Arts Council for Monterey County

The Eloquent Suri of Ethiopia: People, Art, Culture, Language through August 16, 2024
2024-05-01 07:00 - 2024-08-16 19:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | McCone Atrium Gallery (McCone Upper Lobby), 499 Pierce Street, Monterey, California
The Suri people of Ethiopia, who live in the country’s remote southwest corner, are a proud and resilient people with creative and exquisite adornment traditions. They are also passionate about preserving their culture and language. The Eloquent Suri of Ethiopia exhibition, on view already and through August 16 at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies (MIIS) in Monterey, introduces the Peninsula community to this engaging people, their art, culture and language.
Please join us in celebrating the Eloquent Suri and their inspiring stories, while gaining greater understanding of the challenges they face. For more information about the exhibition or the overall Eloquent Suri project, please contact Mark Overgaard (mark@movergaard.com).
Availability: now through August 16, 2024; accessible to the public 7am – 7pm weekdays, except on holidays observed by MIIS.

Seaside Artist Association Art Exhibition
2024-07-01 08:00 - 2024-09-05 17:00 | Walter Lee Avery Gallery at Seaside City Hall, 440 Harcourt Avenue, Seaside, CA, 93955
Twenty-four artists from the Seaside Artist Association will be displaying work employing a variety of media at the Walter Avery Gallery. The free evening reception will be held July 19th, from 7:00 – 8:30 p.m. Come and meet the artists, view their art and find out the inside story on those you admire!

If you can’t make the reception, you will still be able to view the art just by stopping in to Seaside City Hall within their business hours of 8:00a.m. – 5:00p.m., Monday through Fridays.

Glaze, Stain, Pour: Embodied Alter-Tales Art Exhibit at ArtWorks @Salinas
2024-07-05 17:30 - 2024-09-30 14:00 | ArtWorks @Salinas, 262 Main Street, Salinas, CA, 93901, United States
Opening Friday, July 5th through Sunday, September 30th, visit ArtWorks @Salinas to see the latest exhibit, “Glaze, Stain, Pour: Embodied Alter-Tales” featuring paintings by Dani Torvik. The public is invited to visit ArtWorks @Salinas from Friday – Sunday from 10 am – 2 pm weekly.

There will also be special artist receptions to be held on the first Friday of each month during the exhibit, starting at 5:30 pm the first Friday of July, August, and September, to see the art, meet the artist, and enjoy tasty refreshments and appetizers.

This exhibit is free and open to the public. We look forward to seeing you!

Carmel Art Walk
2024-07-13 16:00 - 19:00, 2024-08-10 16:00 - 19:00, 2024-09-14 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.

City of Seaside Artists' Reception
2024-07-19 19:00 - 20:30 | 440 Harcourt Ave, Seaside, CA 93955
There will be a free to public Artists’ Reception on Friday, July 19th, from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. at Seaside City Hall.

Flute Choir Camp, Session 2
2024-07-26 17:00 - 19:00 | 517 Hartnell Street, Monterey, 517 Hartnell Street, Monterey, CA, 93940, United States
SESSION 1: June 24-28, 2024 | 3-5PM
SESSION 2: July 22-26, 2024 | 5-7PM
Rehearsals at 517 Hartnell Street, Monterey | Concert Venue TBA

Flute choir is an ensemble consisting of all different kinds of flutes (piccolos, C flutes, alto flutes, and bass flutes). KFS is offering two 5-day Flute Choir Camp sessions this summer. Each will cover unique repertoire, so you can join for one session or both. No prior flute choir experience is required, but two years playing experience is recommended.

Flute Choir Camp includes:
– A brief orientation for parents and students
– Unique, fun repertoire
– Daily group warm-ups and community building
– Daily rehearsals
– A Flute Choir Showcase Concert

$275 per student will cover:
– Sheet music and folders
– Daily group instruction
– Rehearsal space rental fees
– Low flute rental fees
– Flute Choir Camp T-shirt

REGISTER BY JUNE 15!!

