A weekly guide to what’s happening
Green Fix
6th Annual UC Santa Cruz Climate Conference
For the first time, the annual UC Santa Cruz Climate Conference will bring together prominent ocean scientists and leading social-justice advocates to discuss the environmental and equity dimensions of the crisis. The conference will focus on local, state and national efforts to pursue climate justice; the panel discussion will be followed by an interactive opportunity to learn about UCSC research and opportunities for local action. Panelists include UCSC professor Gary Griggs, sustainability and climate action manager for the City of Santa Cruz Climate Action Program Tiffany Wise-West and more.
INFO: 6:30 p.m. Thursday, April 11. Rio Theatre. 1205 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz. climateconference.ucsc.edu. Free, online registration required.
Art Seen
The Tammi Brown Band
Local hero Tammi Brown was raised in the gospel and jazz traditions—roots that blossomed when she discovered the grace and power of great women in soul, R&B and pop. Brown has continued to spread her musical wings with Grammy-nominated vocal ensemble Linda Tillery and the Cultural Heritage Choir, SoVoSó, and in opening for Dr. Maya Angelou and Joan Baez, as well as co-producing her single “That’s How it Goes” with 13-time Grammy nominated jazz fusion artist Tom Schuman of Spyro Gyra. Brown will be performing with her band as part of Tandy Beal and Company’s ArtSmart Arts Education Program.
INFO: 11 a.m. Saturday, April 6. Veterans Memorial Building, 846 Front St., Santa Cruz. tandybeal.com. $15 adult/$10 child.
Friday 4/5
Felix Kulpa ‘Pro-Community Visions and Voices’
With work from 10 member artists, the Felix Kulpa gallery will be transformed into a thought-provoking space for visitors to look, listen and be heard. Just in time for First Friday, the exhibit centers around pressing issues like affordable housing, definitions of personhood, and the health of our ecosystems. In April and May, the collective will host a number of events, workshops and conversations in the exhibition space, exploring the powerful intersection of creative collaboration and civic engagement through drawing, painting, fiber sculpture, and video installation. Areperia 831 will be there slinging delicious vegan Arepas and other Venezuelan food.
INFO: 5-8 p.m. Felix Kulpa Gallery and Sculpture Garden, 107 Elm St., Santa Cruz. 421-9107, felixkulpa.com. Free.
Friday 4/5-Sunday 9/22
‘We’re Still Here: Stories of Seniors and Social Isolation’
Loneliness and social isolation affect 1 in 3 seniors in Santa Cruz County. Many seniors contact just one person a week; some said they see a visitor less than once a month. The new exhibit, curated entirely by Santa Cruz senior citizens, sheds light on this local crisis and gives visitors the tools to help. It also shares solutions to loneliness from different cultures and families around the world. It’s not your typical exhibition; over 180 seniors, advocates and organizations created this show themselves in partnership with the MAH.
INFO: Museum of Art and History, 705 Front St., Santa Cruz. 429-1964. santacruzmah.org. $10 general admission/free on First Fridays. Photo: Gina Orlando.
Wednesday 4/3-Sunday 5/26
‘Vote! Your Vote is Your Voice / ¡Vote! Su Voto es Su Voz!’
Pajaro Valley Arts’ latest exhibit is inspired by images and stories from Monterey Bay artists and activists who worked in the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s, and on Latino voting rights issues in Watsonville in the 1970 and 1980s. Contemporary art, historical images, artifacts, educational events, and films illustrate ordinary people taking courageous stands for democratic values. The exhibit features selections from the Stanford Library’s Bob Fitch Photo Archives and Maria Gitin’s civil rights archives, showcasing their experiences as young voting rights workers in the South.
INFO: Show runs through Sunday, May 26. Opening reception 2-4 p.m. Sunday, April 7. Pajaro Valley Arts Council, 37 Sudden St., Watsonville. Free.
