Two OC Projects Win Cal Humanities

Quick Grants 

Orange County’s Media Arts Santa Ana (MASA) and Orange Coast Optimist Club of Garden Grove, Santa Ana were among the grantees for the latest round of the Humanities for All Quick Grant program. Awarded by California Humanities, the grants support small-scale humanities programs and projects throughout the state. 

Read more here.

Creative Capital Grant for Individual Artists Opens March 4, 2024

The Creative Capital Award provides unrestricted project grants to individual artists. Applicants are encouraged to submit innovative and original new project proposals in visual arts, performing arts, film/moving image, technology, literature, multidisciplinary, and socially engaged forms.

The submission deadline is April 4, 2024 at 4:00 p.m. Eastern.

Read more here.

Laguna Beach Nonprofit Awards Grant

to Music Education Programs

in Anaheim Schools

From left to right: Brian Belski, director of Arts Education, Anaheim Union High School District, Henry Donahue, executive director of Save The Music Foundation and Alec Glasser, founder and CEO of The Drake Gives. 

Save The Music Foundation hosted a ceremony at Ball Junior High School on January 24 celebrating The Drake Gives as they presented a check for $205,000 to the Anaheim Union High School District in support of music education in five schools.

The Drake Gives, a nonprofit initiative of Laguna Beach’s iconic live music and restaurant venue The Drake, made the grant through their partnership with Save The Music. This contribution provides new instruments and will significantly enhance each school’s music program.

Read more here.

Local Theatre Companies Impacted

by Real Estate Prices

Exterior of Camino Real Playhouse in San Juan Capistrano

Loss of performance space due to rising real estate prices has become a very real issue facing several Orange County theatre companies. San Juan Capistrano’s Camino Real Playhouse has struggled to find a new home after losing its longtime city-owned home near the historic San Juan Capistrano Mission to a redevelopment project. They are not alone, as the Attic Theater in Santa Ana, STAGEStheatre in Fullerton and Modjeska Playhouse in Lake Forest are among the companies who have lost their spaces. 

Read more here.

Dorland Mountain Arts Accepting Applications for Residency

Set on a 300-acre nature preserve in Temecula, non-profit artist retreat Dorland Mountain Arts is seeking applications from individual artists of all genres for one to eight week residencies. Since 1979, Dorland has provided its national and international residents an opportunity to deepen the quality of their creative process without distraction, balanced with optional community gatherings. Private cottages provide each resident with space for work and living, as well as a porch with views of the surrounding mountains. Applicants must be 21 years of age or older.

For more information, visit https://www.dorlandartscolony.com/

In Memoriam

Longtime Festival of Arts fixture and renowned artist Patrick Kelly recently died at his Palm Springs home on January 21. Born in Paddington, England, Kelly settled in Laguna Beach in the late 1960s. He became an integral part of the Festival of Arts community, exhibiting for 42 years, with his first appearance in 1961. Beyond his role as an exhibitor, Kelly made numerous contributions to the Festival, serving as a board member, curator and membership director.

Read more here.

Welcome New ArtsOC Members

Arts Orange County is a membership organization. Our members help us forge innovative and effective collaborations, grow informed and active audiences and ensure that the arts are seen as essential to the emotional, physical, and economic well-being of our region. Our newest members are:

Orchestra Collective of Orange County

https://www.ocofoc.org 

So. Cal Children's Chorus

https://sccchorus.org

Visual Arts Studio and Arts School

https://www.facebook.com/VisualArtsStudioandArtSchool/

Sea Coast Symphony

https://seacoastsymphony.com

Laura Green

https://www.lauragreenstudio.com

Robert Zymet

www.dcfineart.com

Katy Wright

www.katywrightgallery.com

For membership information, contact Karen Ahola at kahola@artsoc.org

Nominations for 2024 OC Arts

Awards Being Accepted

Arts Orange County is now accepting nominations for the 24th OC Arts Awards. The benefit evening that recognizes and celebrates Orange County arts organizations, artists, and arts patrons will be held on October 21 at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts' Samueli Theater.

For nomination guidelines and to submit a nominee, click here.

We acknowledge with respect our presence on the ancestral lands of the Juaneño Band of Mission Indians - Acjachemen Nation and the Tongva People.