Sketching Birds in the Field
2024-07-28 09:00 - 11:00 | Jetty Road, Moss Landing
Join artist and naturalist Morgan Lewis of Ripple in the Wild/Monterey Bay Field Sketch Club for a morning of sketching shorebirds in Moss Landing. Birds provide a unique and often challenging subject, they rarely sit still for very long! This two hour workshop will cover all the basics to get you started sketching birds in the field and in your nature journal.

Field sketching improves your memory recall, your attention to detail, and your bird ID skills.

Instruction will be geared towards beginner field sketchers, but still great for all skill levels. Binoculars will be available to borrow. Warm drinks and baked goods will also be provided at the beginning of the class, please bring a reusable cup if you would like a beverage.

Ages 16 and up.

Pre-registration is required and will remain open until filled or until July 26th at 11:30pm.

Please bring your own materials, sketching materials will not be provided (see event page for what to bring).

First Friday Monterey Museum of Art
2024-08-02 17:00 - 19:00, 2024-09-06 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!

First Friday Monterey Museum of Art
2024-08-02 17:00 - 19:00 | 559 Pacific St, Monterey, CA, United States, California
Enjoy FREE after-hours access at the Museum on the First Friday in August. Join us for a special evening featuring a community coloring project inspired by a piece in our Into the Blue exhibition.

Relax with live music by Kailey Wilson.

Refreshments available for purchase from Albatross Ridge and Other Brother Beer Co.

First Friday Artist Reception
2024-08-02 17:30 - 20:00 | ArtWorks @Salinas, 262 Main Street, Salinas, CA, 93901, United States
Join us for the latest artist reception for the ArtWorks @Salinas art exhibit Glaze, Stain, Pour: Embodied Alter-Tales by Dani Torvik, to be held on the first Friday of each month starting at 5:30 pm the first Friday of August, and September, to see the art, meet the artist, and enjoy tasty refreshments and appetizers.
We are also excited to welcome 16-year old pianist, Andres Benito-Yanez, who will be performing his musical stylings at our First Friday event. You can check him out online via @that_onepianist.
This exhibit is free and open to the public. We look forward to seeing you there!

First Friday Monterey Museum of Art
2024-08-03 11:00 - 15:00 | 559 Pacific St, Monterey, CA, United States, California
Spend a fun-filled afternoon at the Museum creating art inspired by our Into the Blue and Bay of Life from Wind to Whales exhibitions!

Enjoy free admission to the Museum and experience our exhibitions with the whole family!

Hiroshima Nagasaki Remembrance and Peace Lantern Ceremony
2024-08-03 19:00 - 21:00 | Lovers Point Beach Cove, 631 Ocean View Blvd., Pacific Grove, CA, 93955, United States
This evening of remembrance, reflection, and hope marks the 79th anniversary of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki on August 6 and 9, 1945. Gather to honor the lives lost and those affected by the violence of nuclear warfare. This is the 20th anniversary of the Peace Lantern Ceremony organized and sponsored by the Monterey County branch of Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom. Beverly Bean, Monterey Branch President, will emcee.

The evening begins with a powerful performance of Taiko drumming by Shinsho-Mugen Daiko.
Attendees will have the opportunity to craft a lantern with an expression of peace or remembrance.

As the sun begins to set, we will hear from keynote speaker, Sharat G. Lin, PhD, a distinguished medical physicist whose expertise spans global political economy, public health, and peace activism.

The evening will unfold with music, poetry, and stories. As darkness descends, the peace lanterns will be launched by kayaks to glide over the cove waters, guided by the serene melodies of Tai-Chi Master Jim Scott-Behrends on the Japanese bamboo shakuhachi flute.

Join us as we honor the past and envision a future in which war and the threats of nuclear annihilation are replaced with nonviolent conflict resolution and international cooperation.

