Nevada County Art, Culture & Media Digest

A combination of tax credits, revenue sharing and coupons could bring stability, writes Steven Waldman, president of Rebuild Local News.

Pasadena is the only California city named a travel destination for 2024 by The New York Times. This comes despite the Los Angeles-area city being just the 45th-largest city in the state.

Philadelphia-based Audacy, which has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy with $1.9 billion in debts, owns six radio stations in the Bay Area. These include 95.7 The Game, KCBS and 102.1 Jams.

Board member Steve Mendoza looks back at 2023, and the challenges faced by InConcert Sierra after its purchase of a 42,000-square-foot building to create the Crown Point Events Complex.

Under new state laws, five cities will test cameras to catch speeding drivers and cruising bans will be lifted statewide. The first is supposed to improve road safety, but critics of the second say it will endanger the public.

State audits of the University of California and the California State University found both systems have failed to comply with decades-old state and federal laws mandating the return of Native ancestral remains and cultural artifacts. Only UCLA and Cal State Long Beach have returned a majority of their collections.

As of Dec. 8, Grass Valley’s Del Oro Theatre and Sutton Cinemas will be under new ownership. New owner Brian Young will take over operations immediately.

Grass Valley-based songwriter Aaron Ross will debut his first book, “Famous Last Words,” featuring the song lyrics from 10 albums released between 2003 and 2023.

The 22nd annual festival takes place in-person Feb. 15-19.

With its hilly terrain, parts of Los Angeles aren’t always the easiest to build in. But that didn’t stop an architect from building a unique structure in Silver Lake.

An exhibition by Nevada City photographer Janice Rosner titled “Chill and Thrill: Wildlife and Landscapes in Winter’s Grasp” opens Dec. 4 at the Edward Jones gallery. The opening reception will be on Dec. 7.

Nevada City community radio station KVMR 89.5 FM will honor Steve Baker, its longtime program director (1998-2020), with a “Roast & Toast” party on Nov. 9.

The San Diego Union-Tribune, which has operated for 154 years, sold to controversial Alden Global Capital last year. It’s not looking great for the paper’s future.

Robert Irwin, an artist and MacArthur genius grant recipient, died in San Diego at 95 on Oct. 25. Michael Govan, who heads the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, offers a colorful retrospective on Irwin's work.

Through this new program, artists, culture bearers, and California Native American tribes will be eligible to receive funding to create artwork throughout state and local parks.

The Nevada City Rancheria, in partnership with Sierra College NCC, will celebrate Nisenan Heritage Day on Nov. 4.

Written by Center for Biological Diversity scientist Tiffany Yap and illustrated by artist Meital Smith, “Tales of the Urban Wild: A Puma’s Journey” takes the reader through diverse habitats, across busy freeways and inside science labs to learn about one mountain lion’s survival story.

The Nevada County Arts Council, in partnership with Nevada County, has launched a program called Art in Public Places. Community Asian Theatre of the Sierra will create an exhibit that will require many, many origami cranes.

A major new addition at UC Davis is unveiled to the public. 

Grass Valley Courtyard Suites presents “Ronnie Hart: Just a Little Strange Art Show,” featuring unique artwork by Ronnie Hart. The purchase price from all art sales will benefit Interfaith Food Ministry, a local non-profit serving families in Western Nevada County.

Music in the Mountains (MIM) executive director Jenny Darlington-Person was elected to a three-year position on the board of directors of The Association of California Symphony Orchestras, where she will continue to advocate for small-budget, rural arts organizations while taking advantage of opportunities to connect with artists and leaders throughout the state.

In a groundbreaking fusion of art and music, visual artist Emily Ward Bivens and musician Josh D. Reed have joined forces in their new exhibit, "Human, Robot, Human."

Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival and Great Lakes Theater have announced the appointment of Richard M. Parison, Jr. as the new executive director.

County arts agencies across California’s Upstate Region, led by Nevada County Arts Council, announced $3.38 million in grant awards to 27 partner agencies and 54 lead creative partners, with a total of 1,010 artists and culture bearers supporting initiatives serving California’s least represented peoples, and most vulnerable communities and environments.

With only $26 million in local assistance grants for close to 40 million people, California is 24th in the nation in per capita spending.

Art Truckee was founded in 2016 and is celebrating its move to its newest location on Donner Pass Road ahead of the summer season.

Film submissions for the 2024 Wild & Scenic Film Festival are now being accepted in three categories: Environmental, Adventure and Student Film. The early-bird deadline is July 16.

The 23rd annual Nevada City Film Festival kicks off June 23-25 with an slate of independent, international short and feature-length films, and talks and workshops with visiting filmmakers, all happening in downtown Nevada City.

When Chilean artist Paula Madariaga Decebal-Cuza first visited Nevada City in 2010, the first place she ate at was Broad Street Bistro. On April 29, she celebrated the grand opening of her gallery and cafe at the same location.

The Artist Lofts Gallery announced a new showcase event, “The Debut,” which brings together individuals from diverse backgrounds, ages, and experiences, representing a wide range of artistic talents and genres.

The state of California is making an unprecedented investment in the arts. The “California Creative Corps” program will award $60 million statewide to implement media, outreach, and engagement campaigns.

“Blackbird,” released Feb. 28, will be available in local bookstores and online. Carson’s column, “Joyful Aging,” appears monthly, and readers may also know her as the leader of the 2004 Nevada County Meltdown.