{"id":311982,"date":"2026-05-12T13:47:10","date_gmt":"2026-05-12T13:47:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/311982\/"},"modified":"2026-05-12T13:47:10","modified_gmt":"2026-05-12T13:47:10","slug":"sacramento-art-spaces-are-embracing-the-power-of-the-little-treat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/311982\/","title":{"rendered":"Sacramento Art Spaces Are Embracing the Power of the ‘Little Treat’"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/a><\/p>\n

This story is part of our May 2026 issue. To read the print version, click here.<\/a><\/p>\n


\n
\n <\/p>\n

\n Participating in art, whether that means doodling on a notepad
\n while you\u2019re stuck in a boring meeting or watching a Broadway
\n performance, has always been a huge piece of the human
\n experience. The music we listen to, the films we watch, the books
\n we read and the murals we walk past all help you see the world in
\n new ways.\n<\/p>\n

\n But in today\u2019s world, it can sometimes feel like if you\u2019re not
\n \u201cgood\u201d at something, it\u2019s not worth doing. Taking a painting
\n class or a dance class might be stressful instead of fun if
\n you\u2019re putting pressure on yourself to excel rather than merely
\n enjoying the experience.\n<\/p>\n

\n Enter the magic of the \u201clittle treat.\u201d As it turns out, having a
\n snack or drink by your side while you create can make art feel
\n more approachable and less intimidating. It harkens back to the
\n days of crayon-coloring with a cup of Goldfish at the ready,
\n doing art for the sake of enjoyment rather than accomplishment.
\n Several Sacramento businesses have recognized this, and in an
\n effort to encourage people to connect with art, have integrated
\n the principle of the little treat into their offerings.\n<\/p>\n

\n The four spots below are places where you can participate in art
\n or watch art being made \u2014 along with a treat. For some places,
\n that\u2019s coffee. For others, it\u2019s charcuterie. Each spot is seeking
\n to make art exciting, engaging and something that everyone, no
\n matter their age or skill level, can join.\n<\/p>\n

Brew Bird Coffee + Creative<\/p>\n

\n Located at the site of the old Vic\u2019s Cafe, Brew Bird Coffee +
\n Creative opened at the beginning of 2026 and is already packed
\n with customers every weekend, drinks and pastries in hand. The
\n location serves as a specialty coffee shop where customers can
\n also paint their own pottery. General manager Rebecca Eatough
\n says the idea came about when she and one of the current owners,
\n Samantha Grifone, were at the paint-your-own pottery studio Color
\n Me Mine and thought, \u201cWouldn\u2019t it be fun if we could have a glass
\n of wine or a cup of coffee right now?\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n In addition to their regular menu (which includes
\n coffee, matcha, beer, wine, pastries, bagels, popcorn and more),
\n there\u2019s also an art menu, where you can purchase a pre-fired mug,
\n vase, plate or bowl to paint while you snack and sip. All the
\n supplies are provided, and once you\u2019re done, the shop will put
\n your piece in the kiln and have it ready for pickup in about two
\n weeks. In general, Eatough says, the age demographic tends to be
\n in the 18-40 range, creating a somewhat calmer environment than a
\n pottery painting location geared towards children \u2014 but all ages
\n are welcome to join, and the revamped Vic\u2019s Ice Cream shop right
\n next door is certainly an added bonus for anyone looking for a
\n weekend or after-school outing with their creative kid.\n<\/p>\n

\n \u201cAll experience levels are welcome,\u201d Eatough says. \u201cIf you\u2019re a
\n beginner, our studio assistant will walk you through it and
\n answer any questions. Plus, a glass of wine can loosen you up and
\n make you feel ready to paint!\u201d\n<\/p>\n

Sacramento Ballet<\/p>\n

\n While the Sacramento Ballet hosts performances all throughout the
\n city, including at The Sofia and the SAFE Credit Union Performing
\n Arts Center, the production company\u2019s world-class dancers train
\n every day at their Midtown studio in the CLARA. Conveniently,
\n another business also resides inside the twisting hallways of the
\n brick building: Seasons Coffee. The colorful shop is a hidden
\n gem, offering fun seasonal drinks and tasty pastries just steps
\n away from the company\u2019s rehearsal space.\n<\/p>\n

\n You could, of course, visit the coffee shop without stopping by
\n the studio portion of the building, but it\u2019s the perfect place to
\n fuel up before or after taking one of the ballet school\u2019s many
\n classes that are available to the public, from adult ballet for
\n absolute beginners to intermediate and advanced classes \u2014 and
\n even a series of strength and fall-prevention classes for older
\n adults.\n<\/p>\n

