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6 SUMMER | 2016
Your Summer of Art
by Elizabeth Ivanovich
AROUND THE COUNTY
Since art ourishes everywhere you go in Santa Cruz County, it's appropriate that two beloved events spread through the
entire area. For three whirlwind weekends in October, curious patrons can follow self-guided tours of professional artists' studios as part of Open Studios. The competitive process means that the artists vary from year to year, but the end result is always an exhaustive showcase of ne art and craft. The rst two weekends of October are split between North and South County (each going rst on alternate years). The third weekend is devoted to a county wide encore. Contact the Cultural Council of Santa Cruz County, ccscc.org, (831) 475-9600.
If you can't wait for October,
the First Friday Art Tour will
sate your artistic wanderlust on
a monthly basis, year-round. Sponsored by the Santa Cruz Institute of Contemporary Arts
in a partnership with local arts venues, it allows you to explore artistic spaces around the county on the rst Friday of each month. Traditional museums and galleries abound, but there is plenty of art to be found at participating shops and restaurants as well. Be sure to grab a copy of the monthly First Friday brochure for full details on that month's offerings. For more information, check out www. rstfridaysantacruz.com.
Santa Cruz County residents have always known that they lived in an artist's paradise. IAn article in Atlantic Magazine con rmed this impression a few years ago, surprising the rest of the country. Using methodology dubbed “the location quotient,” The Atlantic determined that the Santa Cruz area boasts nearly two and a half times the national average number of artists per capita. This placed
our locale fth on its top ten list, bested only by Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, and Santa Fe, New Mexico. The aesthetic bounty sometimes overwhelms newcomers to the local scene. Never fear. Here is your primer to the art world of Santa Cruz County and its neighboring cities.
ILLUSTRATION: TOM TRUJILLO
summersantacruz.com
