City's Annual Arts Fest Friday at City Hall

El Cerrito will host a free "Arts Month pARTy" at City Hall beginning at 5:30 p.m. Friday with local artists, music, face-painting, food and drink, and the official debut of the first of 12 abstract copper sculptures to be suspended on San Pablo Avenue streetlight poles.

The sculpture is part of what will be the city's most visible public art project and will feature a dozen copper sculptures that turn with the wind at various locations along San Pablo. The two Berkeley artists who won the $100,000 commission for the project, Saori Ide and Jonathan Russell, will be on hand at the "pARTy," according to a city announcement.

The event – from 5:30-7:30 p.m. – is sponsored by the city's Arts and Culture Commission in celebration of National Arts and Humanities Month.

The city has celebrated arts month in various ways over the years. Last year featured a "Do-It-Yourself Arts Fair" at the Community Center, and the year before saw a "Celebration of the Arts" at City Hall with performances and demonstrations.

Here is a city notice about this year's event:

2012 El Cerrito Arts Month pARTy

p-A-R-T-y on Friday October 26 at El Cerrito City Hall

The City of El Cerrito Arts and Culture Commission invites you to participate in National Arts and Humanities Month by celebrating local artists!  The Arts and Culture Commission is hosting a "pARTy" on Friday, October 26 from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm. 

Stop by City Hall to...

See the first of twelve wind sculptures by the artist team of Jonathan Russell and Saori Ide, and meet the artists. The artists designed a series of abstract metal sculptures to be installed on light poles along San Pablo Avenue for the City-commissioned San Pablo Avenue Public Art Project. Fabrication is still underway and the installation is expected to be completed by early 2013. 

See the Exhibit by Shelley Gardner upstairs in the City Hall Gallery Space. Meet Oakland-based artist Shelley Gardner (6pm-7pm only) and gain insight about how the artists covers a screen/wire armature with fabric, threads and dried natural materials to create the sculptures. In her artist’s statement, Shelley Gardner said, “Throughout the years nature has remained an enduring source of artistic inspiration… My multi-layered surfaces are the result of the observation of the way in which seemingly small and insubstantial matter can slowly coalesce into a solid and enduring form.” 

Mingle with other local artists and art-lovers. 

Hear live jazz music by the Time Out Quartet. http://timeoutquartet.com/

Get creative with fun props and costumes and have your photo taken by professional photographers with Photography for Good. Capture the memories and take home a free photo! 

Learn about local art resources and how you can get involved and support the arts in El Cerrito. 

Light refreshments will be available.

Free face painting or glitter tattoo by Vickie and Mike Resso.

Visit the Dorothy and Sundar Shadi Historical Room inside City Hall and talk with members of the El Cerrito Historical Society

Download the flyer and invite your friends!

City Hall is located at 10890 San Pablo Avenue (at Manila Ave). The building is wheelchair accessible and all ages are welcome to attend the pARTy!

Arts Month in El Cerrito has been celebrated in many ways during the last several years— including receptions at City Hall featuring music, film, dance, and more, promoting local art classes and performing arts venues, an art contest (2008) and a hands-on D.I.Y. Arts Fair (2011). 

If you have ideas to share with the Commission, or would like to get involved, contact Suzanne Iarla at (510) 215-4318.

Previous Celebrations

Download the program or flyer from previous years:
2011
2010
2009
2008
2007
2006