CV’s Keim Awarded County’s Art Leadership Award

Smalltown Society founder Paul Keim

Smalltown Society founder Paul Keim is a dedicated songwriter and community organizer who can now add Arts Leadership Award recipient to his resume.

The 43-year-old Castro Valley resident was recently named the District Four recipient of the award and will receive a commendation at the October 1 Board of Supervisors meeting. 

Each year, the Alameda County Arts Commission reviews public nominations for the Alameda County Arts Leadership Award program and then selects the award recipients. The goal is to honor an arts leader in each of the five districts. There was a tie for the District Two representative this year, so two award recipients were named.

In 2016, Keim founded Smalltown Society, a nonprofit arts organization. In this role, he has curated over 500 events that provide vital opportunities for local artists, musicians, and filmmakers to connect and thrive. 

With a passion for justice and social change, Keim has cultivated a vibrant arts community focused on equity, inclusion, and inspiration. Smalltown Society is a hub for creativity and community, offering opportunities for artistic expression, collaboration, and social engagement.  

Under Keim’s leadership, Smalltown has empowered individuals from diverse backgrounds, revitalized essential community spaces like Castro Valley’s Chabot Theater, led civic initiatives that connect artistic expression with social change, and secured substantial funding to sustain these efforts. Paul has also collaborated with the Castro Valley/Eden Area Chamber of Commerce, Castro Valley High School, League of Women Voters, and others to bring arts engagement activities to the community.

In addition to Keim, the Arts Commission will recognize District One’s Judy Anglin as a longtime board member and volunteer at the Olive Hyde Art Guild in Fremont, founded in 1972. She leads the Guild’s holiday fundraiser—in its 40th year—as well as leading its bi-annual Juried Show.  

District Two will be represented by Dmitry Grudsky, a Newark-based visual artist, instructor, and volunteer for the last 30 years. The other recipient is Lani Llamido, a Hayward Arts Council board member and an advocate for the Hayward Literacy Plus Council. She is also the lead coordinator for the Asian and Pacific Islander Community Initiative of the Hayward Unified School District. 

In District Three, Lorrie Murray will receive the Art Leadership Award. She is the founder and executive director of the Bay Area Music Project (BAMP), a nonprofit organization founded in 2014 in the City of Alameda. 

District Five’s recipient is Graham Lustig, the Artistic Director of the Oakland Ballet Company, founded in 1965 and led by Graham since 2010.