Mission: To unite, support, and be an advocate for the arts community in Santa Ana.
You are invited to Join the most exciting thing to happen to the City of Santa Ana: the growing Arts and Culture movement. Thirteen years ago in 1989, the Cultural Arts Commission headed by Don Cribb and consisting of concerned arts, culture and civic leaders attempted: "To enhance the quality of life and to promote the multi-ethnic diversity of Santa Ana by increasing the community's awareness of Santa Ana's cultural resources."
The Commission, which soon became the Santa Ana Council of Arts and Culture, has helped change the landscape of the City of Santa Ana.
We now have a growing museum district. With the Bowers Museum as cornerstone, the area of Main Street just off the 5 Freeway, the City now beckons with a multi-million dollar Discovery Science Center; a cultural and educational Kidseum, and Saint Joseph Ballet facilities. Projects like Palm Court, across from the Bowers, bring gallery, restaurant, and retail components to the area. And the museum district is still growing!
The arts community is growing! In the Artists Village. thirty galleries and art studios in the historic Santora Building of the Arts bring hundreds to a first Saturday of the month Open House event from 7-10 PM. Cal. State Fullerton's Grand Central Arts Building brings students, two galleries, and the Gypsy Den restaurant to the area. The Orange County Center for Contemporary Art continues to show emerging and established artists as it has for over the past 18 years. The Santa Ana Historical Preservation Society maintains the popular Howe-Waffle House up the street. Santa Ana College has the RSC Gallery and continues to educate. And more arts and culture venues are popping up every day like the Santa Ana Performing Arts and Events Center in the renovated Masonic Temple building, other theater groups like the Rude Guerrilla and Main Street Players, Broadway on Tour, and restaurants like Two's Company and Memphis at the Santora
Our Mid-town area is the most recent hot spot. Libreria Martinez; books and art gallery was the first to move there. Now we have the Orange County Crazies - De Pietro Performing Arts Center and Don Cribb theater, the Caged Chameleon Gallery, and the newest kids on the block; the Orange County High School of the Arts now with some 1200 students from all over Southern California.
Other organizations and venues have been established in the city: the Centennial Heritage Museum, Pacific Symphony, Very Special Arts, Santa Ana Zoo at Prentice Park, Art Institute of California, and the California Welcome Center.
Events like the annual Imagination Celebration "Artists Village Arts Festival", the gallery and studio ArtWalk, Santa Ana Jazz Festival, Plein Aire Art Competition, Black History Parade and Festival, Fiestas of the Americas, and the strong Neighborhood events of Floral Park,Washington Square, French Park, and Wilshire Square, make . . .
Santa Ana truly a place for art.
So whether you're a professional artist, arts organization, arts provider, educator, patron or concerned citizen; You are an integral part of this growing arts community. The Santa Ana Council of Arts and Culture can help keep you connected to the exciting happenings in the City . Please join us in this adventure of sights and sounds, movement and architecture, poetry and creative pandemonium that is the life and language of Santa Ana: a place for Art.
You can also write or call (714) 542-6579. or you can e-mail us (Randy).