The Arts and Culture Commission offers Art Passages to showcase the rich diversity of artists, and arts and culture organizations, individuals and groups in Contra Costa County. Art Passages, a rotating visual art exhibit, is held in the lobby of the County's main administration building and Board of Supervisors chamber at 651 Pine Street, Martinez.
Shows have included work from NIAD (National Institute of Art and Disabilities), in Richmond (District 1); The Lamorinda Arts Alliance and Scene on the Strait artists (District 2); the Brentwood Arts Commission (District 3); the California Watercolor Association and the Gallery Concord, in Walnut Creek and Concord (District 4); the Pittsburg Arts Collaborative (District 5), and many others.
See Me for Who I Am
The Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors, the Mental Health Commission and Behavioral Health Services, Office for Consumer Empowerment, invite you to participate in reducing stigma and discrimination in our communities by learning more about our PhotoVoice Empowerment project
Commemorative Celebration
Working with more than 40 adult artists with disabilities, NIAD Art Center has a very active fiber department that crafts wall-hangings, quilts, clothing, soft sculptures and more.
Located in Richmond for more than 30 years, NIAD Art Center is a progressive studio program that assists artists with developmental or physical disabilities in creating art. The Art Center fosters creative expression, independence, dignity and community integration. Their artists’ has been shown in contemporary art galleries, museums and public buildings in the Bay Area and around the world.
September 8, 2016
A special exhibit from collector Kent Wood, of Blue Moon Poster and Collectibles, in Concord.
The poster artist, Morris, created psychedelic rock posters for East Bay venues in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s.
Included in this show are poster prints from many memorable rock events held at UC Berkeley, UC Davis and many held in Contra Costa County from 1967-1974; including the Rheem Theater in Orinda, Contra Costa County Fairgrounds in Antioch and the Concord Armory – where Fleetwood Mac, Tower of Power and Jerry Garcia once took the stage. Part of this historic archive is the Folk-Rock Festival poster, which is included in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Traveling Tour.
Morris is bringing the 60’s and 70’s back through a special-edition Contra Costa County Rock History boxed set. “What’s really fun about the renaissance of my work is I’m able to go back into broken-up, torn, shredded, even smoke-stained prints, and we have hi-res scans that I can spend time – sometimes hours – touching up, correcting them and making them perfect,” say Morris.
For the past year, the Arts and Culture Commission of Contra Costa County and the County Veterans Service Office has sponsored a program for veterans to paint self-portraits. Called ABOUTFACE, the program helped veterans gain confidence and enhance their creativity. As you view these self-portraits our hope is that you will become aware of each veteran’s unique story. The paintings were done by veterans living in Contra Costa County during a series of workshops offered in late 2015 and early 2016.
Special thanks for the support of the California Arts Council and the California Watercolor Association. We are pleased to include in this exhibit several watercolors done by veterans as part of the California Watercolor Association Outreach Program.
ABOUTFACE workshops were based on the belief that individuals have the capacity to heal themselves and improve their ability to function in civilian life. The workshops require self-reflection from the participating veteran. During the workshops veterans learned acrylic painting techniques that allowed them to express their feelings by visualizing, painting on large canvases and telling their stories. We hope you gain a deeper insight into the unique stories of these veterans as you experience this show.
January 2016
The Art of Living Black was founded 20 years ago by the late sculptor Jan Hart-Schuyers and late painter Rae Louise Hayward after their realization that black artists were not being represented by galleries in any significant way.
This year’s exhibitions will showcase a broad range of works by more than 60 artists from throughout the Bay Area.The Art of Living Black features 60 artists, and continues a long term partnership, with the Richmond Art Center, to bring a richness and diversity of creative expression to the Bay Area. We are pleased that the Art & Culture Commission of Contra Costa County, has elected to include our organization among its partnerships.
The photographs covered a 12 month experience in Vietnam shared by 500,000 American soldiers from June 1968 to June 1969. These images had been selected from more than 4,000 photos taken by Steven Burchik, an infantryman, while serving as a sergeant with the 1st Infantry Division.
This exhibit provided the backdrop for a special ceremony Tuesday, November 10th, when the County Board of Supervisors hosted their annual Veterans Day Ceremony in the board chambers. This year’s ceremony paid special tribute to Vietnam veterans since 2015, marks the 50th anniversary of the official start of the Vietnam War, when US ground troops were sent to the conflict. It also marks the 40th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War.
June 2015