Wonky Wednesday | A Deep Dive into the 2024 Elections

CA for the Arts, in partnership with CalMatters, is excited to invite you to our upcoming Wonky Wednesday on October 9, 2024! This session will focus on everything you need to know about the upcoming 2024 elections. 


During this webinar, you'll learn how to effectively use the CalMatters Voter Guide, an invaluable tool to help you navigate your ballot and make informed decisions. Our experts will also provide an in-depth update and breakdown of this year's ballot propositions, covering the key issues that could shape the future of California.

Dan Hu manages strategic partnerships at CalMatters, a nonprofit publication focused on California's statewide issues. Previously, Dan was the executive director of The Yappie, a nonprofit publication focused on AAPI political news. Through his service on the boards of LION Publishers and the Glen Nelson Center at American Public Media Group, Dan is focused on supporting local news across the country.

Wonky Wednesdays - July 10th

The State of Funding and Legislation for Arts, Culture & Creativity in California

Videos

Join the Movement

Wonky Wednesday: A Deep Dive into the 2024 Elections!

Arts & Health | Strategies for Innovative Funding & Partnerships in Arts & Health Initiatives

Join us for a lively webinar where the panelists will share their expanding arts-based health initiatives that harness the power of the arts to improve health outcomes. Learn about the diverse strategies they use to secure creative funding and form impactful partnerships that are driving meaningful change.

This program series is sponsored in part with support from The Music Man Foundation.

Aly Maier Lokuta, MA (she/her) is the Senior Director of Arts & Well-Being at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) and Founder of Arts in Health Consulting. In her role at NJPAC, Aly leads innovative research, evaluation and programming at the intersection of arts and health, serving communities in Newark and New Jersey. She is a co-lead and founder of the NJPAC-Rutgers Arts in Health Research Lab and is leading the first Arts-on-Prescription pilot in New Jersey in collaboration with Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey and Rutgers University–Newark. Prior to this role, Aly was the inaugural Assistant Director of Arts in Medicine and Arts Program Manager for NYC Health + Hospitals where she led the first two years of the Community Mural project, the largest public mural initiative since the WPA. She was also selected for the Advisory Task Force for the first Social Prescribing pilot in the US: CultureRx out of Massachusetts. Aly has taught arts in health undergraduate courses at the University of South Dakota and graduate courses at the University of Florida Center for Arts in Medicine and developed curriculum for the Foundation for Art and Healing.

Michael J. Bobbitt is a distinguished theater artist. As the Executive Director of Mass Cultural Council, he is the highest-ranking public official in Massachusetts state government focused on arts and culture. Since 2021, he has led the Agency through several initiatives, including the development of its first Racial Equity Plan, d/Deaf & Disability Equity and Access Plan, and Native American & Indigenous Equity Plan; the launch of the nation’s first statewide Social Prescribing Initiative; the securing and distribution of $60.1 million in pandemic relief funding; and the design and implementation of a strategic plan for fiscal years 2024-2026. Recently, Michael was listed as one of the Boston Business Journal’s Power 50 Movement Makers. He has been appointed by Governor Maura Healey to serve on both the Governor’s Advisory Council on Black Empowerment and the newly established Massachusetts Cultural Policy Development Advisory Council, and he recently received an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts, honoris causa from Dean College. He is a proud alumnus of the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Dr. Elizabeth Markle is a licensed psychologist, speaker, writer, researcher, and Professor of Community Mental Health at California Institute of Integral Studies.  She is the co-founder of Open Source Wellness, an Oakland-based nonprofit offering experiential behavioral health and wellness via a "Community As Medicine" approach in collaboration with healthcare providers and insurers. Dr. Markle earned her doctorate in Counseling Psychology from Northeastern University and her M.A. in Psychology from Pacifica Graduate Institute. She completed her pre-doctoral internship at Cambridge Health Alliance/Harvard University, and her postdoctoral training in Primary Care-Mental Health Integration at the San Francisco VA Medical Center. Dr. Markle is a thought leader in the field of health and wellness and has been sought-after as a consultant for her unique insights and expertise in clinic-community integration, innovative approaches to mental health, and group facilitation. 

