Arts Council for Monterey County

Night Market 831
2026-11-06 17:00 - 21:00, 2026-10-02 17:00 - 21:00, 2026-09-04 17:00 - 21:00, 2026-08-07 17:00 - 21:00, 2026-07-03 17:00 - 21:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | sand city art park, 525 Ortiz Ave, Sand City, CA, 93955, United States
Inspired by the vibrant open-air street bazaars from around the world, Night Market 831 is a lively gathering where friends and families can sip, savor, socialize, dance, shop, and explore. Held in the colorful Sand City Art Park, surrounded by stunning murals, the market creates a unique and inviting atmosphere. We are committed to fostering a safe, fun, and inclusive community space, featuring a rotating lineup of local performers, creatives, and entrepreneurs who bring their talents to life each month.

First Friday Salinas
2026-11-06 17:00 - 20:00, 2026-10-02 17:00 - 20:00, 2026-09-04 17:00 - 20:00, 2026-08-07 17:00 - 20:00, 2026-07-03 17:00 - 20:00 | Downtown Salinas, 100-300 Blocks Main Street, Salinas, CA, 93901, United States
First Friday Salinas is a monthly tradition designed to transform Downtown into a consistent, positive space for community and culture to thrive.
Come and enjoy an evening of local art, live entertainment, delicious food, and shops open late. Bring your friends and family to Salinas City Center and discover something new every First Friday of the month — you won’t want to miss it!
When & Where:
Every First Friday of the Month
Starting at 5:00 PM
Location: Downtown Salinas in 100 – 300 Blocks of Main Street
Opening Ceremony: 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM, at the One Main Street Stage (in front of the Steinbeck Center).

First Friday Monterey Museum of Art
2026-11-06 17:00 - 19:00, 2026-10-02 17:00 - 19:00, 2026-09-04 17:00 - 19:00, 2026-08-07 17:00 - 19:00 | Monterey Museum of Art, 559 Pacific Street, Monterey, CA 93940, 559 Pacific Street, Monterey, 93940
FREE after-hours access to the Museum on the First Friday of the month. Join us for an evening of art, music, and community gathering!

Monterey Bay Poetry Consortium
2026-10-10 17:30 - 18:30, 2026-09-12 17:30 - 18:30, 2026-08-08 17:30 - 18:30, 2026-07-11 17:30 - 18:30 | Pacific Grove Public Library, 550 Central Ave, Pacific Grove, CA, 93950, United States
Pacific Grove Public Library hosts a monthly reading by poets from Central California and beyond, organized by the Monterey Bay Poetry Consortium. Enjoy all styles of poetry, created fresh by local poets. Sept. 13: Avery Burns and Lee Knight Jr.; Oct. 11: Chrissy Hernandez and Brandi Kary.

Carmel Art Walk
2026-10-10 16:00 - 19:00, 2026-09-12 16:00 - 19:00, 2026-08-08 16:00 - 19:00, 2026-07-11 16:00 - 19:00 | Throughout Carmel by the Sea, CA, 93921, United States
Founded and run by local artists, the Carmel Art Walk is a free and family-friendly event. Support our local artists and keep the HEART of Carmel beating strong! Carmel Art Walk is the second Saturday every month from 4pm-7pm and is open to the public. Tour artist-owned galleries and meet the artists who carry on the Carmel-by-the-Sea artist colony legacy. Follow the blue lanterns at each gallery.

Open Studios Art Tour Weekend 2
2026-09-19 11:00 - 2026-09-20 17:00 | Monterey County, CA, United States
Discover the vibrant creativity of Monterey County at the Open Studios Art Tour 2026!
Open Studios Art Tour is a free, self-guided event over two weekends, giving you the chance to visit artists’ studios, explore their creative processes, and even take home a one-of-a-kind piece. Plan your journey easily with our mobile app and printed guide, and don’t miss the opportunity to celebrate and support local art!
The tour will be held over two weekends: September 12–13 & 19–20, 2026, from 11 am – 5 pm.
As part of OSAT, a Special Exhibition including participating OSAT artists will be hosted in August leading up the event. Experience the magic of original artwork up close, meet the artists at an Artist Reception, and get inspired by the incredible talent in our community.
Stay tuned for more details.

Night Owl Returns Friday, September 18, 2026 Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History
2026-09-18 18:00 - 22:00 | Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History, 165 Forest Ave, Pacific Grove,, CA, 93950
he Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History invites the community to save the date for the return of Night Owl, the Museum’s signature after-hours fundraising event.
Additional details, including ticket information and programming highlights, will be announced in 2026.
Mark your calendar. The night returns.

Open Studios Art Tour Weekend 1
2026-09-12 11:00 - 2026-09-13 17:00 | Monterey County, CA, United States

Afternoon with the Curator: Cynthia Wagner Weick and Joaquin Turner
2026-08-22 02:00 - 15:30 | 559 Pacific St, Monterey, CA, United States, California
Join MMA in the galleries for an inspiring afternoon with guest curators Cynthia Wagner Weick and Joaquin Turner as they share their insights into A Visual History of Art and Architecture in Monterey.
Advance purchase is required. Seating is limited, so we recommend reserving your tickets early.
$5 MMA Members, Students, Military, Under 18, and SNAP Participants with EBT
$20 General Admission. Includes an admission pass to MMA – Pacific Street.

