The Arts Council of Placer County is proud to celebrate 40 years of bringing more art to more people in Placer County! As a part of the celebration of this milestone, we are proud to share with you the third in our series of recognizing 40 icons of art who have had a significant and important impact on Placer County arts and culture.

Enjoy meeting these amazing honorees in our emails.

Give them a "like" on our social media as well, and congratulate them!

These marvelous people and places are shared with you in no particular order, and this list is only a small representation of all who create, advocate, and make the arts thrive. Please join us in congratulating these icons and

all those who contribute to our community.

40 years of bringing more art

to more people

JEN BRADFORD - With the vision of offering an exceptional dance training school in Placer County, Jen Bradford opened the Northern California Dance Conservatory in 2006. She began studying dance at an early age while living in Utah and continued her training in the Bay Area and New York City. She received the Steps on Broadway scholarship, which gave her the opportunity to study and perform with some of New York’s innovative choreographers. She has received numerous awards for choreography and artistic achievement. Over 20 years, she became known as an innovative dancer, choreographer, producer and influential educators and as an asset to the community with dance performances at schools. At her studio in Roseville, she has established an acclaimed training curriculum in which she teaches, choreographs and mentors young dancers – many of whom have been accepted to the renowned Juilliard School.

ROBERT WEYGANDT - During his years on the Placer County Board of Supervisors (1995 to 2022), Robert Weygandt was avidly involved in Placer Legacy and the Placer County Conservation Program, programs that focused on the protection of land, water and open space within the county. He authorized the initial funding of the Arts Council of Placer County. His career commitment was to education, particularly developing partnerships for student-lead research programs with the Western Placer Waste Management Authority, California State University, Sacramento and Sierra College.



DR. WILLIAM KIRBY a highly respected urologist in Auburn, devoted nearly 40 years of volunteer and financial support for the community – a constant presence in almost all aspects of civic life from athletics to the arts to social service organizations and local elected office. He founded Auburn’s “Let’s Never Forget” series, which sponsors community-awareness campaigns and speakers on historic subjects. He commissioned Peter Hazel’s “Celebration of the Confluence” sculpture which sits in Auburn’s Central Square as well as the mural for the Central Square Art Park. Dr. Kirby was an enthusiastic supporter of the “Music Around Town” program, providing live outdoor music in Auburn every Friday and Saturday night throughout the summer. He donated popcorn for Auburn’s Movie Nights and loved handing out popcorn to the kids in attendance. (D-2020)

BLUE LINE ARTS - The Roseville Community Projects Incorporated (now Blue Line Arts) held its first outreach exhibit in a former Bank of America building in downtown Roseville under the direction of David Fiddyment, the first board president. The group purchased the Haman House in 1974 to house the Roseville Arts Center, the site for visual and performing art exhibits for 30 years. In 2008, after selling the former facility, a successful capital campaign and with the support of the City of Roseville, a new, state-of-the-art gallery opened on Vernon Street. The 5,000-square-foot facility, now known as Blue Line Arts, has exhibition space for established and emerging artists, an education area for children and adults and sponsors several community programs, including Tour Talk Create for school groups and the Roseville mural projects.

Stay tuned for the announcements of more amazing icons of Placer County arts and culture this month!

Arts Council of Placer County is proud to be the state and local partner of California Arts Council and Placer County