April Proclaimed as Arts, Culture and Creativity Month
Image Caption: April 2, 2024 Arts, Culture and Creativity Proclamation Event participants (from left to right): Theresa Rude, Arts Commission Vice-Chairperson; Rachel Osajima, Arts Commission Director; Nate Miley, President of the Alameda County Board of Supervisors; Lena Tam, County Supervisor; Winda Shimizu, Arts Commission Chairperson; Elisa Márquez, County Supervisor; Keith Carson, County Supervisor; Eileen Dalton, Economic and Civic Development Department Director; Melissa Wilk, Auditor-Controller/Clerk-Recorder; Sandra Rivera, Community Development Agency Director; Kimberly Gasaway, General Services Agency Director; Violet Harlo, Arts Commission Program Coordinator. Appointed Arts Commissioners not in attendance at the event include Megan Fister, Andrea Guskin, Diane Gotanda, Ernest Jolly, Grace Karr, Mina Mangewala, Theresa Navarro, Jody Sahota, Usha Shukla, Margaret Thornberry, Linda Willis and Sawsan Wolski.
On April 2, 2024, the Alameda County Board of Supervisors proclaimed April as Arts, Culture and Creativity month. The Alameda County Arts Commission is excited to celebrate the 6th Annual California Arts, Culture and Creativity Month. This statewide month-long event was first established by the California legislature in 2019 and is led by Californians for the Arts.
Alameda County believes that arts, culture and creativity are essential to our thriving community! Arts inspire discovery, lifelong learning, and joy. Culture creates connections and strengthens community. Creativity sparks innovation and positive change.
The Alameda County Arts Commission leads local efforts to advance the arts through programs, services, and the community-building initiatives such as the arts education program CREATE Alameda County and the Alameda County City-Level Arts Partnership Network. The Arts Commission extends its impact through partnerships with major state-level arts agencies including Californians for the Arts, CREATE CA, and California Arts Council. This collective work at the local level and throughout the state encourages social justice, uplifts our community, and changes our lives for the better. The celebration of Arts, Culture, and Creativity Month provides an opportunity to showcase the rich diversity of artistic and cultural traditions in our community. Everyone is encouraged to join in the celebration!
The Arts Commission's arts education program is CREATE Alameda County. In honor of Arts, Culture and Creativity Month, through the CREATE Alameda County program the Arts Commission is distributing 35,000 arts education advocacy activity sheets and paint brushes with partners throughout the County. The sheets have watercolor paint embedded in the paper, so all that is needed is a little water. Major supporters are the Alameda County Board of Supervisors and the Alameda County Auditor-Controller/Clerk-Recorder Agency. Partners include Alameda County Library, Alameda County Community Food Bank, First 5 Alameda County, Oakland Vet Center, CREATE CA, Californians for the Arts and more. A coloring page version of the activity sheet is also available for download from the Arts Commission’s website. Over 10,000 coloring pages and crayons are distributed annually at the Clerk-Recorder’s Office and other County locations. Learn more about the Alameda County Arts Commission’s programs visit arts.acgov.org.