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. Nevada County Arts Council was the administering organization for the Upstate region. Sierra County Arts Council was the local administering organization that oversaw three projects that were awarded to serve our communities. This program was a jobs creation program that employed artists across the Northern California region.
“The Headwaters Stained-Glass Window” project was created by the artist Marjorie Voorhees, of the Walker River Paiute out of Schurz, NV who was born in Loyalton and grew up here Sattley, on the west end of the Sierra Valley. Her project celebrates the landscape and wildlife of the Sierra Valley in an original stained-glass window installation at the Old School House in Loyalton, the new cultural center of Musica Sierra. Installation celebration event will be held Saturday May 25 from 3-5pm in Loyalton. Information for the event at www.musicasierra.org
“Sierra Buttes and Lakes Basin: Protecting the Sierra one Place at a Time” is a project of the Sierra County Land Trust who partnered with 13 local artists and writers to create a book of writings, photography, history and art celebrating our beautiful Sierra Buttes and Lakes Basin. Book Release and Art Exhibition to be held on Sun. June 9 at 1pm at the North Yuba River Hall in Downieville and continuing until June 16 from 1-3pm. Information at www.sierracountyartscouncil.org
“Climate Country Radio” a multi-county project by Northern Californian, country-folk troubadour Rita Hosking who has created set of short, fun “public service songs”. The theme is climate change, adaptation and mitigation. Keep an ear out to hear her music on your local radio stations including KVMR. Rita will also be performing with her husband Sean Feder at the North Yuba River Hall on Saturday, June 22 @ 4pm. Information at www.ritahosking.com and www.sierracountyartscouncil.org
The Arts Council was also pleased to present Corinne West’s original music project “Transformations in Song” performance at the North Yuba River Hall over Mother’s Day weekend. Corinne’s Upstate Creative Corps project was in partnership with Plumas Rural Services as a recovery response to the Dixie Fire and the impact showing how music can help with recover from trama. Information www.corinnewest.com
The Arts Council would like to offer a big thank you to the many organizations and artists that contributed to Sierra County Upstate Creative Corps program. The Upstate Creative Corps program is funded by the California Arts Council. Sierra County Arts Council is State-Local Partner with the California Arts Council. Information on all the projects at www.sierracountyartscouncil.org and www.upstatecreativecorps.org
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
Marjorie and her beautiful Headwaters Stained Glass work of art, honoring the landscape and wildlife of the Sierra Valley, Headwaters of the Feather Rive Watershed that provides water for all of California.
The Headwaters Stained Glass Windows by Marjorie Voorhees Official Unveiling was held on Sat. May 25 from 3-4 The Old School House and new Music Sierra Cultural Center in Loyalton.
Creative Corps Music project event
What: Corinne West - Transformations in Song
When: Sat. May 11 @ 7pm
Where: The North Yuba River Hall, Downieville
Tickets: Free $10 Suggested donation
With support from Upstate California Creative Corps, Corinne West has composed and produced an original 5-song project, culminating in five free community-based concerts. Each song will address issues specific to the county and related to the needs of the community ranging from wildfire displacement and climate mitigation, watershed health and resource management, to social justice and mental health. West’s focus to bring awareness to these issues and catalyzing personal empowerment through a song circle that promotes intergenerational and cross-cultural learning.
“This activity is funded in part by the California Arts Council, a state agency, through the Upstate California Creative Corps program, administered by Nevada County Arts Council.”
Soon you will be able to hear Upstate Creative Corps grantee, Rita Hoskings, on the Radio
RITA HOSKING RELEASES CLIMATE COUNTRY RADIO
Northern Californian, country-folk troubadour Rita Hosking will release a set of short, fun “public service songs” on March 27th, 2024. The collection is called Climate Country Radio, and the theme is climate change adaptation and mitigation. The six, twangy songs range in topic from bad air days to home insulation, and are designed to bring empowerment, hope and cheer in the face of an unsettling future. Hosking, known for her award-winning songwriting and performances, was awarded a grant for this project by the California Arts Council, a state agency, through the Upstate California Creative Corps program. Grantees were selected to be part of a media, outreach and engagement campaign to increase awareness of issues such as public health, energy conservation, climate mitigation, and emergency preparedness.
Musicians on the project include Hosking on guitar and voice, Sean Feder on dobro, banjo, guitar and voice, Mei Lin Heirendt on fiddle and voice, Joe Ybarra on pedal steel guitar, Brett Cole on bass, and David Clouse on drums. It was recorded in Grass Valley, CA by Tom Menig, and mixed and mastered by Oz Fritz in Nevada City, CA. Climate Country Radio will be available for free streaming and free download to everyone starting on March 27th, 2024, via Hosking’s website, www.ritahosking.com, and her Bandcamp page, at www.ritahosking.bandcamp.com . Youtube videos will follow throughout the spring.
