Wonky Wednesday is a program designed specifically for folks who want to dig deeper to understand cultural policy, state budget, and legislative processes. Join us on the second Wednesday of every month at noon for a lunchtime, casual meeting with our CEO, Julie Baker, and special guests throughout the summer, including staff, board members, legislators, lobbyists, and issue area experts. Got a question on how to advocate effectively locally or a problem you think legislation should solve, or just want to ask what’s up with funding for the arts in California, this is your chance to ask and engage monthly in arts advocacy. Recordings will also be made available.

Join us for a Wonky Wednesday lunchtime hour on August 14, 2024 from 12 - 1:30 pm. 

Wonky Wednesday - June 12th

Wonky Wednesday - July 10th

Protect Arts Funding

Join the Movement

Wonky Wednesday - August 14th

Don’t miss out! Our next Wonky Wednesday is on July 10th from 12pm  - 1:00 pm.⁠

Join us for our FREE virtual lunchtime hour talk! The conversation will be moderated by Julie Baker, CEO of CA for the Arts/CA Arts Advocates with guest speakers Gabriel Docto, Director of Operations at August Hall, San Francisco and Leadership team member at NIVA CA; and Alex Torres, Policy Advisor at Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck and Lobbyist at NIVA CA.

Listen in on a conversation about the current landscape around ticketing bills, both federal and California laws and a review of the California legislative process. If you are a venue or artist that sells tickets to a performance, you want to be in on this discussion!

As the CEO of California’s statewide arts advocacy organizations since 2018, Julie has worked to increase the legislative clout and visibility of the arts and culture communities by building coalition across the for and non-profit sectors of California’s creative industries, producing a month-long arts awareness and advocacy campaign every April, and fighting for resources and legislation to serve and protect artists and cultural workers. She was recently appointed to the Board of the Western States Arts Federation (WESTAF).

Julie has served as the California State Captain to Americans for the Arts’ National Arts Action Summit, as the recent co-chair of the Western Arts Advocacy network for WESTAF, as well as co-chair of the creative economy working group at the CA Economic Summit. She is the Board President of California Heritage: Indigenous Research Project and was elected to the Nevada County school board in November of 2020. She is also an appointed member of the State of California’s 2022 Entrepreneurship & Economic Mobility Task Force (EEMTF) and the Creative Economy Working Group under the California Arts Council. Julie is the recipient of the 2021 Americans for the Arts Alene Valkanas State Arts Advocacy Award that honors an individual at the state level whose arts advocacy efforts have dramatically affected the political landscape.

Over the years, Julie has owned a fine arts gallery for emerging artists, co-founded Flow art fair — a satellite to Art Basel Miami Beach — opened a consulting firm, Julie Baker Projects, and curated an annual music series at the Crocker Art Museum. Earlier in her career she was President of her family’s arts marketing firm in New York City and worked at Christie’s Auction house before moving to California in 1998. Julie also served for eight years as the Executive Director of The Center for the Arts, a non-profit performing arts venue and California WorldFest, an annual music and camping festival located in Grass Valley, CA. She is also the recipient of the inaugural Peggy Levine Arts & Community Service Award from the Nevada County Arts Council.

Having started as a stagehand at Berkeley’s Greek Theater in 2012, Gabriel Docto’s enthusiasm and dedication to live music has led him to various opportunities in the industry, including playing an integral part in opening August Hall, a 1,000 capacity venue in San Francisco. Since its inception in 2018, Gabriel has progressed to his current position as Director of Operations, where his collaborative approach with coworkers, clients, and partners ensures the successful execution of over 200 concerts and events annually.

Beyond his role at August Hall, Gabriel is an avid advocate of live entertainment and independent venues. His advocacy work began in 2020 when he co-founded the San Francisco Venue Coalition, joining forces with like-minded individuals to advocate for the Music and Entertainment Venue Recovery Fund, the creation of which offered a crucial financial lifeline to struggling venues amidst the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.

