With support from the California Arts Council, Sausalito Center for the Arts will present “IRAN: Reframed — Between Tradition and Tomorrow,” a multi-disciplinary cultural festival showcasing the creative work of Iranian American artists. The festival will be presented in downtown Sausalito in March 2027 during the Persian New Year.
This festival is designed to showcase the enduring humanity of a country increasingly under siege, providing a critical platform for creative expression by Iranian artists whose voices have historically been silenced in Iran and marginalized in America. By celebrating often-overlooked Iranian art and culture, this Festival will promote greater understanding and unity across the Bay Area’s multicultural communities. Grant funds from the California Arts Council will support activities related to the curation of the festival’s programming as well as stipends paid to participating Iranian American performance artists.
As a community-centered venue for visual and performing arts, civic dialogue, and cultural celebration, SCA works to shift the dominant narrative in local communities by promoting understanding, inclusion, and acceptance. Our venue has quickly become a vibrant cultural hub that serves Marin County and the greater Bay Area through year-round programming designed to uplift and celebrate diverse artistic perspectives.
Our programming spans multiple disciplines, including curated visual arts exhibitions, film screenings, live music, spoken word, comedy, dance, and literary events. We showcase both emerging and established artists, providing platforms that support both artistic development and community engagement. Our annual exhibitions include Marin Open Studios, which features over 200 working artists from across Marin County, and SCA Open, which invites more than 700 Bay Area artists to showcase their work in our space. We also curate special exhibitions featuring art that reflects distinct social and cultural identities. This includes: “Pride Not Prejudice,” celebrating local LGBTQI+ communities; “Milagros and Memories,” uplifting Latinx arts and culture; and “Breaking Barriers,” presenting Traditional and Contemporary Iranian art. Recently, we also partnered with three University of California MFA programs to present “Open Inquiry: UC Arts,” showcasing the visual art of 36 graduate students.
To enrich these artistic experiences, we also present artist talks, lectures, and arts education programming. In addition, we offer the use of our venue at affordable rental rates to nonprofit organizations and cultural groups for their own special events, such as fundraisers and intergenerational arts programs. By centering community voice and cultural relevance, our programs build shared identity, foster civic engagement, and advance opportunities for diverse artists, creating an impact that ripples beyond Sausalito.