However, a couple weeks before then, keep your ears peeled to hear it on the radio! In the face of climate change, fires, extreme weather and public health crises, the need for Californians to pull together as a community is great, especially in our most vulnerable regions. Hosking envisions Climate Country Radio as a possible tool to help create resilient communities with the joy and relief of music.
Check back here for links after the release date of March 27, 2024
Creative Corp grantee, Stained Glass Artist Marjorie Voorhees in her studio. Her Osprey stained glass project.
California Creative Corps Information
Important Links.
Please join our Creative Corps Conversation Café – here. Introduce yourself and share your ideas.
Sierra County Arts Council celebrates 2 grantees from Sierra County.
These Grantees will be working under the Upstate California Creative Corps program. Artist Marjorie Voohees and The Sierra County Land Trust are among 27 partner agencies, 54 lead creative partners, and a total of 1,010 artists and culture bearers supporting initiatives serving California’s least represented peoples, and most vulnerable communities and environments. Sierra County Arts Council and other Arts Councils across California’s Upstate Region, led by Nevada County Arts Council, announce $3.38 million in grant awards across Northern California.
Announcing Upstate California Creative Corps grantees follows over seven months of outreach, listening and support before and during the program’s application window. Says B.J. Jordan, Executive Director of Sierra County Arts Council: “The Creative Corps began with a Listening Tour that came to the Yuba Theatre in January 2023. Local artists and organizations met Eliza Tudor and Diana Arbex from Nevada County Arts Council, and were given the opportunity to understand, participate, and ask questions about the program modeled after the Works Progress Administration (WPA) that created so many legacy art projects in our state in the 1940’s. The Sierra County Arts Council was pleased to support our own Sierra County artists through the Creative Corps grant process.”
Projects funded in Sierra County
With support from Upstate California Creative Corps, local artist Marjorie Voorhees, of the Paiute Nation, will create the Headwaters Stained-Glass project. In the wake of the climate crisis, Sierra County watershed communities have been among the most affected communities within the lowest quartiles of the California HPI. This project will create an intergenerational public awareness installation that will boost civic pride while reflecting the environmental importance of watersheds that originate in our rural county and that are essential to the health of the entire State of California.
With support from the California Creative Corps, the Sierra County Land Trust will work with nine artists and writers long inspired by the Sierra Buttes and Lakes Basin to publish a book of photography, art and writings, together with a culminating exhibition along the themes of: 1.) How will preserving our high elevation forests and watersheds buffer climate change impacts in California?, and; 2.) How can we do our part locally by protecting the iconic Sierra Buttes and Lakes Basin of Sierra County?
Sierra County Arts Council would like to thank Musica Sierra, who helped to facilitate the Headwaters Stained Glass project that will install a beautiful stained-glass window in the Old White Church, part of the Milt Gottardi Museum complex in Loyalton, and soon to be the Musica Sierra performing arts facility. We would also like to thank everyone who participated in the grant process. Priority was given to local artists across the Upstate Region. The Arts Council did our best to steward those individuals and organizations who applied for the grants. We appreciate the hard work that went into every application regardless of the outcome. We also want to thank the volunteers who participated in the Grant Panel that helped to evaluate and choose our grantees.
Grantees are collectively part of a media, outreach, and engagement campaign designed to increase awareness for issues such as public health, water and energy conservation, climate mitigation, and emergency preparedness, relief and recovery. California Arts Council views the California Creative Corps program as a job creation and human infrastructure development opportunity. Region by region, the program is increasing the ways in which artists are engaged in public work. A complete list of grantees can be found at https://www.upstatecreativecorps.org/grantees.
Within the Upstate Region, Sierra County Arts Council is one of a network of agencies who serve as State-Local Partners with California Arts Council. While each serves distinct communities, State-Local Partner agencies are connected through a coalition who network, consult, and gain from peer learning and support. Upstate agency partners are Nevada County Arts Council, as administering organization for the California Creative Corps, Arts Council of Mendocino County, Arts Council of Placer County, Colusa County Arts Council, Del Norte Association for Cultural Awareness, Friends of the Arts in Butte, Humboldt Arts Council (and Ink People, working in partnership with Humboldt Arts Council), Lake County Arts Council, Lassen County Arts Council, Modoc County Arts Council, Nevada County Arts Council, Plumas County Arts Council, Shasta County Arts Council, Sierra County Arts Council, Siskiyou County Arts Council, Tehama County Arts Council, Trinity County Arts Council, and Yuba Sutter Arts & Culture.
