs. Recently the brand has expanded its aims to also strive to encourage creative expression among local communities and throughout the world. 

Founded by brothers Paul and James Van Doren, along with partners Gordon C. Lee and Serge Delia, the community-driven skateboard shoe company has launched many initiatives over the years to stimulate self-expression, art and culture, including Vans Checkerboard Day and Vans Custom Culture.
As 2021 winds down, there are still a multitude of options across Orange County to bring art, culture, and the holiday spirit into your lives. Arts Orange County advises everyone to pay special attention to the latest updates from organizations and venues as safety considerations keep everyone's plans in flux. Always check in with SparkOC.com for the latest!
♦ Re-Opening ♦
One-of-a-kind holiday artworks from the collection of the Hilbert Museum of California Art cast a spotlight on heartwarming watercolors and illustrations from Christmas cards of the 1940's and 50's. MORE
♦ Virtual Visit ♦
Wayward Artist presents a free, streaming event showcasing the work of nine cutting edge choreographers as they explore contemporary issues of isolation, mental health, race, and more. MORE
♦ For the Family ♦
Downtown Santa Ana is transformed into a uniquely Southern California-style winter wonderland, combining ice skating with delicious food trucks and more. MORE
♦ Extra ♦
Become a part of the artistic conversation in this contest from Laguna Art Museum - share images of yourself interacting with the Any-Instant Whatever exhibit now on display and be eligible for prizes and shares on the Museum's social media. MORE
"The Orange County arts ecosystem could not survive without the committed support, dedication, and leadership of
Arts Orange County."
 — Andrew Brown, President & CEO,
Pacific Chorale
Voice of OC is Orange County's nonprofit newsroom with a mission to consistently deliver fair, focused and thorough journalism on critical quality of life and local issues for Orange County communities.
Arts Orange County builds appreciation of, participation in and support for the arts and arts education throughout Orange County. Event information provided by SparkOC, an Arts OC program.