With support from the California Arts Council, Colusa County Arts Council will reimagine and expand its arts programming to provide critical public resources for artists representing the diverse experiences, points of view, and cultural heritages of Colusa County. The requested funds will help two newly appointed administrative employees transform CCAC’s public presence and expand its footprint throughout the rural communities it serves. This funding will allow CCAC to exhibit new and under-resourced artists, host public events promoting local artists and makers, offer additional educational opportunities to Colusa County students, recruit new members and renew the participation of existing members with improved member benefits, procure new supplies for its facilities, improve the functionality and design of its online and print communications, streamline its retail operations, and cover overhead costs.
General programming includes monthly art exhibitions in our gallery, “Live Lit” literary reading series featuring local writers, collaborative community events, and fundraising events that feature live music or local artists. General programming also encompasses our Public Arts Advisory Committee, which commissions public artworks throughout the county. Special programming includes Creative Youth Development and Levitt AMP Colusa programs. Creative Youth Development providesfree arts education after school for area youth. This programming includes monthly art lessons at five of the rural branches of the Colusa County Free Library, monthly Family Day workshops held in our gallery space, beginner music workshops, multi-generational craft classes, and four-day arts camp for 5-13 year olds. Levitt AMP Colusa provides 10 free live concerts featuring original music by professionally touring musicians from all over the United States. We partner with local non-profits and community groups to make these events a place where our community resources and values can surface. Booking emphasizes artists and genres who appeal to diverse audiences in our county. Beyond programming, the Colusa County Arts Council uses its resources for community collaboration, mentoring, and advocacy. These services include classroom visits at local schools to promote our programs and share opportunities with art students, hosting middle and high school arts instructors in our gallery to share resources and collaborate, partnering with local non-profits like the Rotary Club and Lion’s Club, providing resources to Upstate California Creative Corps grantees and other artists, advocating with local school districts around arts education measures like Prop 28, and participating in programming and professional development offered by other California public arts organizations.