BACKGROUND & VISION
The State has allocated $60 million to The California Creative Corps, a two-year workforce development program, through which artists, culture bearers and organizations might implement media, outreach, or engagement campaigns that increase awareness for one or more of these program goals:
Public health awareness messages, such as mitigating the spread of COVID-19
Public awareness of environment-related issues, such as water and energy conservation, climate mitigation, and emergency preparedness, relief, and recovery
Civic engagement, such as election participation
Social justice and community engagement
Local leaders recently met with Eliza Tudor, our Upstate Creative Corps Administrator, to brain storm and educate our selves to be ready to apply for grants to fund art projects in Sierra County. We had a productive meeting at The Yuba Theatre in Downieville.
Video of our Upstate Listening Tour with Eliza Tudor
The California Creative Corps is modeled after the WPS. Learn the fascinating history and legacy of the WPA in this on-line event video
The WPA & the California Creative Corps
The Upstate California Creative Corps is about to launch, offering artists - and organizations and local government departments hoping to employ artists - an opportunity to apply for funding to create awareness around issues critical to society. But where to start?!
The Creative Corps is in part modeled on the most successful components of the Federal Art Programs of the Works Progress Administration (WPA) which launched on the heels of the Great Depression a hundred-odd years ago.
Join us alongside David Kipen, former Chair of Literature at the National Endowment for the Arts and an authority on the WPA in California.
The 2021-22 State Budget included a $60 million one-time General Fund allocation for the California Arts Council to implement the California Creative Corps pilot program, a media, outreach, and engagement campaign designed to increase awareness related to issues such as public health, water and energy conservation, climate mitigation, and emergency preparedness, relief, and recovery.
Says, B.J. Jordan, Executive Director at the Sierra County Arts Council: “This is an incredible opportunity for our artists to work collaboratively with social service organizations, civic and business organizations, community groups, and local government to play a vital roll in addressing social and environmental concerns locally. We invite all community members to come together with artists to participate in this pro-active brainstorming session. We hope that through collaboration and cooperation between artists and the community we will arrive at new ideas and solutions to address issues affecting our rural communities.”
Eliza Tudor, Executive Director at Nevada County Arts Council, who will be joining the Sierra County Arts Council for its Listening Session, says: “Together, we will be introducing what the State sees as a new method of evaluating the relative health of communities. Using the California Healthy Places Index we are identifying issues that are specific to Sierra County, inviting input on solutions, and inviting artists to position themselves to create awareness around them.”
The California Creative Corps Upstate Listening Tour is taking place county by county from now until mid-December. The California Arts Council has selected fourteen organizations to administer the California Creative Corps across nine regions with a grant activity period that launched on October 1st. Nevada County Arts Council has been chosen to create a regranting program for Upstate California, putting to work $4,230,216 in workforce development funds for artists, as well as for arts and social service organizations who will employ artists between early 2023 and late 2024. Supporting local outreach with local knowledge, as well as technical assistance for artists, and program development and evaluation, are multiple county arts agencies serving what amounts to the largest, most diverse, geographic area in California, with more counties than any other Creative Corps region.
Tudor continues, “Within the Upstate Region we are one of a network of agencies who serve as State-Local Partners with California Arts Council. While we each serve distinct communities, we are connected through a coalition that works to benchmark, consult, and gain from peer learning and support, with equity at our core. In this sense, we do not work in isolation. In applying to be an administering organization for the Upstate Region, it makes perfect sense to place our State-Local Partnership, Nevada County Arts Council, in service to the largest and most diverse geographic area within California.”
California Arts Council sees the California Creative Corps program primarily as a job creation and human infrastructure development opportunity. The hope is that region by region, the program will increase the ways in which artists are engaged in public work, so that they can continue build upon intersectional public interest goals beyond the program’s pilot funding timeline.
Says B.J. Jordan: “We are thrilled to work with Nevada County Arts Council and Eliza Tudor as Administrating Organization for the California Creative Corps and look forward to discovering new ideas and possibilities to help us contribute to the creation of a better future for our rural communities.”
The California Creative Corps program follows an unprecedented period in which communities globally have suffered as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. During these years, creative sector professionals across the United States have been proposing ways to employ and deploy artists in programs similar to the Works Project Administration (WPA) and the Comprehensive Employment and Training Act (CETA). The launch of a statewide Creative Corps pilot program is the result of a recommendation from the Governor’s economic and jobs recovery task force, and is the first of its kind in the nation. Information at www.sierracountyartscouncil.org or call B.J. at 530-961-2188