Jazlynn (she/they) is a cultural worker and teaching artist dedicated to serving the community through storytelling. She has spent the past decade learning Philippine Dance in the Bay Area and sharing it with communities around the world like California, Hawai'i, and Colombia. Jazlynn has continued her learning journey in Philippine arts and healing arts through the Arts & Healing Initiative (Fall 2020 Online Certificate Program in Social Emotional Arts and September 2022 Dance for All Online Facilitator Training), Transformation Academy (April 2021 Therapeutic Art Life Coach Certification), Luna Dance Institute (2022 Summer Institute Cohort Member), Kularts Inc. (2023 TribuTour Member), and Parangal Dance (2024 Philippines Immersion Member). She is currently in a Master's of Education in Curriculum and Instruction program to learn how to make dance and cultural arts like Philippine dance more accessible in schools and the community. Jazlynn continues to practice art as connection through her LLC “pinaypages” which offers experiences for people to incorporate creativity and wellness into their everyday lives through programs like Wellness Wednesdays. Learn more about Jazlynn's offerings through https://www.pinaypages.com/.

Strategies for Innovative Funding & Partnerships in Arts & Health Initiatives

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.

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.

Wonky Wednesday - July 10th

Since 2020, advocates have rallied to support funding for arts and culture that has gone from unprecedented one time investments to having to protect budget cuts to ongoing funding. Achievements have been made to build coalition across the creative sector and to build awareness of the value of arts workers to California communities health and economic prosperity. 

At the same time, it has becoming increasingly clear that California’s creative industries is in a precarious state with wide inequities across the sector due to a lack of sustained investments, access to affordable housing and space, capital and rising costs. With the 2024 election, more than 25% of the CA legislature is new, Federal Funding resources are increasingly uncertain and the California state budget remains unstable. 

What can advocates expect in the year ahead and how can we be prepared for the 2025-26 legislative session? Join us at this webinar to learn more. Registration is free yet required in advance.

A look at the California Arts Council's funding landscape, covering key programs' current status and future, including Creative Corps and Cultural Districts. Discussion will include updates on the Creative Economy Working Group's progress, developments in the Performing Arts Equitable Payroll Fund (PAEPF), and potential arts-related legislation for 2025. Baker will also address how Proposition 4 could impact cultural institutions across the state and explore the growing intersection of arts and public health initiatives.

A focused examination of key legislative developments in California affecting the live entertainment industry's ticketing practices.

Priscilla Quiroz, Shaw Yoder Antwih Schmelzer & Lange 

Analysis of California's current budget landscape and post-election implications, with particular focus on arts and cultural funding allocations. Overview of incoming legislators and their potential influence on arts-related policies and budgetary decisions. 

Discussion of proposed expansions to California's Film and Television Tax Credit Program and how these expansions could affect production activity and entertainment industry employment across the state.

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.

Kerri Wood Einertson is the Executive Director of Government Affairs and Public Policy at SAG-AFTRA.  She has been with SAG-AFTRA for twelve years.  

In this role, Kerri oversees government affairs for the union, where the focus is on state and federal issues affecting performers, including copyright, production tax incentives, and anything involving a government entity that helps SAG-AFTRA members thrive.

In 2022, Kerri was appointed to the California Film Commission.  She also serves on several non-profit Boards, including Children’s Musical Theater San Jose and the Diablo Valley National Charity League.  

Prior to SAG-AFTRA, Kerri worked for several years on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. 

Kerri is fluent in Spanish and speaks it as often as possible.  She is a longtime member of the Pasadena Tournament of Roses, the select volunteer group that produces the Rose Parade and Rose Bowl Game each year.

Kerri is a native of Los Angeles and a graduate of USC.  She currently lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband, two daughters, and a very special German Shorthaired Pointer mix.   

