Orange County, California is renowned for its vibrant art scene, offering a plethora of events for art aficionados to explore and enjoy. From the Laguna Art Fair to the Artists Village open house, there are plenty of opportunities to experience the best of the local art world. But what are some of the specific themes and focuses that these events have? Expansion, accessibility, digitization of collections and sustainability are all key focuses for art events in Orange County. Arts OC, a nonprofit arts council, is actively searching for a development director, while the OCMA has hired a national company to search for a chief curator.
Additionally, many of the Bowers' collections address specific curricular needs in schools in California and Orange County. In general, art institutions are choosing to digitize their collections and make them available to the public online. The University of California at Irvine is home to the California Institute and Museum of Art (IMCA), which is being built on or around campus. This museum will be based on two enormous and invaluable collections: Gerald E.
Bowers' collection and Howard Knohl's collection of 80,000 works of art. The Laguna Art Fair is another popular event that has been running for more than 55 years. It is located in Laguna Canyon and is one of Southern California's top summer fine art destinations. At Muzeo (formerly the Anaheim Museum), making exhibits and events accessible to the community remains a key objective. Downtown Santa Ana is filled with art on the first Saturday of every month, when the galleries, theaters, artists and performers of Artists Village organize a monthly open house for the public.
Additionally, new organizations such as Performing Arts at Soka University, the Yorba Linda Spotlight Theater Company, the Orange County Gay Men's Chorus, and Bixby Educational Events have joined this year's festival. The COVID-19 outbreak has had an impact on cultural work in the visual arts in Orange County. However, local museums and art institutions are still maintaining their ambitious plans for the future. Presented by Arts Orange County and the Orange County Department of Education, the annual festival aims to promote the importance of arts education with more than 50 interactive events that celebrate student achievement and invite families to participate.
