With support from the California Arts Council, AMADOR COUNTY ARTS COUNCIL (“Amador Arts”) will catalyze broad arts, cultural, and creative engagement for all people throughout our rural region, especially those who are historically disinvested and in the bottom quartile of Healthy Places Index. Amador Arts will leverage longtime partnerships, public data sources, community surveys, and the collective vision of rural creatives and cultural practitioners to direct funds and services toward rural youth, First Peoples, disabled, BIPOC, 2SLGBTQAI+ folx, public art, and intercultural community-building. Grant-making will support local youth, adults, collectives, and organizations. Technical assistance will include concierge services for arts, cultural, and humanities grants, individualized grant application support, an online directory/calendar, and STUDIO, which provides professional development for creative teens and young adults. Amador Poetry Out Loud will amplify youth voices and activate emerging advocates.
The Amador County Arts Council (Amador Arts) keeps the arts central to Amador’s life through programs, services, and initiatives.
(1) PUBLIC OFFICE: Our accessible public office is open to the public and is located at registered historic site #456, the Sutter Creek Grammar School, where anyone is welcome to visit with staff, use free art supplies, and enjoy some creative time in a beautiful historic setting, perhaps while visiting the ghost girl who lives on site. Our “STUDIO” programming offers targeted open hours for families (Wednesdays from 12-2 when they have “early release”) and for teens (Tuesdays from 3-5).
(2) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE: One full-time employee equipped to provide a suite of technical assistance to artists and arts organizations needing support on California Arts Council grants or arts business matters.
(3) PRODUCING PERFORMANCES: Since its establishment, Amador Arts has played a central role in performing arts throughout Amador County. Most notably, since 1998, our “TGIF Free Summer Concerts” have brought live music to thousands of people in outdoor places where it is otherwise not available, including Pioneer California—9th percentile on the Healthy Places Index. Producing Poetry Out Loud since 2016 with multi-generational poetry opportunities in addition to the traditional competition. Free performances of historically significant literary arts and music for local events and fundraisers.
(4) ARTS CLASSES AND ARTS EDUCATION PLANNING: Amador Arts is a trusted consultant to Amador County Unified School District providing support and administration for the district Arts Plan and the rollout of Prop 28. Additionally, since 2012, Amador Arts has been teaching visual arts classes to 100% of the public school students at the 6 public elementary schools within Amador County, including Chinese cultural arts education and the principles of art.
(5) PROMOTING THE ARTS: Weekly newsprint, monthly radio, social media, blog covering impacts of the arts.

