March 14, 2026

In This Issue

• CSUF Jazz Receives Major Gift
• NCI To Hold Final Show
• Sherman Library Expansion Breaks Ground
• Huntington Beach to Relocate Surf Museum
• OC Poetry Out Loud Champion Runner-Up at State
• One Week Left to Submit Arts Awards Nominations
• Member Mixer on April 9 at Serendipity Labs

CSUF Jazz Program Gets $2M Gift From Johnny Carson Foundation

California State University, Fullerton this month announced a $2 million gift from the Johnny Carson Foundation for its School of Music. The gift establishes the Johnny Carson Endowed Fund for Jazz, which will support students in the jazz and commercial music program. It will provide funding for scholarships, competitions, professional development opportunities and more.

Read more here.

National Choreographers Initiative to Hold Final Show This Summer

Over two decades, the National Choreographers Initiative (NCI) gained national recognition as a must-see for incubated contemporary ballet choreography. Under the curatorial eye of artistic director Molly Lynch, each NCI has brought four choreographers together to create acclaimed pieces with professional dancers. The culminating one-night only showing at the Irvine Barclay Theater consistently sells out, drawing dance fans along with ballet company directors looking to preview work from each summer’s quartet of dancemakers. Recently, NCI broke the news that this summer’s show will be its last.

Read more here.

Sherman Library and Gardens Breaks Ground on Major Revitalization Project

The Sherman Library & Gardens held a ceremonial groundbreaking for a $17 million revitalization at an event that also celebrated the cultural center’s 60-year anniversary. The project, made possible by the “Grow the Gardens” capital campaign, drew nearly one hundred supporters. The center’s classes and events will remain open during construction to keep the community engaged and able to continue viewing the ever-changing garden displays.

Read more here.

Huntington Beach Will Relocate International Surf Museum Inside Public Library

The Huntington Beach International Surf Museum will relocate to the city’s Main Street library branch, a move that officials say will boost foot traffic and create a “cultural hub” downtown. The City Council agreed Tuesday to a license agreement for the museum to take over what was said to be underused space at the 9,475-square-foot public library. Under the license agreement, the surf museum will share about 3,600 square feet with the library and have about 1,200 square feet to use for its storage, a research library, a gift shop and office space. The library will keep 4,000 square feet for its exclusive use.

Read more here.

OC Poetry Out Loud Champ

Crowned Runner-Up at State

Sailee Charlu, a 17 year old student at Orange County School of the Arts, was awarded second place at the California Poetry Out Loud competition held in Sacramento on March 9. In addition to being runner up in the recitation competition, Sailee also took second in Poetry Ourselves, the state’s original poetry contest. In February, she won the Orange County Poetry Out Loud competition, hosted by ArtsOC at South Coast Repertory.

“I want to say that I loved being in this community of poets from all over the state,” Sailee said. “I made a lot of new friends, and actually there is a small group of us who have decided to team together to expand slam poetry to underserved students in the state. These are the experiences that I am most grateful for.”

One Week Remains to Submit Nominations for 26th Orange County Arts Awards

2025 Orange County Arts Awards honorees (front, left to right): Dr. Ana Jimenez-Hami, Orange County Children’s Therapeutic Arts Center - Outstanding Arts Organization; Arnold Holland, Dean of the California State University, Fullerton College of the Arts - Outstanding Contribution to the Built Environment for their new visual arts complex; Genevieve Williams – Emerging Arts Leader; Richard Stein – Special Recognition; Jorg Dubin - Helena Modjeska Cultural Legacy Award for Artist; Patrick Brien, President and CEO of Arts Orange County; (rear, left to right): Jared Mathis - Helena Modjeska Cultural Legacy Award for Arts Patron (for himself and for the Moulton Family); Bin He – Outstanding Artist.

Photo by Tony Lattimore Photography.

There are still a few days remaining to submit nominations for the 26th Orange County Arts Awards, to be held on September 29 in the Samueli Theater at Segerstrom Center for the Arts. Awards are presented for work in these categories: Helena Modjeska Cultural Legacy Awards for extraordinary contributions to arts and culture over a lifetime, Achievement Awards for outstanding work completed in one or more years, and Emerging Artist/Arts Leader Awards. Please note that awards are not always given in every category each year. The deadline for nominations is March 20.

View the Call for Honorees and access the Nominations Form here.

Member Mixer

Arts Orange County will be hosting its Spring Member Mixer on Thursday, April 9 from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. in partnership with Serendipity Labs. This special evening will be an opportunity to connect with fellow members, as well as prospective members, in an exciting new venue that shares ArtsOC's mission to help further the arts. Please note that while the event is free to attend, there is a $10 charge to park.


RSVP by April 3 to Karen Ahola by clicking here.

We acknowledge with respect our presence on the ancestral lands of the

Juaneño Band of Mission Indians - Acjachemen Nation and the Tongva People.