As advocacy work across the nation quickly expanded, Gabriel began collaborating with venues across California to collectively establish the California Chapter of the National Independent Venue Association (NIVA). As part of the leadership team of NIVA CA, Gabriel has assisted with the creation of California Venues Grant Program, the establishment of the Type 90 Liquor License, and continues to advocate for programs and policy aimed at the sustainability and vitality of night life in California.

With a stellar blend of hands-on experience and strategic aptitude, Gabriel remains dedicated to driving positive change within the live entertainment landscape to navigate challenges and pave the way for a thriving ecosystem of independent venues.

Well known in the halls of California’s capitol building, Alex Torres is a dynamic and highly trusted public policy advocate. He brings deep insights and diverse experience on a broad range of issues with specific skills in legislative and regulatory advocacy, political analysis and policy and legal research.

Alex has provided public relations services and media outreach for political campaigns for Los Angeles Unified School District and California State Assembly and served as an external affairs consultant for Cal Expo and the California State Fair. He also managed media relations for entertainment clients in Los Angeles, including press events for major motion pictures and sporting events. Alex started his career in public policy during his time in college. He interned for two summers in the California State Assembly and consulted on his first campaign while completing his sophomore year.

Prior to joining Brownstein, Alex most recently served as director of government relations for the Bay Area Council, a business association in the San Francisco Bay Area representing over 320 of the region’s largest employers on economic development issues. He also brings significant advocacy experience from his time as senior director of government relations for Strategies 360 and as a member of the lobbying team at KP Public Affairs in Sacramento, providing advocacy services for clients in a variety of sectors including entertainment, housing and homelessness, health care, small business and veterans’ issues.

Join us for a Wonky Wednesday lunchtime hour on June 12, 2024 from 12 - 1:30 pm. 

Priscilla Quiroz joined the Shaw Yoder Antwih Schmelzer & Lange team as a Legislative Advocate in 2019 following four years of service in the California State Legislature.

Prior to joining the firm, Priscilla worked as a Legislative Aide in State Senator Nancy Skinner’s’ office, serving as the principal staff member assigned to the Senate Committee on Environmental Quality and the Joint Climate Change Committee. In this role, Priscilla engaged with stakeholders, provided research support, and advised on policies ranging from clean mileage standards for Transportation Network Companies, to drafting and passing legislation related to clean vehicle fleets. In addition to her policy work, Priscilla also led the office’s internship program, handling all hiring, training and management.

Previously, Priscilla served as an assistant to Assembly Speakers Anthony Rendon and Toni Atkins, supporting administrative and other duties. Priscilla received her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of California, Davis.

Eduardo Martinez has spent nearly 20 years in California politics and public service, bringing a passion and strategic thinking to various roles in and around the Capitol. He currently serves as a Legislative Advisor for the Government Practice team in the Manatt Sacramento Office. In this role, he advises clients on a wide range of issues including health care, labor and employment, and the state budget.

Prior to joining Manatt, Eduardo served as the Legislative Director and Chief Lobbyist of the California Labor Federation. In that capacity, he has lead a coalition of affiliated labor unions on a wide range of policy priorities, including two successful efforts to pass broad-based COVID-19 supplemental paid sick leave, protections for workers subject to labor disputes, and legislation to combat wage theft.

Eduardo has significant trade association experience, having worked for the California Medical Association from 2013 to 2016. As an Associate Director for Government Relations, Eduardo was the lead lobbyist on budget-related matters, with particular focus on increasing California’s poor Medi-Cal provider reimbursement rates. In 2016, Eduardo worked with a coalition of providers to restore cuts to provider rates and secured state dollars for graduate medical education cuts.

July 18th, 2023
1 - 2pm PST
San Francisco, CA

New ways forward

CA for the Arts is proud to present “Navigating the Do's and Don'ts of Nonprofit Involvement in Electoral Activities'', a FREE webinar on Wednesday, May 22, 2024 @ 12:00 PM -  1:30 PM. Join us for an overview of how nonprofits can actively engage in elections, including:

Legal Guidelines: Navigating the dos and don'ts of nonprofit involvement in electoral activities.

