It’s that time of year.
The river runs low.
The valley is blanketed in winter white.
The canyons grow dark as the sun sets behind the ridge.
It is a time of rest and reflection.
Membership in the Sierra County Arts Council is an investment in your community. A thriving arts community leads to economic and cultural prosperity for all. Please join us
What: The Murder Mystery at the Murder Mystery, a Sierra Turnpike Players Production
When: Fri. & Sat., Nov. 22 & 23 @7pm
Where: The Yuba Theatre, Downieville
What: The Downieville School Holiday Show and Baked Goods Auction
When: Sat. Dec. 7 @ 4pm
Where: The Yuba Theatre, Downieville
The Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour Returns
April 4, 5, & 6 2025
Tickets on sale Friday Feb. 28, 2025
The Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival is an international film competition and annual presentation of films and documentaries about mountain culture, sports, environment and adventure & exploration.
Come enjoy adventure and travel from a seat in the historic Yuba Theatre in Downieville, California in the scenic Sierra Nevada.
Sierra Buttes and Lakes Basin: Protecting the Sierra One Place at a Time
Now on Sale at the Sierra County Land Trust offices in Sierra City and locally at the Kentucky Mine Museum and The Yuba Gallery.
Enjoy art, photography and writings by Sierra County artists in celebration of the iconic Sierra Buttes and Lakes Basin region. A book created by the Sierra County Land Trust for the project "Preserving the Sierra Buttes and Lakes Basin in a Changing Environment". With funding support from the Upstate Creative Corps program from the California Arts Council. In partnership with Sierra County Arts Council and The Sierra County Historical Society.
Photo Image by Mary Davey for the book cover
Laurie Oberholtzer and Steve Carlton of the Sierra Carlton of the Sierra County Land Trust
The Sierra Buttes and Lakes Basin region is one of the most compelling visual features of the Sierra Nevada. The craggy, snow-covered Buttes form a dramatic alpine backdrop to the Basin's high elevation lakes. The Sierra County Land Trust’s(SCLT) mission is to protect and preserve this incredible landscape as a legacy for future generations. Partnering with the Sierra County Arts Council, The Sierra County Historical Society and local artists, the SCLT is creating a book of writings, photography, history and art celebrating our beautiful Sierra Buttes and Lakes Basin. The Upstate Creative Corps program, from the California Arts Council, is funding the book titled “The Sierra Buttes and Lakes Basin: Protecting the Sierra One Place at a Time”. The book will feature local artists, photographers, and writers including Katie O’Hara-Kelly, Darby Hayes, Mark Stevenson, Mary Davey, Paul Guffin, Hank Meals, Steve Carlton, John Wagner, B.J. Jordan, Sugie Barker, Marjorie Voorhees, and Margie Miller. North Yuba Naturalist, author, photographer and artist, Katie O’Hara-Kelly has done an incredible job laying out and editing the book which is planned to be released this spring. We are so grateful to have her experience and expertise to bring this book together. Laurie Obelholtzer of the SCLT has been instrumental in bringing this project to fruition with the hope that the book will help to fulfill the SCLT mission to preserve this incredible landscape. Learn more about the Sierra County Land Trust: https://www.sierracountylandtrust.org/.
Lead Artist Katie O’Hara-Kelly works on the book in her home studio
Meet the Artists
Photographer Mary Davey
Photographer Mark Stevenson
Artist Marjorie Miller
Stained Glass Artist Marjorie Voorhees
Writer Hank Meals
Watercolorist B.J. Jordan
Artist Sugie Barker
Photographer Tom Hunt’s Niece Rana Hunt
Poet Paul Guffin
Photographer Darby Hayes
Lead Artist and Multi-Media Artist Katie O’Hara-Kelly
Upstate Creative Corps art projects in Sierra County
County arts agencies across California’s Upstate Region, led by Nevada County Arts Council, announce $3.38 million in grant awards to 27 partner agencies and 54 lead creative partners, with a total of 1,010 artists and culture bearers supporting initiatives serving California’s least represented peoples, and most vulnerable communities and environments. Our projects:
“The Headwaters Stained-Glass Window”
“Sierra Buttes and Lakes Basin: Protecting the Sierra one Place at a Time”
“Climate Country Radio”
Sierra County Poetry Out Loud Champion announced!
North Yuba River Hall Classes
A Theatre Story is now up on Youtube
The World Premier of Riley Pearmund’s short film, A Theatre Story, was screened at The Yuba Theatre recently. The film was a wonderful reflection of our community and our beautiful theatre. Tim Jordan, Yuba Theatre Technician, has been pleased to mentor Riley Pearmund in the creation of his senior project, a short film about The Yuba Theatre. Riley has been helping and learning to provide technical support for plays and events at The Yuba Theatre for the past two years and we will miss him. We wish him well with all his future endeavors.
North Yuba River Hall
Downieville Dance Floor is installed!
We were pleased to raise more than $1,800 with the Gofundme campaign for the new Downieville Dance Floor. We expect to be having Kathy Fischer’s Downieville Dance Classes begin soon. We are also planning a bi-lingual family Music Together Class in partnership with Sierra First Five. Thank you to everyone who contributed. Thank you to the former Native Daughters of the Golden West who donated the building and also funding for our improvements. We think Bob’s Discount Carpet did a great job on the floor. We would also like to thank Grays Electric who upgraded our electrical including new light fixtures in the main hall and library. Thank you to Kim Hemstock who repaired the beautiful slate walkway and to Nigel Pearmund for fixing plumbing in the Downieville Library. We will be hosting dance, martial arts, and music classes and welcome everyone. Please contact the Arts Council if you are interested in having a cultural event or workshop at the North Yuba River Hall
The Sierra County Arts Council is pleased to announce that we have recently become the owners of the historic Native Daughter’s Hall at 318 Commercial Street in Downieville. We were excited to be host first event, the Mad Hatter Tea, this April with the help of former Native Daughter’s of the Golden West. We look forward to maintaining this beautiful building for local cultural events.
Pictured above: Earlene Folsom and Karen Galan pass the keys of the newly named North Yuba River Hall to Sierra County Board member Feather Ortiz and Executive Director B.J. Jordan.
Photo by Rudy Jackson
Arts Education
In collaboration with Sierra-Plumas Joint Unified School District and the Sierra Schools Foundation and Musica Sierra we are pleased to bring Art Education to Sierra County Schools.
Arts Education is always a priority for the Arts Council. This year we are supporting in-class instruction, field trips, assemblies and programs in Sierra County Schools. Our goal is to being arts education to every student in Sierra County.
Art & Music Sponsorship
Supporting civic and community organizations across Sierra County by sponsoring artists and musicians for events. Featured here is Oso Blue, recently sponsored at the Wine in the Woods event in support of the Sierra City Fire Auxillary.
We are expanding our program to support individual artists and musicians and their projects.
The Yuba Gallery features locally
made arts and crafts
We are open!
You may also call B.J Jordan at home at 530-862-1241 if you would like to arrange a time to meet and make a purchase.
208 Main St., Downieville, CA 95936
530-289-9822
The Mission of the Sierra County Arts Council is to bring together Community and Art
The Sierra County Arts Council is a member-supported 501 (c) (3) nonprofit public benefit corporation established in 1981 to promote, support and advocate for the arts throughout Sierra County, California. We are the designated partner in the State-Local Partnership program with the California Arts Council which provides major support for all that we do. A thriving arts community brings economic and cultural vitality to everyone.
