Fall into the Arts This November with Arts Connection
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With Arts Connection - The Art Council of San Bernardino County
We're dedicated to fostering a vibrant creative community, supporting arts education, and advocating for cultural equity across our region. Join us in shaping a county where everyone has access to inspiring cultural experiences. Subscribe to our newsletters and stay connected!
Last month marked a major milestone for San Bernardino county’s creative ecosystem. For the first time in more than six years, Arts Connection had the honor of welcoming the California Arts Council (CAC) to San Bernardino for their official council meeting. On Thursday, October 23, we hosted the CAC council members and state leadership at a community reception at the Garcia Center for the Arts, joined by more than 40 artists, cultural leaders, and community partners from across our region. Estudio AIRE alumnus and poet Brandon Allen offered an original poem dedicated to the occasion, grounding the evening in the voices and spirit of our creative community. Guests also received a tour of the Garcia Center from Executive Director Michael Segura, highlighting the organization’s role as a vital cultural hub for the region.
The following day’s CAC public meeting, co-hosted with the San Bernardino County Museum, was a meaningful moment for our community to highlight the incredible creative work happening across our region, share powerful stories from our arts ecosystem, and deepen understanding of the key partnerships the CAC is building to support our artists and cultural workers.
We wrapped up their visit with a semifinalist site tour of the E Street Corridor Cultural District, in partnership with the Garcia Center for the Arts, San Bernardino Generation Now, and the City of San Bernardino. This emerging district is the result of shared leadership from the Garcia Center, SB Generation Now, the City of San Bernardino, Realicore, and the many arts and cultural organizations, small businesses, artists, culture bearers, and residents who make this community what it is.
This visit was a testament and a recognition of the creativity, determination and collective spirit here in our county. Thank you to all who showed up, welcomed the CAC with open hearts, and helped highlight what makes our home a rich artistic and cultural hub.
Click the button below to learn more about the cultural district certification, benefits and designation.
Arts Avenue Wraps Up Its Second Month with Creativity and Growth!
October marked the completion of Arts Avenue’s second month of programming, and what an inspiring month it has been! Our dedicated instructors took part in a professional development training designed to strengthen their teaching practices and add new teaching tools to their belts. Together, they explored new strategies for classroom management and ways to create supportive, structured environments for students. These training sessions ensure our instructors are equipped with practical tools they can carry into any learning space.
We also want to shine a spotlight on the students in L. Akinyi’s painting class, who have been busy creating beautiful, thoughtful work this month. From designing personalized nametags for their aprons to painting animals in their natural habitats, these young artists are growing their creativity and confidence each week.
A special thank you to L. Akinyi for their innovative teaching and the joy they bring to their classroom. Did you know L. curates themed music playlists to accompany each lesson? We’re especially intrigued by the Famous Artist – Hayao Miyazaki session, where students paint to the enchanting soundtracks of Studio Ghibli films. We might just have to stop by that class.
Click on the button below to learn more about our afterschool arts program, Arts Avenue.
Join Estudio Aire’s AIR Nicole Dumaguindin throughout November for a series of interactive studio drop-ins exploring the creation of a BIPOC Theatre Alliance in San Bernardino County. Twice a week, theatre artists, actors, and enthusiasts are invited to share stories, discuss the state of local theatre, and dream up a more inclusive future—complete with collaborative mood boards and community dialogue. Mondays (1–4 PM) and Fridays (9 AM–12 PM) all month long.
Ages 6-7 | 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM | Doors open at 10:30 AM Ages 8-10 | 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM | Doors open at 1:30 PM
Estudio Aire - 468 W. 5th St., San Bernardino, CA 92401
Estudio Aire invites young creatives to a two-session Playdate for Non-Nuclear Families, where imagination and connection take center stage. Designed for children ages 6–7 and 8–10, each session blends gentle storytelling and movement games inspired by Playback Theatre and Rainbow of Desire. Through themes of love, courage, and trust, kids will explore playful archetypes—tricksters, heroes, and villains—and collaborate to create their own short improvisational stories about joyful, inclusive worlds.
Part of Estudio Aire Happenings, this artist-led program fosters creativity and belonging as part of Arts Connection’s artist-in-residence initiative.
San Bernardino County Museum | 2024 Orange Tree Lane, Redlands, CA 92374
Arts Connection is excited to partner with the San Bernardino County Museum to launch the very first Day of the Dead Arts Fest—a lively, family-friendly evening filled with music, live art, food, and local vendors. This new event celebrates creativity from across the region and invites the community to come together in honor
of Día de los Muertos. Admission is $10 for adults, with discounts for students, seniors, military, and kids. Children five and under and Museum Association members get in free. Parking is free, and the space is fully accessible.
Microgrant Spotlight: Joshua Labata Premieres New Comedy
November 20th - 23rd | Time Varies
Biola Theatre | 13800 Biola Avenue, La Mirada, CA 90639
Playwright and Arts Connection Microgrant recipient Joshua Labata is set to debut his latest work, They’re Getting Married Again!, a fast-paced comedy full of mayhem, mishaps, and heart. The play unfolds just ninety minutes before the wedding march, as maid of honor and master planner Evelyn Adler scrambles to keep things on track despite a missing priest, propaganda puppets, an unconscious groom, and a meddling mother. What begins as a simple ceremony spirals into a laugh-out-loud journey through friendship, chaos, and second chances. The production runs November 20–23 at Biola Theatre, supported through Arts Connection’s Microgrant Program.
The Art’s Connection Microgrant Program provides direct funding for artists to develop community-driven projects that celebrate culture, spark connection, and inspire creative innovation across San Bernardino County.
Estudio Aire - 468 W. 5th St., San Bernardino, CA 92401
Estudio Aire invites the community to gather for a Kamayan Dinner — a traditional Filipino feast served on banana leaves — celebrating connection, storytelling, and shared creativity. Families who participated in the Happenings and community members alike are welcome to enjoy this communal meal, followed by an open sharing circle reflecting on the past, present, and future of diverse family structures. Participants will have the chance to showcase artwork and insights from their experiences, and the evening will feature a special creative update on the new play Danum, including its first draft and shadow puppet designs. The night concludes in solidarity with the powerful unity clap, “Isang Bagsak.”
Part of Estudio Aire Happenings, this artist-led gathering fosters belonging and creativity through Arts Connection’s artist-in-residence program.
Arts Connection and the San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools invite all high schools to join this year’s Poetry Out Loud competition, supported by the California Arts Council. The program celebrates the power of poetry and performance, giving students a chance to find their voice and represent their school on a larger stage. Last year, San Bernardino County’s own Toochi H. Samsylvanus placed 2nd at the State Finals—a reminder of the creativity and heart our students bring to this program.
An information session will be held soon to guide teachers and coordinators through organizing their school competitions. We hope you’ll join us in continuing this tradition of expression and storytelling across the county.
With Arts Connection - The Art Council of San Bernardino County
We're dedicated to fostering a vibrant creative community, supporting arts education, and advocating for cultural equity across our region. Join us in shaping a county where everyone has access to inspiring cultural experiences. Subscribe to our newsletters and stay connected!