Voter Education and Mobilization: Empowering communities with the knowledge and tools to participate in the electoral process.

Advocacy and Policy Influence: Leveraging nonprofit voices to shape electoral outcomes and drive meaningful policy change.

Digital Engagement Strategies: Leveraging social media, email campaigns, and digital advocacy tools to amplify impact.

Collaborative Partnerships: Building alliances and coalitions to broaden reach and magnify impact.

Case Studies and Success Stories: Showcasing real-world examples of nonprofits effectively engaging in electoral processes.

We are pleased to be partnering with San Jose Arts Advocates and the UCLA Lowell Milken Center for Philanthropy & Nonprofits.

Rose Chan Loui is the founding Executive Director of the newly established Lowell Milken Center for Philanthropy and Nonprofits at UCLA School of Law. Prior to joining UCLA, Rose was Of Counsel at Rodriguez Horii Choi & Cafferata LLP, where she counseled all types of tax- exempt organizations and specialized in structuring and implementing advocacy and lobbying programs. Rose also represented nonprofits, businesses and individuals in federal and state tax controversy matters. Rose started her legal career as a tax associate at Latham & Watkins, Los Angeles, and then went in-house to ARCO’s federal tax controversy group. Rose has been active in numerous nonprofits throughout her career. She currently serves as board chair of East West Players, the nation’s premier Asian American theater, and on the boards of the Mayor’s Fund for Los Angeles, and the Chronicle of Philanthropy. Rose received her JD from NYU Law. She is an active alumna of Stanford University and was just appointed to the Stanford Associates’ Board of Governors.

Peter Allen is a third-generation San José resident and a founding Core Team Member of San José Arts Advocates. A former Chair of the City of San José Arts Commission and Planning Commission, Peter is an independent communications consultant who has previously served as Public Information Officer for San José Unified School District and Communications Coordinator for both the San José Public Library Foundation and a San José City Councilmember. He has spent the past 13 years as a Board Member, Board President, and/or Managing Director of Teatro Visión, a Latinx/Chicanx theater company nurturing arts and opportunity in underserved San José communities. Peter graduated from Bellarmine College Preparatory and received his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in screenwriting from the University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts. He lives in San José with his wife Angelica and their daughter Emilia Joslynn (aka EJ).

Navigating the Do's and Don'ts of Nonprofit Involvement in Electoral Activities

June 12, 2024 | July 10, 2024 | August 14, 2024

Join us for a Wonky Wednesday lunchtime hour on July 10, 2024 from 12 - 1:30 pm. 

Wonky Wednesday

Join us for an Arts & Culture Happy Hour on Thursday, July 11, 2024 5:00 PM —the perfect opportunity to network, learn more about one another and explore innovative ideas to make our 2025 Arts & Culture Summit even more impactful.

Networking - Connect with fellow attendees and industry leaders in a relaxed setting.

Collaboration - Discuss potential collaborations and share insights on pushing the creative field forward.

Future Planning - Contribute to planning a 2025 Summit that is equitable, meaningful, and visionary.

Let’s come together to ensure that the future of arts and culture is bright, inclusive, and filled with endless possibilities.

Arts & Culture Happy Hour

Join us for a no-host mixer at Harlow’s, Sacramento's premier independent music venue on Monday, April 15 from 6:00-8:00pm. This casual gathering will take place in their main room, providing an excellent opportunity to connect with fellow summit attendees while enjoying delicious food, refreshing drinks, and music.  

Conveniently located near the Sofia Theater and the summit hotel, it's the perfect way to relax and mingle before an exhilarating day at the CA Arts & Culture Summit. Don't miss out on the chance to network with fellow arts champions and kick off the summit with good company and great vibes! All are welcome, even if you are not attending the summit. 