The State of Funding/Legislation for Arts, Culture & Creativity in California

Arts & Health | Exploring Workforce Development for Arts & Health Initiatives

Join us for a dynamic webinar addressing the crucial question: How can we fill the gaps in workforce development for arts and health initiatives? As interest grows among artists, healthcare workers, social services professionals, and others, as second responders, this session will explore the qualifications and training needed to effectively integrate arts into healthcare and public health. Our panelists will share insights and strategies to equip a diverse workforce with the skills necessary to support arts-based interventions, ensuring they meet the needs of individuals and communities.

Alison previously worked in corporate banking for over 10 years in Scotland, England, and Ireland before studying Social Sciences and moving into the Voluntary Sector.  She joined the Community Link Worker Network in 2017 and has moved from CLW to Team Lead, to her current role as Assistant Manager. She leads the Scottish Social Prescribing Network which works closely with colleagues within the Population Health Directorate at The Scottish Government.  She is also part of the Scottish Government National Community Link Worker Advisory Group which is looking at link working across the whole of Scotland. The Edinburgh Community Link Worker Network recently won the 2024 Award for the Best Local Social Prescribing Link Worker Team/Service at the International Social Prescribing Conference. 

Meida Teresa McNeal is the Deputy Commissioner of Cultural Grants, Resources, and Arts Education with the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs & Special Events. Prior to her role with the City, Meida worked with the Chicago Park District as Arts & Culture Manager supporting community arts partnerships, youth arts, cultural stewardship, and civic engagement initiatives. She received her PhD in Performance Studies (Northwestern) and her MFA in Choreography & Dance History (Ohio State). She is also Artistic and Managing Director of Honey Pot Performance. Meida has received awards from Illinois Arts Council, Field Foundation, 3Arts, Chicago Dancemakers Forum, and Links Hall.

Ping Ho, MA, MPH, is Founder and Director of Arts & Healing Initiative, which transforms lives through creative expression by integrating the innate benefits of the arts with mental health practices for self-discovery, connection, and empowerment. This work represents the nexus of her graduate education in counseling psychology and public health with her lifelong experience in performing arts. Ping co-developed and served as principal investigator for the evidence-based training program, Beat the Odds®: Social and Emotional Skill Building Delivered in a Framework of Drumming. In addition, she spearheaded the development of the Certificate Program in Social Emotional Arts (SEA) and SEA on a Shoestring: Supportive Art, Movement, Music, and Writing for Individuals and Groups in Any Setting. Ping is associate editor for the creative arts therapy section of the Journal of Complementary and Integrative Medicine and a steering committee member for the UCLA Integrative Medicine Collaborative. She is also co-author of The Innovative Parent: Raising Connected, Happy, Successful Kids through Art, winner of a 2019 National Parenting Products Association Award.

Julio Hanson, Ed.D, is a SAG-AFTRA entertainer and the principal of Loyola Village Fine and Performing Arts Magnet in Los Angeles, California. With more than 25 years experience, Julio attributes most of his artistic talents to his mother and father, John and Yolanda Hanson, both classically trained musicians from Howard University.

As a vocalist, Julio has performed with Grammy-recognized Toni Braxton, Prince, Kelis, and La Ley, to name a few. Julio has also acted in feature films and stage productions under the direction of Ron Howard and Luis Avalos. Julio also had a recurring role in the hit television series RPM Miami on Mun2/Telemundo. Julio is a dancer and choreographer with Panama Mola Pollera Tambor (PMPT) and Congos Istmeños promoting the beauty of Panamanian culture to the world.
Julio is a commissioned writer and member of the Robey Theatre Company and the Advisory Council for The Young Shakespeareans.

Julio holds a Bachelor of Science in Political Sciences-International Relations from UCLA, a Bilingual Teaching Credential from California State University, Dominguez Hills, a Master of Education and Administration from California State University, Los Angeles, and a Doctorate in Education from Pepperdine University, researching the Power of Artistic Activism.

Exploring Workforce Development for Arts & Health Initiatives

Join us for an engaging webinar unveiling the 2024 California Arts Advocacy Survey results. This in-depth field survey reveals how California’s arts ecosystem has evolved since the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic and in response to transformative social and economic changes.

