2025 is coming to a close, and this has been a year of continued growth and connection for the CAC! With focus set on our strategic plan, our team has been making efforts in the areas of Engagement, Collaboration, and Stewardship. I’d love to share a few of our success stories with you!

Engagement efforts took us out to meet constituents as we participated in a number of community events and festivals. Our team has developed some terrific portable art projects that are easy to travel, providing a variety of creative activities that encourage everyone to participate and connect with the CAC when we go out “on the road.”

In March, the second in a series of international concerts funded by the Ralph Shabazian Trust brought Qiensave!, a band from Salinas, to the McVey Loft to perform their unique Cumbia music. The International Music Fund is an endowment aimed at engaging a broader audience and creating more community connections through music from around the world.

Also linked to outreach and collaboration are renewed grants from the Boyett Make Dreams Real Fund, which aims to increase Discover Art field trip participation from low-income and rural schools, and from our regional chapter of Omega Nu with funding for the Wellness Art Club. We also received sponsorships from Turlock Dental Care and Off Center Thrift and Gift, both of which support free monthly programs for families: Family Friday and Saturday Studio. By reducing or eliminating costs for participation, we know that we can reach so many more individuals of all ages with enriching creative experiences.

In the same vein, we continue to participate in the national Museums for All program, providing free admission to individuals and families receiving food assistance (SNAP benefits). The CAC is also part of the Stanislaus County Library’s Discover & Go program; with a Stanislaus County Library card, residents can reserve free and discounted passes to local museums and cultural attractions. Along with our regular free admission for all on the first Friday of each month, we are proud to offer a wide variety of options for everyone to be able to visit and get creative with us!

The spring Valley Focus exhibition was first ever showing of emerging artists. 12 young artists —all under the age of 35—were selected to display their works. With painters, sculptors, printmakers, and photographers we saw a wide variety of unique expression, and it was a glimpse of what we can expect will be shaping the region’s art scene in the coming years.

The summer brought us the annual Ready, Set, Show! Youth Art Exhibition which included more than 200 designs created for our annual Downtown Banner contests as well as submissions from regional students in grades K-12. The Carnegie Art Showcase, our annual juried competition, received a record number of entries, resulting in an exhibition that was a feast for the eyes! With over 90 works by artists from throughout our regional communities and across the state, there was something for everyone to enjoy.

In September we opened an important and timely exhibition, FACING THE GIANT: 3 DECADES OF DISSENT featuring unique screenprints by internationally recognized artist Shepard Fairey. With themes relevant to our times, Fairey’s works were discussed with enthusiasm on tours with groups of high school and college students. His popular global brand drew audiences from Fresno and the Bay Area. In addition, five exhibitions graced our Lobby Gallery this year, giving us the opportunity to feature even more of our regional talent in shows that included: Paperwork, Farms and Fields, Yosemite Renaissance 40, Painting and Poetry: Works by Jennifer Fosgate, and Coming Together: Art and the Written Word. This last show included works created by participants in the CAC’s monthly Wellness Art Club.

This year we moved forward on our commitment to fiscal stewardship with the addition of an amazing new member to our team: Leah Silvestre Franklin joined as our first Director of Development. Leah’s professional background in non-profits and her love of the arts bring energy and fresh ideas to our fundraising efforts. Sponsorship programs and funding appeals were successful, and — with the help of some amazing volunteers — a Spring Garden Party event exceeded our goals and introduced the CAC to some new audiences.

In addition, we were awarded an important grant aimed at stewardship of our beautiful facility. Generous funding from the Antone E. and Marie F. Raymus Foundation will allow us to upgrade the audio-visual systems in our community meeting and event rooms. All the tech in the Gemperle Gallery and the McVey Loft will be modernized. This will improve our ability to present educational programs, and it will enhance the experience of our many community groups, businesses, and residents who rent these rooms for their events.

Our community gives so much to us through their support and participation, and we want to thank everyone for sharing all the fun and discovery that the arts can bring!

We look forward to seeing you all at the CAC in 2026!

 

Lisa McDermott, Executive Director