San Benito County Art, Culture & Media Digest

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.

Venecia Prudencio, an artist known for her socially resonant works, will lend her talents to the department with the help of the San Benito County Arts Council and a grant from the Central Coast Creative Corps.

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.

Every school day, 10 Arts Council teaching artists are deployed to all TK-8 elementary school sites throughout the district.

Estrella Esparza-Johnson is the first Latina director of a main Western Stage production at Hartnell Community College, “The Thanksgiving Play,” which runs through Oct. 29.

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.

Haunt 13 is the brainchild of Eric Garthwait, a Hollister resident who is an application engineer by day and a haunted house creator during Halloween season.

“Indigenous Voices of California’s South Coast Range” is a project showcasing photography and short films of elders and culture-bearers from tribal nations, councils, and communities along California’s Southern Coast Range.

Adam Martinez has instructed youth music education in band, orchestra, choir, and K-5 general music.

The third in a series of Community Vision San Benito County meetings planned by BenitoLink covered recreation, tourism and arts. Attendees said more recreational activities would improve quality of life in the county and help residents feel more connected.

Full-time general assignment reporter Monserrat Solis is joining the BenitoLink team to help cover the subjects readers have said are most important to them: local government, education, health, transportation and housing.

San Benito County photographer and documentarian Kirti Bassendine unveils “Contemporary Indigenous Voices of California’s South Coast Range,” showcasing elders and culture-bearers from tribal nations, councils, and communities along California’s Southern Coast Range.

San Benito Stage Company presents “Footloose the Musical,” directed by Gilroy native and recent Christopher High graduate PJ Crocker.

Hollister’s eight-year general plan seeks to enhance the city’s already active arts and cultural scene, stating that people in the community have a “thirst for learning about and participating in the arts.”

BenitoLink’s co-editor and content manager joined more than 400 journalists, funders and civic innovators in Washington, D.C., for a two-day conference on June 8 hosted by the Institute for Nonprofit News.

Over the last few weeks, a veteran of the war in Afghanistan known only as “Ranger” has been single handedly fighting off members of a Colombian drug cartel. It is all part of making “Ranger,” a feature film that has been shot at various spots locally.

Summer Art Camp allows students to try different artistic styles, mediums and techniques in a condensed workshop format. Art Camps take place at the Art Depot, located in the historic train depot in Hollister.

Amid complaints that a granite sculpture in front of the county building resembles “male genitalia,” the San Benito County Board of Supervisors created an ad hoc committee to come up with a solution that may include removing the artworks completely or installing an informational plaque.

The Poppy Jasper International Film Festival has been entertaining audiences across San Benito and Santa Clara counties since 2003. This year, running April 12-19, the festival will show work by four local filmmakers: Alfredo Avila, Anita Reyes, David Butterfield and Eugenia Renteria Vargas.

Caltrans is engaging with the public on the sculptural concept to be installed at Hwy 25 and Meridian Street. Titled “Woven,” the geometric sculpture interlaces painted aluminum panels.

Five local breweries are joining in the production of variations of a Hazy IPA created to celebrate the 2023 Poppy Jasper International Film Festival. With base ingredients developed by Sean Fitzharris of San Juan Bautista’s Brewery 25 and Alex DeLeon of Hollister’s Mad Pursuit Brewing Company, each brewer will add their own touches.

The children of San Benito County will have a new opportunity to express their creativity as the Silicon Valley-based nonprofit Audacity Performing Arts Project opens its doors in Hollister.

The Hollister City Council held its first discussion on Dec. 19 concerning re-establishing the July motorcycle rally after residents voted overwhelmingly last month to continue holding the rally, while also voting against changing its date.

KSQD's current frequency contour stretches from Santa Cruz to Aptos. The expansion could reach audiences in Watsonville, Hollister, Prunedale, Monterey, Carmel, Salinas and beyond.

Gov. Gavin Newsom and First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom recently joined the California Museum in announcing the 15th class of inductees into the California Hall of Fame. They join 138 Californians previously inducted for embodying the state’s innovative spirit.

One possible feature will be a “silent disco” where attendees will wear headphones and the music will be streamed to them so the sounds won’t impact the areas surrounding Laguna Seca.

The 810 frequency on the AM radio dial, where, regional residents tuned in for the news of the day, has begun a new era: coverage of gambling on sports. Station owner Cumulus Media unveiled the new station on Oct. 10, with 810 AM now called “The Spread.”

Sacheen Littlefeather, the Native American actress who declined Marlon Brandon’s Oscar in 1973, has died. Littlefeather, who was Apache and Yaqui and born Nov. 14, 1946 in Salinas, died “peacefully at home” in Marin County.

At the Aug. 18 meeting of the Council of San Benito County Governments, directors listened to updates on Caltrans projects—one in Hollister and two in San Juan Bautista—that seek to beautify the towns through public art installations and upgraded scenery.

Since 2018, Library Technician Lead Rochelle Eagen has been reimagining how the Carl Martin Luck Memorial Library can serve the San Juan Bautista community of 2,089 people.

At home in San Juan Bautista, where he’s lived for the better part of his life, playwright Luis Valdez is working on his autobiography just after publishing the first book he’s written to describe the philosophy behind El Teatro Campesino.

The San Benito County Arts Council welcomes artists and arts organizations to apply for the Arts Express Grant Program. Application deadline is June 17.