Each week, Arts Orange County and Culture OC deliver you this look at the stories and events happening in our arts and cultural community.

A Christmas Carol

South Coast Repertory's adaptation of the Charles Dickens holiday classic is one of the season's most beloved traditions MORE

Your Generosity Drives Cultural Journalism Forward

Culture OC is almost a month into its year-end fundraising campaign. Bolstered by generous matching donations from Soka University and arts leader Christopher Trela, they've raised close to $5,000 so far – a quarter of the way to their ambitious $20,000 goal. 

Culture OC Picks the Season's Best for 2024 in Orange County

Well, believe it or not, it’s that time of year once again. The holidays are official upon us!

As family and friends prepare to reunite, are you wondering what to do these holidays, besides shopping and checking out outrageous holiday light displays? Here’s a look at some of the best O.C. holiday offerings in the areas of dance, theater, visual arts, food and drinks, culture, and classical and popular music, brought to you by Culture OC’s talented arts and culture writers.

Saddleback Latinx Students Create Space and Community with Inaugural Latinx Voices Journal

When Saddleback College Chicanx/Latinx studies professor Jose Lumbreras asked his students in the fall semester of 2023 to conduct oral histories of people from the Latino community, the assignment not only resonated with the students – it inspired them to tell their own stories.

The inaugural issue of the Latinx Voices journal was published in September 2024 and features 138 glossy pages of essays, interviews, staff features and poems. Five hundred copies were printed and distributed across campus, in addition to being added as a resource to the school library, ethnic studies website and Open Educational Resources (a digital collection of learning, research and teaching materials).

Each week, we recommend a variety of events and experiences from the listings at SparkOC.com, our free website for Orange County's arts and cultural community.

Anaheim Ballet's Nutcracker

Anaheim Ballet joins forces with Symphony Irvine at the City National Grove for the full-length version of Tchaikovsky's fanciful ballet set in a child's imagination the night before Christmas MORE

Holiday Bazaar

You can support local artists and pick up unique, handcrafted gifts for friends and family on Sunday at the Glenwood Recreation Center in Aliso Viejo MORE

Winter Holidays Around the World

The last of the Bowers Museum's 2024 free Family Festivals combines live performances, art-making activities, and tasty treats in order to give visitors a taste of traditional celebrations from other nations and cultures MORE

Merry and Bright: The Christmas Cards of Ralph Hulett

A festive exhibit at the Hilbert Museum of California Art at Chapman University puts a spotlight on the snazzy, mid-century style of California scene painter and Disney artist Ralph Hulett through a series of holiday greeting cards he designed MORE