More than $2.6 Million Invested to Bring Art into California’s Parks
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California State Parks, California Arts Council and Parks California continue partnership to bring creativity and community connection to local parks
One of the 2024-25 grantees include Project BANDALOOP in Oakland that connects the human spirit, nature and communities through dance using climbing technology to challenge what is possible. Photo from Parks California.
SACRAMENTO — California State Parks, the California Arts Council and Parks California today announced more than $2.6 million in community grants to organizations statewide as part of their Arts in California Parks partnership. These funds will enable local nonprofit, community and tribal organizations to bring music, dance, storytelling, visual art and cultural programs into parks, transforming them into vibrant spaces that foster creativity, honor cultural heritage and strengthen community connections.
Managed by Parks California, Arts in California Parks is a four-year, $8 million State Parks grants initiative launched in 2024 to support artists, culture bearers, California Native American tribes and local groups in creating art and cultural experiences in outdoor spaces. By expanding access to the arts in nature, the program helps parks remain welcoming, inspiring and inclusive for all Californians. This is the second round of grants awarded as part of the program.
“Art brings people closer to the meaning of their parks — not only as places of natural beauty, but as spaces for reflection, healing and shared experience,” said Armando Quintero, California State Parks Director. “When creativity meets open space, it deepens understanding of one another and reminds us that parks are for everyone. Through initiatives like Arts in California Parks, we’re celebrating the connection between art, nature and community that defines our state.”
This year, 30 organizations across California were awarded grants ranging from $28,000 to $150,000 from a pool of more than 200 applicants. Projects reflect the diversity of California’s people and landscapes. From large-scale performances to culturally focused installations, each initiative provides opportunities for residents and visitors alike to engage with the arts while deepening their connection to nature and local history.
“At Parks California, we believe that access isn’t just about getting to a park — it’s about feeling a sense of belonging once you’re there,” said Kindley Walsh Lawlor, CEO and president, Parks California. “Arts in California Parks helps make that possible by connecting people, stories and cultures to the landscapes that define our sense of place. These projects reflect our shared vision of public lands as places where creativity thrives, communities gather and every Californian can see themselves represented.”
From murals that celebrate cultural heritage to circus performances in city parks, this new round of grants showcases how creativity and community come together across California. A few of the projects underway include:
In Lake County, EcoArts of Lake County will lead Rooted in Place, a public art initiative activating four county-managed parks with youth-designed murals and a community-built sculpture at Middletown Trailside Park. In collaboration with local tribes, the project honors Indigenous history and resilience following the 2015 Valley Fire.
In Oakland, Trybe, Inc. will launch Roots & Rhythms at Clinton Square Park, year-round art and nature programming for youth and families. Activities range from a cultural heritage mural and youth-led garden to summer camps, multicultural art classes and community showcases that celebrate creativity, sustainability and belonging.
In Merced, the City of Merced will transform General Vang Pao Park into a vibrant space honoring the region’s Hmong community through a memorial plaza, statue and mural. The project blends art, recreation and cultural heritage while creating new outdoor amenities for residents in an underserved area.
Angels Gate Cultural Center in San Pedro will host Sustainers of Life, a contemporary art exhibition featuring new works by Indigenous women artists. Presented alongside the Many Winters Gathering of Elders, the exhibition and public programs will highlight Native women’s leadership and connection to the land through workshops, films and field trips for local students.
In Cathedral City, Hope Rising: Esperanza Park Cultural Celebration will transform a new park in the historically underserved Dream Homes neighborhood, uniting residents through a series of mural-making events, music and family art activities celebrating Hispanic and tribal heritage — turning Esperanza (“hope”) Park into a vibrant symbol of belonging and resilience in the Coachella Valley.
In San Diego, Fern Street Circus will launch its Neighborhood Tour 2025, bringing 16 free circus performances and parades to parks in underserved neighborhoods. The tour blends circus arts, puppetry and community storytelling to spark joy and connection while making high quality arts experiences accessible to all.
“Sustainers of Life honors Indigenous women by sharing multidimensional stories woven within broader historical contexts, creating space for both mourning and celebrating the ongoing resilience of those who nurture and protect life, and sustain our connection to the land,” said Cecelia Caro, director of exhibitions at Angels Gate Cultural Center. “Arts in California Parks makes it possible for us to share these powerful voices in a setting where the community can reflect, learn and grow together.”
To learn more about funded projects and upcoming events, visit ArtsInCaliforniaParks.org.
About Arts in California Parks
Arts in California Parks aligns with statewide initiatives including Governor Gavin Newsom’s Outdoor Access for All, the California Natural Resources Agency’s Outdoors for All and California State Parks’ Reexamining Our Past Initiative. The program supports artists, culture bearers, California Native American tribes and communities in creating art, installations and cultural programming in state and local parks as catalysts for sustainable community connection, health and well-being. Initiated by a one-time general fund allocation that extends through 2027, the program is a partnership between California State Parks, the California Arts Council and Parks California.
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California State Parks provides for the health, inspiration and education of the people of California by helping to preserve the state’s extraordinary biological diversity, protecting its most valued natural and cultural resources, and creating opportunities for high quality outdoor recreation.