Summer Art Camp: A Tabletop LEGO Minecraft Survival Game Ages 7–12
2026-07-27 09:00 - 2026-07-31 12:00 | Monterey Museum of Art, 559 Pacific Street, Monterey, CA 93940, 559 Pacific Street, Monterey, 93940
Monterey Museum of Art offers safe, creative experiences and tons of fun for children at our downtown Pacific Street location! Summer Camps are taught by professional educators, offering a wide range of skill-building and creative outlets for children ages five through fourteen.
Join MMA at the $175 Contributor Membership level to receive a 20% discount per class and MMA member benefits for one year. Visit our Membership Page for more information on membership options.
BrickCraft: A Tabletop LEGO® Minecraft Survival Game
Get ready to build, battle, and survive! In this exciting Minecraft-themed game, campers will explore a LEGO® world filled with challenges, mobs, and surprises. They’ll gather resources, design strong bases, and work together to protect their biomes. Every decision counts as they race to stop the Ender Dragon and become true Minecraft heroes!

Summer Art Camp: A Tabletop LEGO Minecraft Adventure Game Ages 5–7
2026-07-27 09:00 - 2026-07-31 12:00 | Monterey Museum of Art, 559 Pacific Street, Monterey, CA 93940, 559 Pacific Street, Monterey, 93940
Monterey Museum of Art offers safe, creative experiences and tons of fun for children at our downtown Pacific Street location! Summer Camps are taught by professional educators, offering a wide range of skill-building and creative outlets for children ages five through fourteen.
Join MMA at the $175 Contributor Membership level to receive a 20% discount per class and MMA member benefits for one year. Visit our Membership Page for more information on membership options.
BrickCraft: A Tabletop LEGO® Minecraft Adventure Game
Jump into a Minecraft-inspired world where you get to decide what happens next! Campers will team up in a tabletop adventure, rolling dice to collect resources, build awesome LEGO® creations, and craft tools to help them on their journey. With imagination, teamwork, and a little luck, they’ll go on an epic quest to defeat the Ender Dragon and save the Minecraft world!

Afternoon with the Curator: Cydney Payton
2026-07-11 14:00 - 15:30 | Monterey Museum of Art, 559 Pacific Street, Monterey, CA 93940, 559 Pacific Street, Monterey, 93940
Join MMA in the galleries for an inspiring afternoon with guest curator Cydney Payton and artist Jane Olin as they share their insights into Jane Olin: Some Trees.
Advance purchase is required. Seating is limited, so we recommend reserving your tickets early.
$5 MMA Members, Students, Military, Under 18, and SNAP Participants with EBT
$20 General Admission. Includes an admission pass to MMA – Pacific Street.
About the Curator
Cydney Payton is an independent curator and writer, and former CEO and Chief Curator of the Museum of Contemporary Art Denver and the Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art. At MCA Denver, she led the architectural process and campaign to build the first Gold LEED-certified museum in the US. Her leadership in the arts has been acknowledged by The New York Times, The Denver Post, Artforum, and Art in America. She has served as a nominator for the MacArthur Fellowship and as a juror for the Taishin Art Awards Taiwan and Creative Capital. As a co-juror with Spike Lee, she selected Shepherd Fairey’s HOPE to represent the 2008 Obama Campaign. Since the late 1980s, Payton has curated groundbreaking exhibitions by such artists as David Altmejd, Morley Baer, Lynda Benglis, Yu-Chen Chou, Brad Kahlhamer, Susanne Kühn, Roberto Behar, and Rosario Marquardt, Wangechi Mutu, Arlene Shechet, Collier Schorr, and Fischli & Weiss, to name a few. Payton holds an MA in Curatorial Practice from California College of the Arts, with an emphasis on Architectural History and Theory.

Summer Art Camp: Splash Into Watercolor! Ages 6–8
2026-07-06 09:00 - 2026-07-10 12:00 | Monterey Museum of Art, 559 Pacific Street, Monterey, CA 93940, 559 Pacific Street, Monterey, 93940
Monterey Museum of Art offers safe, creative experiences and tons of fun for children at our downtown Pacific Street location! Summer Camps are taught by professional educators, offering a wide range of skill-building and creative outlets for children ages five through fourteen.
Join MMA at the $175 Contributor Membership level to receive a 20% discount per class and MMA member benefits for one year. Visit our Membership Page for more information on membership options.
Splash Into Watercolor!
Dive into the vibrant world of watercolor painting! Campers will explore bright, flowing colors, experiment with fun techniques, and create their own masterpieces inspired by visits to our galleries, the wonders of nature, and their own imagination. Each day brings new discoveries as young artists learn creative tricks, build confidence, and watch their paintings come to life. Perfect for campers who love to paint, play, and express themselves through color!