Field Survey Results & Key Findings: Discover the latest insights into the state of the arts in California, including the challenges, innovations, and aspirations shared by arts workers, cultural organizations, and creative businesses across the state.

Special Guest Speakers: Hear from thought leaders and field experts as they discuss the survey's implications and its potential to inform advocacy efforts and policy agendas for the year ahead.

Exploring the Path Forward: Learn how the survey’s findings shape strategies to support and sustain the arts community in this new landscape.

Conducted during a pivotal time, this survey highlights the resilience and ingenuity of California’s creative community while underscoring the ongoing need for systemic support and equity. Join us to explore how these findings can guide meaningful action and collaboration for a thriving arts ecosystem.

This webinar is a must-attend for arts advocates, policymakers, cultural leaders, and anyone invested in the future of the arts in California. Don’t miss this opportunity to be part of the conversation shaping the future of California’s creative community.

Shaping the Future: Insights from the 2024 California Arts Advocacy Survey

SB553 + Effective Workplace Violence Prevention Planning

July 1st was the first day that Workplace Violence Prevention measures were legally required to be in place for all California businesses with over 10 employees. Laws like this may be coming to your state in coming years, and being prepared is always a good idea. To enhance safety for all workers and to mitigate risks to organizations for fines and lawsuits, Performing Arts Readiness is offering a free informative webinar.  

PAR, CFTA and Majestic Collaborations together with Cal/OSHA will walk through what you need to know, and how meeting the standards of the law can actually be a gateway for team-building and expanding your organization’s overall safety and creative resilience. We’ll share various interactive practices learned over our teams’s collective ninety years of work supporting performing arts organizations to increase their preparedness for emergencies. 

Techniques for whole team collaborative safety planning

Creating a Workplace Violence Prevention Plan

Applying HB 553 to the specific structures and environments of performing arts and cultural organizations (e..g. contract/gig workers, performers, volunteers, audience relations, etc)

Area Manager of the San Diego Cal/OSHA Consultation Services Branch since 2013. Prior to that, she was an Associate Safety Engineer with Cal/OSHA’s enforcement office. Carmen has over 19 years of experience in the safety and health field. As a Safety Engineer, she has worked on high profile and complex cases. 

Emergency preparedness consultant for Performing Arts Readiness. Co-founder of Majestic Collaborations, led 100+ festivals, and pioneered innovative safety strategies. Emmy nominee and featured in FEMA's Inspiration Handbook. 

CEO of California's statewide arts advocacy organizations since 2018. Appointed to various state-level boards and task forces. Recipient of the 2021 Americans for the Arts Alene Valkanas State Arts Advocacy Award. 

Senior safety engineer with State Fund's corporate support team. 36 years of experience in safety and health, focusing on developing and delivering safety outreach.

Join us for an engaging webinar that explores the critical role of advocacy and public policy in advancing arts and health initiatives. As the connection between the arts and well-being gains recognition, what are the systemic barriers that need transformation to support and expand these efforts? Our panel of experts will discuss effective advocacy strategies, the importance of cross-sector collaboration, and ways to influence public policy.

We will start off the session with a creative moment led by Natalie M. Godinez. If you would like to participlate, please bring a sheet of blank paper and some coloring utensils of your choice.

Julia Hotz is a solutions focused journalist based in New York. Her stories have appeared in The New York Times, WIRED, Scientific American, The Boston Globe, Time, and more. She helps other journalists report on big new ideas changing the world at the Solutions Journalism Network. THE CONNECTION CURE is her first book which chronicles the science, stories, and spread of social prescribing.

Kristin Sakoda is Director of the Los Angeles County Department of Arts and Culture, the local arts agency with a mission to advance arts, culture, and creativity throughout the most populous county in the U.S. The Department's programs include grants and technical assistance to nonprofit organizations; creative career pathways including the nation’s largest arts internship program; public-private arts education initiatives; commissioning artists for the LA County Civic Art Collection; professional development; research and evaluation; and cross-sector arts strategies to address civic issues—all with a lens of cultural equity and inclusion. 