CA Arts & Culture Summit Kickoff Mixer

ABOUT BOARD SERVICE FOR CA FOR THE ARTS & CA ARTS ADVOCATES

Thank you for your interest in CA For The Arts' & CA Arts Advocates' Board of Directors. Our application for Board membership provides you with information about the role and helps our board learn more about you.

Board terms are two (2), three (3) year terms. Board members who have served two (2) consecutive terms must not be elected to the Board of Directors for one year (12 months) immediately following the end of their second consecutive term. New board members will be voted onto the board at the June 2024 meeting.

To learn more about our organizations' missions, vision, values, and histories, please visit:

Please note: All board members serve on both organizations' boards. Each organization has its own bylaws, mission statements, and financial reports. Board meetings are held separately and sequentially approximately six (6) times per year. As of June 2024, the organizations will have finalized and published their revised Strategic Plans which have been guided by consultants from Scansion and the Western States Arts Federation.

CFTA & CAA is served by an active governance board. The primary role of the Board is to promote and fulfill the organizations' missions, including (but not limited to):

Ensuring the resources of funds and leadership necessary to implement the organization’s mission;

Providing strategic and fiduciary stewardship, as well support and oversight of the CEO; and…

Ensuring the organization is managed in a sustainable, equitable, and community-driven manner.

To ensure all board candidates understand the State of California’s legal expectations for participation on a nonprofit board, please see the Attorney General’s Guide for Charities.

CFTA & CAA believe that a rewarding board experience provides benefit to the organization, the communities we serve, and to the individuals serving on the board. To that end, in addition to sharing CFTA & CAA’s expectations for board service, we are interested in hearing what you hope to gain personally and professionally by joining CFTA & CAA’s Board of Directors. CFTA & CAA is committed to equity, inclusion, diversity, and accessibility in all our programs, initiatives, and decision-making processes.

CFTA & CAA’s EXPECTATIONS OF BOARD MEMBERS

Time & Talent: CFTA & CAA values the time you spend volunteering as a board and committee member, as well as the talent and expertise you bring to this role.

Time: Board Members are encouraged to attend and actively participate in all our board meetings in the fiscal year, as well as the annual retreat. Participation on at least one of our multiple board committees is also required. As an ambassador of CFTA & CAA, Board Members are encouraged to promote and attend all CFTA & CAA events and programs.  

Talent: We are interested in any special skills or talents Board Members could bring to CFTA & CAA to support our mission and the communities we serve.

Treasure & Ties: CFTA & CAA relies on the generosity and influence of its Board Members to build membership and sustain programmatic and operational functions.

Treasure: The treasure our Board Members contribute may include individual donations, corporate sponsorships, membership, as well as table and/or ticket purchases for events. Membership in CFTA & CAA is required for all Board Members, either personally or through the member’s company or employer. All Board Members are encouraged to give a gift that is significant to them, but there is not a formal board “give” or “get” policy.

Ties: The connections and introductions our Board Members bring to CFTA & CAA are vital to the organization’s fundraising efforts and helps grow an inclusive CFTA & CAA circle of members and friends, including assisting in recruiting new leaders and volunteers.

Application will be open until April 22, 2024 by 11:59 PM PDT.

Board of Directors Application

Let’s build a more creative California. We’re helping every Californian become an advocate for the arts – from raising awareness on why the arts are so important, to providing programs and services that make our state’s creative sector stronger than ever.

Wonky Wednesday - August 14th

Register for our August Session Here.

Wonky Wednesday - June 12th

Wonky Wednesday - July 10th

Protect Arts Funding

Join the Movement

Donate to help us advocate for legislation and funding

Become a CA For The Arts member and be directly involved

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Wonky Wednesday - July 10th

Wonky Wednesday - June 12th

New ways forward

Join the Movement

Donate to help us advocate for legislation and funding

Become a CA For The Arts member and be directly involved

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