\n \"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\n Members of Sacramento Ballet\u2019s Second Company practice for an
\n audience of Coffee & Class attendees. (Photo by Jennifer
\n Fergesen)\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\n Sacramento Ballet also has plenty of opportunities to enjoy a
\n treat while watching the professionals perform. One of these is
\n their Coffee and Class program, which allows patrons to sit in on
\n a professional class with a coffee from Seasons in hand for just
\n $10.\n<\/p>\n

\n \u201cWe\u2019re here in the middle of the day, and these incredible people
\n from all over the world are dancing \u2014 it\u2019s always happening!\u201d
\n says marketing director Colby Damon. \u201cSo we conceived of Coffee
\n and Class as a way to break the barrier between the process of
\n ballet in an approachable way and get more people in the
\n building.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n If coffee isn\u2019t your thing, you can also test the waters of
\n enjoying classical art by attending the company\u2019s annual Beer and
\n Ballet performance, taking place this year May 28-31. Your ticket
\n to the show will get you access to more than 15 original pieces,
\n all of which are choreographed by the dancers themselves, and
\n you\u2019ll also receive a complimentary beer (or nonalcoholic
\n beverage) from Sacramento-based brewery Bike Dog.\n<\/p>\n

\n Beer and Ballet helps to \u201cbreak down preconceived notions of what
\n you think it\u2019s like to be at a ballet,\u201d Damon says.\n<\/p>\n

Topstitch Production<\/p>\n

\n If you\u2019ve ever been frustrated by your inability to mend a hole
\n in your favorite pair of jeans or had a vision you weren\u2019t quite
\n able to execute for upcycling a cute-but-ill-fitting skirt from
\n the thrift store, Topstitch is here to help. The studio, a
\n Sacramento-based production house and sewing studio with a focus
\n on community education, regularly hosts classes at their Midtown
\n location to teach the public how to sew.\n<\/p>\n

\n Their basic introductory class, Sip and Sew, takes place
\n three times a month. Over the course of four hours, it guides
\n beginning sewers through several stitch types and hem styles, as
\n well as the basics of setting up a sewing machine, cutting out a
\n pattern and sewing a handmade tote bag. And you won\u2019t be going
\n hungry during those four hours (which co-founder Mallory Maupin
\n says tend to fly by) \u2014 a complimentary charcuterie spread and
\n various types of wine and nonalcoholic beverages are provided for
\n attendees to snack on while they sew. If you already know the
\n basics of sewing, their intermediate Bubbles and Buckets class is
\n a great way to continue your textiles education while stitching a
\n bucket hat (and sipping bottomless champagne).\n<\/p>\n

\n \u201cIt\u2019s such a lost art, and it\u2019s not taught in schools,\u201d Maupin
\n says. \u201cWe want to help people become more self-sufficient and
\n help them learn to upcycle and mend without having to consume all
\n the time.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

Atrium 916 Art Cafe<\/p>\n

\n Atrium 916 is a nonprofit focused on hosting events and
\n experiences and launching projects centered around connection,
\n creativity and sustainability. One of the ways this mission
\n manifests is with their Art Cafe, a covered patio space at their
\n Old Sacramento Waterfront location, stocked with art supplies and
\n open Thur.-Sun. from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The location has tiles,
\n reusable canvas tote bags and pencil pouches available to
\n purchase and decorate, as well as air-dry clay for anyone wanting
\n to sculpt and paint a magnet.\n<\/p>\n

\n \"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\n Visitors to the Atrium 916 Art Cafe in Old Sacramento can enjoy
\n drinks and snacks while they paint, draw or try a variety of
\n crafts. (Photo by Katy Karns)\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\n Although there isn\u2019t food for sale, the cafe offers locally
\n brewed kombucha to sip on while community members paint, as well
\n as hot tea on cold days (and sometimes free wine). There\u2019s no
\n time limit, encouraging burgeoning artists to slow down and enjoy
\n time with the people around them. Walk-ins are welcome, as are
\n beginners.\n<\/p>\n

\n \u201cWe serve art, not food, with heaping sides of kindness,\u201d gallery
\n director Laurel Marana says.\n<\/p>\n

\n \u2013\n<\/p>\n

\n Stay up to date on business in the Capital Region:
\n Subscribe to the Comstock\u2019s newsletter
\n today.<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"This story is part of our May 2026 issue. To read the print version, click here. …\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":311983,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[32],"tags":[121,123,122],"class_list":["post-311982","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-sacramento","tag-sacramento","tag-sacramento-headlines","tag-sacramento-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/311982","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=311982"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/311982\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/311983"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=311982"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=311982"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=311982"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}