Ms. Sakoda is an arts executive, attorney, and performing artist with over 25 years in the field. As an artist she appeared on stages around the world including with dance and social justice company Urban Bush Women, in Rent and Mamma Mia! on Broadway. Prior to her work at LA County, she served at New York City Department of Cultural Affairs overseeing a $200M portfolio of strategic, programmatic, policy, and legislative projects on diversity and inclusion; public art; creative aging; cultural facilities; grants; and affordable workspace for artists. She holds a J.D. NYU School of Law with honors in Entertainment Law, and B.A. Stanford University with a specialization in Race and Ethnicity and secondary major in Feminist Studies. Visit www.lacountyarts.org and follow @_kristinsakoda on Instagram.

Originally from Los Angeles, soprano and Teaching Artist Nicole Taylor is a graduate of the Masters program at The Juilliard School in New York. As a cultural envoy of the United States Department of State since 2010, senior US Arts Envoy Nicole Taylor has traveled through Europe and the Middle East, offering concerts, masterclasses and educational outreach programs with the aim of promoting understanding and building intercultural bridges. In this capacity, Ms. Taylor has offered more than 150 music education outreach programs in the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Jordan, Israel, Palestine, India, France, Denmark, Morocco, Libya, Hungary, Austria, Slovakia, Czech Republic, sharing her expertise as a musician, teacher and wellness educator.

Ms. Taylor is CEO & Founder of Creativity Through Music LLC, cultural consulting & creative strategies (CTM). The primary mission of Creativity Through Music is to uplift communities and build cultural bridges using arts & culture as a medium for joy, innovation, education, creative placemaking, connection, and conflict resolution. 

Ms. Taylor is the Director of the Arts In Schools program for Oxnard Performing Arts Center, an innovative youth enrichment initiative focused on visual/performing arts education and access, funded by CA Arts Council. She is Co-Coordinator of Teaching Artists Guild of CA, a member of the TAG National Advisory Committee, and a US Hub liaison for the International Teaching Artists Collaborative (ITAC). She was selected for the 2024 cohort of the Global Leaders Institute MBA in Arts Innovation. She is California Creative Corps Artist-In-Residence for County of Ventura. In this role she has developed worked extensively with the County of Ventura Offices of Arts & Culture and DEI, as well as the VC Family Justice Center. She is also a proud member of the board of Bridges Charter School in Thousand Oaks, CA.

Natalie M. Godinez (she/her/ella) is a Los Angeles-based artist, educator, and community advocate raised in Tijuana, México. Godinez explores memories, identity, and relationships to places and language through textiles, printmaking, process-based art, text, and collaboration. Her work aims to be a tool for conversations about our shared experiences, the possibilities of our imaginations, and our desires to create change in the world.  

Godinez is an artist collaborator of AMBOS Project (Art Made Between Opposite Sides), a platform for binational artists to speak on border issues. She has performed artist interventions, led education projects, and coordinated humanitarian aid efforts there. Her work has been exhibited at the Hammer Museum, the Sun Valley Museum of Art, the San Diego State University Gallery, Angel's Gate Cultural Center, the Mexican Consulate in Los Angeles, and the Vincent Price Art Museum. Godinez holds a Bachelor of Applied Design from San Diego State University.

Advocacy and Public Policy for Arts & Health Initiatives

Arts & Health | Health Benefits of Arts Engagement and the Importance of Involving Community Organizations in Research

Join us for an insightful webinar on how engaging in the arts can significantly enhance physical and mental well-being. We will introduce the growing body of research demonstrating the therapeutic benefits of arts participation and the impact of community-based participatory research. The session will provide an overview of social prescribing, a progressive approach where healthcare providers recommend community-based, non-clinical and non-pharmaceutical activities, including the arts, to support health and well-being.

Dr. Alan Siegel is a co-founder and medical director for Social Prescribing USA, concentrating on strategy, communication, and development of their Community of Practice and building a network of health professional champions. In 2023, he completed a grant for the California Health Care Foundation to create a model for social prescribing in a county health system. 