For more information, phone 831-484-2451

Evening with the Artist: Gary Lopez
2024-08-08 17:30 - 19:00 | 559 Pacific St, Monterey, CA, United States, California
Join artist Gary Lopez for a presentation on astrophotography, a unique photographic medium that showcases the many wonders in the skies. The artist, currently featured in MMA’s Into the Blue, will guide participants through his process and experiences in the astrophotography field.

About the Artist:
Gary Lopez is a fine art astrophotographer. His photographs are a blend of art and science, images that bridge nature photography and abstract art. The subjects of his images are the clouds of faintly glowing space gas and dust that populate the night sky, sites that are the birthplace of new stars. In his art he strives to capture the beauty and drama of the stories that are captured in this cosmic light. His work has been recognized in international photography events including First Place in both the 2020 and the 2021 International Photography Awards (Nature/Astrophotography category) and the Silver Award in the 2023 Prix de la Photographie Paris (Nature/Sky category).

Champions of the Arts™
2024-08-09 09:00 - 10:30 | Marriott Monterey, 350 Calle Principal, Monterey, CA, 93940, United States
An annual celebration to honor those individual or organizations that have made a profound impact on the arts in our region.

Artist Workshop: Crochet Amigurumi with Lauren Wall
2024-08-17 13:30 - 16:30 | 559 Pacific St, Monterey, CA, United States, California
Lauren Wall will lead a crochet amigurumi of a mushroom using a pattern that the artist herself has created. Crochet can be done in an individual or group setting, creating a communication bridge for people of all ages and backgrounds

Note: Some experience with crochet stitches recommended.

Baroque & Unknown: The Pre-Series Book Club
2024-08-20 08:00 - 17:00 | Wendi Kirby Music, 550 Hartnell Street, Monterey, 93940
Pre-Series:
Baroque & Unknown Book Circle

Ready to dig into the history of unknown composers in advance of the Baroque & Unknown series events?

Read in tandem with other local music lovers by exploring excerpts from Anna Beer’s book Sounds and Sweet Airs. Sounds and Sweet Airs details the lives of composers Francesca Caccini, Barbara Strozzi, Élisabeth Jacquet de la Guerre as well as Marianna Martines, Fanny Hensel (née Mendelssohn), Clara Schumann, Lili Boulanger and Elizabeth Maconchy. We’ll read the book and meet to discuss before the event series kick-off.

Date: Thursday, September 26th, 2024
Location: Wendi Kirby Music, 550 Hartnell Street
Time: 7:00PM

On View - Yū-gen | The Language of the Sea Photographs by Chuck Davis and Ryuijie
2024-08-30 11:00 - 2024-12-08 17:00 | 559 Pacific St, Monterey, CA, United States, California
Photographs by Chuck Davis and Ryuijie August 30 – December 8, 2024 Yū-gen | The Language of the Sea Yū-gen | The Language of the Sea celebrates the artistry born from an adventurous collaboration of best friends. Loosely translated as a profound and implicit sense of beauty, Yū-gen is the guiding vision for guest curator Richard Murai, a well-known local photographer, educator, and former Assistant Director at the Center for Photographic Art (CPA). Murai presents a unique and intimate creative conversation between two respected and prolific artists. Driven by a collaborative spirit and lifelong passion, Chuck Davis and Ryuijie embrace free diving as part of their artistic practice, finding both muse and canvas in the open ocean while acting as mutual lifelines in unforgiving waters. Expressing their vision with the traditional processes of silver and platinum printing, these stunning black and white images tell a visual story of both the exquisite beauty of the ocean and a delicate biosystem in peril.

Controlled Chaos Improv at the Monterey County Fair!
2024-08-31 18:00 - 19:30 | Monterey County Fairgrounds-Community Stage, 2004 Fairground Road, Monterey, 93940
We can all use a good laugh these days! Come to the Community Stage at the Monterey County Fairgrounds and watch “Controlled Chaos” put their own twist on traditional improv. Quick wit and spontaneous energy is combined with truth in comedy to bring something fresh to the stage! A good time is guaranteed for all.

