Welcome to the Fresno Arts Council’s new website!

The Fresno Arts Council considers the challenges of this year’s economy with anticipation as we streamline operations and find more efficient methods of serving the arts and culture community. Our new website provides the vehicle to offer more to the arts community and to reach new audiences.

The arts community is experiencing some serious downsides due to the economy. Although the loss of the Metropolitan Museum after 26 years is a blow the city, we are still flush with other museums, exhibits and performance events. The recent City Council approval of the Downtown and Neighborhood Revitalization contract utilizing federal Stimulus Funds is the boost that the Downtown Cultural Arts district needs. The revitalization will be even more effective as the development of new downtown housing, retail, and services will be in various stages of completion when the revitalization work begins.

Governor Schwarzenegger and Senator Costa’s recent visit to Fresno, along with representatives of the state and federal transportation departments, announced California’s award of $2.3 billion for the first high speed rail system in the United States. This is outstanding news for the arts, culture and tourism sector! The speakers compared the economic impact of this rail system to that of the installation of the interstate freeway system, and the ripple effect of the resulting changes from a well conceived and constructed nation-wide transportation system that also created thousands of jobs, just as this new rail system will. This gives Fresno the opportunity to be the destination of choice for the arts. We have the time to prepare, so what are we waiting for?

As people focus on wiser choices in spending their disposable income, the arts and culture sector remains a good investment. The Buy Local marketing campaign can benefit the local visual and performing artists as long as we continue to impact the public’s knowledge of the local artistic products and events and continue to provide the quality the community has come to expect.

Watch for our upcoming events: Poetry Out Loud in February, Horizon Awards in April and Dining with the Artists in November, City Hall exhibits, and art competitions. We look forward to working with other organizations to make Fresno the destination of choice.

ArtHop brochures are now available at the FAC office and at ArtHop venues.

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May the New Year greet you with renewed inspiration to strive for greatness in all you do. I am invigorated by the potential of what this year will bring and by what has been accomplished during the last year. The Fresno Arts Council will be launching its new www.fresnoartscouncil.org website with more to offer the arts community (launching by our next eNewsletter mid-January).

What can you expect to see in 2010? We have been adding about three ArtHop venues each month last year, and there are now 86 locations listed in the new brochure which will be available this month. Our membership campaign will highlight the value of membership – an online profile on the arts database and a new offering for an associate membership with Fractured Atlas that offers resources on reasonably priced liability and health insurance benefits. We have several other features that will be announced in the near future.

The arts community is experiencing some serious downsides due to the economy. Although the loss of the Metropolitan Museum after 26 years is a blow the city, we are still flush with other museums, exhibits and performance events. There is a renewed vigor in the Downtown Cultural Arts district with the development of new housing, retail, and services.

As people focus on wiser choices in spending their disposable income, the arts and culture sector remains a good investment due to the ripple effect of where those dollars go. We continue to encourage the community at large to support the arts through attending events and buying locally, particularly from the artists.

Have a great year!

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As California celebrates October as Cultural Arts Month, Fresno is kick-starting the month with a plethora of events and exhibits.  Pull out a calendar and start scheduling the month with a variety of visual and performing arts, culture, events, creativity and inspiration.  Indulge your senses!
 
Planning to take a trip to someplace you have never been? People travel HERE to see our outstanding music, dance, and theatrical performances.  The art scene in downtown Fresno is growing by leaps and bounds, and more ArtHop venues are being added across the city.  Remember to check out the exciting art events in the cities throughout Fresno County, and visit cultural events that you have never experienced.
 
The Fresno Arts Council (FAC) is immersed in dynamic change this year, and looking forward to promoting and invigorating Fresno’s vibrant arts community.  As the new Executive Director, I am inspired by the energy and excitement of the Board of Directors, its new officers and board members, and the collaboration with artists and other arts organizations. Through the Community Enrichment Project, we are awarding $200,000 to 29 cultural arts organizations to provide another year of new entertainment to the public.
 
As the designated state and local partner of the California Arts Council, the FAC is serious about making your art experience fun while we continue to cultivate Fresno as a thriving arts epicenter.  In our most recent board retreat, we revisited the Master Cultural Plan, and have started updating and improving it through the help of various partners and organizations.
 
We’re celebrating the first year of our local social network for the arts: FresnoArts.net – which is becoming the hub of local arts information and communication platform between artists and arts enthusiasts.  In such a short time, we have grown to over 8,000 visitors with over 50,000 pageviews per month. As far as we know, FAC is the pioneer in our State to use hyperlocal, interactive social media to nurture and cultivate local arts.  We invite you to learn more about our local arts community by visiting www.FresnoArts.net.
 
Join us for ArtHop on both the first and the third Thursday of each month, and plan to attend the annual Dining with the Artist event in November at the Downtown Club, which features a guest artist at each table.
 
Thank you for your support of the arts.  While the economy is impacting every arts organization, the local artists continue to inspire us with their creativity.  We honor them for the light they give us as they share the riches of their souls.

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