Alan will be starting as a Family Physician at Kaiser Oakland in mid-August and plans to initiate and spread social prescribing at Kaiser. He worked within the Bay Area’s Contra Costa Health for the last 25 years, with a concentration on medical education. Alan pioneered many new programs related to social prescribing for his county health system, including directing an Arts in Health program for patients and staff, as a member of the Staff Wellness Team, and helping to start one of the first West Coast Health Leads Program to address social determinants of health As a 2019 UCSF Champion Provider Fellow, Alan ran a grant-funded full-spectrum Nature Rx program. He was a founding board member of the National Organization for Arts and Health, where he concentrated on bringing the arts to healthcare workers and building regional networks.

Jill Sonke, PhD, is Director of Research Initiatives in the Center for Arts in Medicine at the University of Florida (UF), Director of National Research and Impact for the One Nation/One Project initiative, and Co-director of the EpiArts Lab, a National Endowment for the Arts Research Lab in partnership with University College London. She serves as an Affiliated Researcher in the Jameel Arts & Health Lab and served during the COVID-19 pandemic as a senior advisor to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). She an affiliated faculty member in the UF School of Theatre & Dance, the Fixel Institute for Neurological Diseases, and the Center for African Studies, as well as an editorial board member for Health Promotion Practice journal. Dr. Sonke is a dancer and an amateur musician, a mixed methods researcher with over 70 publications, and has 30 years of leadership in the field of arts in health. She is the recipient of numerous awards and over 350 grants for her programs and research in the arts and health.

Christina D. Eskridge, MPH is the founder and executive director of Elevate Theatre Company LLC, a company dedicated to creating space for audiences and artists to explore health and well-being through the art of storytelling. She is a performing artist, teaching artist, director, playwright and public health professional, holding a Master’s Degree in Public Health from UC Berkeley. Christina has worked to fuse her two passions of health and theater through her performances, teaching artistry, and her extensive work in health care at Kaiser Permanente. Elevate has worked with a variety of health and arts partners including organizations like the New Jersey Performing Arts Center, the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, and the American Sexual Health Association. 

In addition to her role as the National Mapmakers Coordinator for One Nation/One Project and the Arts for EveryBody campaign, Christina also serves as a Board Member for the National Organization for Arts in Health (NOAH). Christina believes live theater and arts participation are healing tools, ripe with opportunity to build community and improve well-being for all.

Ivory is an occupational therapist and poet. Some of her favorite occupations (meaningful activities) include writing, spoken word poetry, walking in nature, and horseback riding. She has always been drawn to the healing and care of others. Ivory has been writing since she was 7 years old and credits the development of her imagination as a writer to her greatest childhood complaint: growing up in rural Van Zandt, Washington without a television. Eager to experience the world outside of her hometown, Ivory has lived in Atlanta, New York City, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic before settling in the greater Los Angeles area.

Ivory holds a master’s in occupational therapy from NYU and a post-professional doctorate in occupational therapy from Boston University. Her passion for “prescribed volunteerism” led her to the field of social prescribing. She has volunteered in various capacities for Social Prescribing USA and also enjoys raising awareness amongst occupational therapists about the “hot topic” of social prescribing.

Health Benefits of Arts Engagement and the Importance of Involving Community Organizations in Research

Wonky Wednesdays - June 12th

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

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.

Wonky Wednesday - June 12th

The Activate Local Toolkit is your guide for how to bring the arts & culture community together to engage local decision makers in honoring April as Arts, Culture & Creativity Month while raising the visibility of the value and impact that you all create in your region. 

Join the webinar for tips on how to Activate ACCM:

Form Relationships with Elected Officials

Get an Arts, Culture & Creativity Month Proclamation

 Raise the visibility of the arts community 

2025 ACCM Activate Local Toolkit Webinar

Join us on August 14, 2024 from 12 - 1PM for the CA for the Arts Wonky Wednesday Webinar, where we will dive into the implementation of Proposition 28 in school districts across California. This engaging discussion will feature insights from Abe Flores, Deputy Director of Policy & Programs at Create CA, Lindsey Kunisaki, Laura Zucker Fellow for Policy & Research at Arts for LA, Samantha Theisen from San Gabriel Unified School District, and Tracy Hudak, Director of Field Engagement at CA for the Arts. Don't miss this opportunity to learn about the latest developments in arts education policy and how Prop 28 is shaping the future of arts in our schools.