91st Annual Festa Italia
2024-09-06 15:00 - 2024-09-08 21:00 | custom house plaza, 5 Custom House Plaza, Monterey, CA, 93940, United States
The 91st Annual Festa Italia Santa Rosalia Fisherman’s Festival is set to captivate the community, inviting all to join in the festivities honoring the city’s Italian heritage and the indelible contributions of its local fishermen, past and present.

Festa Italia is a beloved family-friendly free event, known for its immersive experience of Italian sights, sounds, food, and culture, and provides a memorable celebration for attendees of all ages. Drawing both locals and visitors from the Bay Area and beyond, the free festival has become a cherished tradition that highlights the essence of the Italian experience.

Scheduled over three days, Festa Italia offers an array of authentic Italian cuisine, accompanied by great music, lively dancing, and an abundance of fun and friendship. Attendees can indulge in the delectable flavors of Italy, with a tempting selection of culinary delights available for purchase. From mouthwatering Calamari to savory Steak and Sausage Sandwiches, Pasta, Arancini, Shrimp, and delicious Cannoli, the festival promises a gastronomic journey that mirrors the rich tapestry of Italian culinary excellence. To complement the experience, a variety of beverages, including wine, beer, sodas, and water, will also be available for sale.

NEW this year will be a grilled Eggplant Sandwich which is perfect for vegetarians and eggplant lovers.

Also, award-winning Celebrity Chef/Gourmet Realtor Tene Shake will do a Calamari Cooking Demonstration with recipes for attendees on both Saturday, September 7th and Sunday, September 8th

Acclaimed singers, including internationally renowned Pasquale Esposito, tenor Erasmo Aiello, musician Mike Marotta, Jr. and Friends, the Anthony Lane Band, Money Band, and Tarantella Dancers will entertain. The event also features a highly anticipated bocce tournament open to everyone by reservation.

In addition to the culinary offerings, attendees can check out all the collectible Italian and Festa Italia-themed merchandise. Attendees will also enjoy visiting a diverse array of additional vendors showcasing unique crafts, jewelry, clothing and more.

The roots of Festa Italia trace back to 1933 when the inaugural celebration took place, marked by the donation of a statue of Santa Rosalia, the patron saint of Sicilian fishermen, to the San Carlos Cathedral. This tradition began as Sicilian fishermen sought the blessings of their patron saint for safe journeys and bountiful harvests. Festa Italia serves as a testament to the importance of preserving cultural heritage and passing it down to future generations.

In the spirit of honoring the region’s Sicilian roots and keeping cultural stories alive, Festa Italia invites attendees to partake in this joyous and festive event. Embrace the traditions of old and new, ensuring that this shared heritage is not merely remembered but celebrated with enthusiasm.

Don’t miss the 91st Festa Italia, where the spirit of Italy comes alive in Monterey. Everyone is welcome to join in this cultural extravaganza and free, fun event!

First Friday - Monterey Museum of Art
2024-09-06 17:00 - 19:00 | Monterey Museum of Art, 559 Pacific Street, Monterey, CA 93940, 559 Pacific Street, Monterey, 93940
Enjoy FREE after-hours access at the Museum on the First Friday in September. Get those black and white cell phone filters ready for a photo project inspired by Henrietta Shore and Edward Vision in Double Vision and Chuck Davis and Ryuijie in Yū-gen | The Language of the Sea.

Featuring with live music by Gin Fragonard.

Refreshments available for purchase from Albatross Ridge and Other Brother Beer Co.

