Destination Nevada County

t
By Jon Blinder, President of the Board of Directors Nevada County Arts Council
Art & Cu ltu r
IN NEVADA COUNTY
Many who live here or have spent time here know the rich
history of the Arts in Nevada County, but it is still something
of a mystery to those unfamiliar with our past and present.
I first visited Nevada County over 35 years ago and moved
here almost 30 years ago. It was quickly apparent to this New
Yorker that I had arrived in a community for which simple
descriptions were not adequate. Had I come to a historical
and remarkably well-preserved Gold Rush community?
Or was it for the abundance of natural beauty? Or, had I
come upon a small Foothills destination that was as hip and
interested in the Arts as my recent home in NYC? Through
the years I have found my answer.
In 1976, Governor Jerry Brown founded the California
Arts Council with the help of his friend, Gary Snyder. An
internationally renowned Beat Poet, Pulitzer Prize winner
and Nevada County resident, Snyder became its first
Executive Director. California was beginning to recognize
the value of supporting the Arts, and with the founding of
arts organizations, the community coalesced and in earnest
began the recent clarion call for Nevada County’s recognition
as an Arts destination. Artists have long been the pioneers
who move to lesser-known communities or neighborhoods
both in cities and rural areas. They have been coming to
Nevada County since the 1800’s, and they are still arriving.
Over the years, Nevada County has seen the growth of many
performing arts organizations including two long-standing
classical music organizations, Music in the Mountains and
InConcert Sierra. We have seen the emergence
of prime local venues such as the Center for
the Arts, Miners Foundry, and the historic
Nevada Theatre - all of which present worldclass
touring performers as well as showcasing
the deeply embedded rich vein of local talent
that abounds in this community. The Nevada
County Fairgrounds has become the home to
many established music festivals that attract fans and
aficionados from all areas in California and beyond. The
Bluegrass Festival, The Celtic Festival, The Strawberry
Festival and WorldFest all call the fairgrounds their home.
The most recent significant additions to the scene are the
Wild and Scenic and the Nevada City Film Festivals, bringing
attention to the environment and independent filmmaking.
All this, along with myriad theater, dance, and literary arts
groups as well as a remarkable number of individual visual
and performing artists have grown and evolved to create a
robust Arts scene.
As the community has come together to support the Arts,
a striking new development has occurred to up the ante.
Throughout this magazine, you will see the logo of the
California Arts Council’s most recent statewide program
that designates California Cultural Districts. Nevada
County is one of only 14 communities (urban, suburban
and rural) selected for this distinctive honor and both Grass
Valley/Nevada City and the Town of Truckee have won a
Rural Designation. The application process required the
collaboration of elected officials, Chambers of Commerce,
Arts Organizations, and the support of artists in each
community. Nevada City and Grass Valley joined forces, and
the Town of Truckee applied separately as the representative
of the Eastern Slope. Securing a cultural district designation
was the result of an exhaustive application process. The
districts that demonstrated a sincere dedication to integrating
Arts and Culture into the fabric of their community and
that also acknowledged the vital impact of the Arts on their
local economies won the award. These California Cultural
District designations will enable the Nevada County Arts
Council to further brand and market Nevada County
as an arts destination and lead our arts community
into the future.
I have concluded that Nevada County is a
stunning example of a Gold Rush community and
one of the most beautiful places on Earth; but, to be
honest, it’s the Arts and Culture of this area that has
kept me genuinely excited to stay.
Welcome to the Arts in Nevada County!
DESTINATION Nevada County 13