Tracy is an artist, advocate and consultant who has worked at the intersections of art and economic and community development for over twenty years. She is a painter and theatre artist who specializes in collaborative devised works. Her artistic practices have informed the numerous creative placemaking and civic imagining platforms she has produced. Some of her favorite projects include developing the Creative Community Thomas Fire Recovery Programs, producing and facilitating the Westside Community Innovation Exchange, serving as Arts Impact Director for Downtown Oxnard and directing WeSource, a youth-led devised theatre project. As a consultant, she has contributed to the success of creative businesses and cultural nonprofits through the design and management of programming, marketing, fundraising and organizational development systems. As a creative economy advocate, she has organized campaigns and forums, developed policy language for local land use and economic development plans, produced cross-sector collaborations, published reports and articles and has served as a keynote speaker in various venues. Tracy has a Masters in Public and Policy and Administration from California Lutheran University and a BFA in Performance Art from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. She was called from Chicago to Los Angeles to work as an intern at Highways Performance Space and never left. After 13 years in LA, she and her husband John moved to Ventura County in 2006 to raise their daughter Ruby in the wild. They currently call Santa Paula home.

Abe Flores is an advocate, administrator, and organizer who is “paying it forward” by advancing the arts in schools and communities. He grew up in Boyle Heights, with the arts as the spark that lit his passion for education and community. Seeing first-hand the inequitable access to a well-rounded education in his community and others like it – he dedicated his career to ensuring all youth benefit from the arts as he did. He has organized local, state, and national advocacy efforts for the arts. He was the Program Director for a youth development program focused on creativity and wellness in Boyle Heights, where he grew up. In 2013, he won the American Express Emerging Leader Award for organizing communities throughout LA County to advocate for the arts in their schools. In his current role as Create CA’s Deputy Director of Policy & Programs, he oversees the organization’s programs, public will campaign, collective impact efforts, and policy work - all to ensure that a quality arts education is part of every student’s life. He is married to his high school sweetheart, raising two boys, has visited over 30 national parks, and plays in a punk band.

Lindsey Tomiko Kunisaki (she/her/hers) is a researcher, evaluator, and curriculum designer exploring the intersection ofcultural sustainability, educational equity, and creativity development.

Lindsey is Arts for LA’s 2024 Laura Zucker Fellow for Policy & Research. She also works as Research & Evaluation Specialist with the UCLA Visual and Performing Arts Education (VAPAE) program and an independent evaluator and curriculum designer. Currently a Ph.D. candidate in the School of Educational Studies at Claremont Graduate University, Lindsey previously earned a Master's degree (Ed.M.) in arts education at Harvard University and a Bachelor’s degree (B.A.) at UCLA.

Since 2010, Lindsey has been working in arts education with local and international organizations (including UNESCO, Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz, Sustainable Little Tokyo, and local governments, among others). For her work she has also been awarded Gates Millennium Scholarship, Gilman International Scholarship, Gluck Fellowship, and others.

Samantha Theisen has been in public education for over 30 years, and has served as an administrator in the San Gabriel Unified School District since 2015, currently overseeing Arts, CTE, and Dual Enrollment. She designed and implemented the award winning Music Immersion Experience Program at Roosevelt Elementary, which provides music education every day to every student and was recently featured on PBS. Previous to her time in San Gabriel, Samantha was a music teacher at Moorpark High, Mesa Verde Middle, and La Canada Elementary Schools, and was the Director of Education for the New West Symphony. Samantha holds degrees or certificates from Cal State Northridge, Southern Oregon University, and the UCLA Principal Leadership Institute, and holds a Masters degree in Conducting. She is a professional saxophonist and jazz musician who performed and recorded extensively in a past life, and periodically in this one.  She is a mother of three and wife of a high school music teacher.