Controlled Chaos Improv at The Stanton Center!
2024-09-07 19:00 - 21:00 | Stanton Center, 5 Custom Plaza, Monterey, CA, 93940, United States
We can all use a good laugh these days! Come watch “Controlled Chaos” put their own twist on traditional improv. Quick wit and spontaneous energy is combined with truth in comedy to bring something fresh to the stage! A good time is guaranteed for all. You may pay for a whole seat, but watch as these improvisers keep you on the edge of it! 16+

On View - Imagining China: The Art of Belle Yang and Joseph Yang
2024-09-12 11:00 - 2024-11-24 17:00 | 559 Pacific St, Monterey, CA, United States, California
Imagining China: The Art of Belle Yang and Joseph Yang explores the powerful creative relationship between a father and daughter by assembling a selection of artworks, illustrations, and graphic novel panels that draw from their lived experience and shared memories. Together, the art of Belle Yang and her father Joseph Yang invites the viewer to accompany the artists on their visual journeys through China in the context of wars and political upheavals, their emotional growth in overcoming fear, and their mutual evolution as landscape painters. Curated by Oakland-based artist and scholar, Lydia Nakashima Degarrod, Imagining China uncovers how Belle and her father Joseph, both accomplished artists, found solace, resilience, and ultimately joy and deep satisfaction in creating art together.

ArtWorlds: Illuminating Global Creativity
2024-09-14 15:00 - 17:00 | Irvine Auditorium, 499 Pierce St, Monterey, CA, 93940, United States
ArtWorlds explores how enduring partnerships among artists, curators, and institutions can foster artistic innovation and create global impact, highlighting the creative depth of artistic partnerships on view in our fall 2024 exhibition season.

Experience a fascinating conversation between artists and curators featured in MMA’s fall season. The event will begin with a keynote by Lydia Nakashima Degarrod, followed by a lively discussion with Chuck Davis, Rick Murai, Ryuijie, and Belle Yang moderated by Lydia Nakashima Degarrod and MMA Executive Director Corey Madden.

Program Schedule

3:00 – 3:30 pm Mingle and enjoy a pre-event reception

3:30 – 5:00 pm Keynote and conversation

Middlebury Institute of International Studies

Irvine Auditorium in the McCone Building

Seating is limited, and advance registration is recommended.

For more information on our annual Fall Fundraiser, an exceptional afternoon-to-evening experience that includes both the ArtWorlds Program at MIIS and an elegant salon-style dinner and conversation with Season Artists and Guest Curators, please visit Premier Dinner at La Mirada.

17th Annual Seaside Artist Tour
2024-09-21 00:00 - 2024-09-22 23:59 | CA
Seaside Artist Association holds a yearly Seaside Studio Tour, during which the public can tour the studios, garages or backyards of working artists, learn about their processes, and have the ability to purchase artwork directly from them.

Artist Workshop: Algae Cyanotypes and Mixed Media
2024-09-21 13:30 - 16:30 | Monterey Museum of Art, 559 Pacific Street, Monterey, CA 93940, 559 Pacific Street, Monterey, 93940
Discover the creative possibilities of cyanotypes with professional marine biologists and artists Jenny Grossman and Madi McKay! Participants will make their own cyanotype paper and learn about different seaweeds and algae in Monterey Bay. Using those materials, create your own unique cyanotype design and, as a final touch, add mixed media elements such as watercolor, oil pastel, and charcoal.

Open to all experience levels!

Afternoon with the Artist: Belle Yang
2024-09-28 14:00 - 15:30 | Monterey Museum of Art, 559 Pacific Street, Monterey, CA, 93940, United States
Join artist Belle Yang for an exclusive afternoon in the gallery of Imagining China: The Art of Belle Yang and Joseph Yang. Immerse yourself in the exhibition as Belle highlights select paintings, provides insight into her art and writing, and explores her creative relationship with her father, Joseph Yang.

Play with Clay
2024-09-29 14:00 - 16:00 | Monterey Clay Studio, 785 Broadway Ave., Seaside, 93955
Come learn the basics of throwing clay on the potter’s wheel! This is a two-hour experiential class where students get to leave perfectionism behind and fully embrace the flow of working with clay on the wheel. Unlimited balls of clay are provided during the session and clay used is reclaimed after class – letting you be truly present with the process and unattached to outcomes! For adults ages 18 and up.