VIdeos

Wonky Wednesday - August 14th

Grassroots Artists Advocacy Program (GAAP) Informational Webinar

The Grassroots Artists Advocacy Program (GAAP) is a cohort-based fellowship program for artist advocates that live or work in Oakland or San Francisco. Artist Advocates include diverse artists, culture bearers, and creative workers with a dedicated and committed artistic practice who directly engage in advocacy and policy development that advances their holistic well-being. Each artist advocate will identify a change they want to help make happen, and they will be supported in developing an advocacy plan to enact that change. Please join us for an informational webinar on Friday 10/4 at 12:00 with Program Lead Ted Russell, Director of Programs NeFesha Yisra’el, and Director of Field Engagement, Tracy Hudak. They will review the program and application process and answer questions.

GAAP Informational Webinar

You're Invited to Collaborate with Other Arts Leaders in Placer County!


On Friday, December 6th, 9:00-11:00 am join other creative leaders for an interactive arts advocacy capacity building workshop. Hosted by Arts Council Placer County @theacpc in partnership with Auburn Symphony @auburnsymphony, featured speakers include Julie Baker, CEO, CA Arts Advocates, and Tracy Hudak, Director of Field Engagement, CA for the Arts. 

We will prepare for Arts, Culture, & Creativity Month in April, explore ways to collaborate to increase support for arts advocates, and ease the additional load that advocacy often brings. Come collaborate, to create cohesiveness between all arts disciplines, support one another, and make life as an arts leader more effective!

Event will take place at Springhill Suites Marriott in Auburn, California with free parking for attendees. Coffee and light refreshments will be provided. Register by Tuesday, November 26th to confirm your spot!


Placer County Collaborate and Activate to Increase Support for the Arts Workshop

Join CA for the Arts for a Regional Conversation in partnership with the Nevada County Arts Council, Upstate Creative Corp, and the California Arts Council as we discuss regional advocacy, needs, and solutions for artists and arts organizations in Upstate California. This event will take place on August 3rd at 4 pm at the Museum of Northern California (MONCA) in Chico. All are welcome to join this generative conversation as we work to cultivate an equitable and thriving arts and cultural workforce sector and creative industries.

Upstate Regional Conversation 2024

CA for the Arts invites you to join us for an exciting Bay Area Social! This event will take place on August 6th at 5:30 pm at the Lark Bar in San Francisco. All are welcome to join us for an evening of networking and connecting with fellow creative workers in the Bay Area.

This event is a fantastic opportunity to convene, share ideas, and learn more about CA for the Arts' new initiatives, including our upcoming Grassroots Artists Advocacy Program (GAAP), which will be launching in the Bay Area soon! GAAP will help support and grow arts advocates in the Oakland and San Francisco area, and is an initiative to support in building a more creative California focused on the well-being of creative workers.

Whether you are an artist, cultural worker, representative of an arts organization, culture bearer, educator, or art enthusiast living, working, or serving in the Bay Area, we encourage you to attend. Lend your voice to the conversation and discover ways to become more actively involved in our vibrant arts community.

This program is supported by a grant from the Kenneth Rainin Foundation.

Bay Area Social

How do you want to grow as an advocate? How could our member program help?

Join us for our first Member Virtual Picnic on August 22nd 12-1pm and bring your lunch while we welcome new members, connect with fellow arts leaders across the state, and talk about how our member program can serve members best!

To register, please contact our Field Engagement Coordinator, Jennica Bisbee, at jennica@caforthearts.org

Member Virtual Picnic

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. 

Join us for a Wonky Wednesday lunchtime hour on August 14, 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: A Deep Dive into the 2024 Elections!

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Wonky Wednesday | A Deep Dive into the 2024 Elections

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The State of Funding and Legislation for Arts, Culture & Creativity in California

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Wonky Wednesday - July 10th

The State of Funding/Legislation for Arts, Culture & Creativity in California

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