Find out what readers voted as the best among arts and culture.
Best Dance Lessons
Tannery Arts Center
- During quarantine, dance teachers have given students a chance to build confidence, leadership skills and the ability to glide across the floor.
- Has been providing affordable space to artists and dancers for over 10 years.
- Focusing mainly on youth, their programs in the spring will be a hybrid of in-person and outdoor classes.
- Learn ballet, modern, jazz, and hip-hop, choreography and video performance with some of the best teachers in the state.
- Their amazing Diaspora Performance Project gives voice to Artists of the African Diaspora and makes deep and meaningful connections to our community. DNA
Best Festival
Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music
- America’s longest-running festival of new orchestral music returns virtually this summer, during two weekends in August.
- Musical conductor Cristian Măcelaru was born in Timisoara, Romania, and has conducted orchestras all over the world.
- The festival’s 2021 virtual season is free to the public and features dance, photography, video and animation.
- For 58 years, the festival has highlighted emerging and preeminent composers.
- A special work this year combining the talents of composer Sean Shepherd and National Geographic photographer Camille Seamen reflects on the resilience of a forest after wildfire. DNA
Best Poet
Ellen Bass
- Bass studied with Pulitzer-Prize-winner Anne Sexton at Boston University.
- Her book Courage to Heal is an international bestseller and has been called the bible of the survivor’s movement.
- In 2013, Bass founded the Poetry Program at Salinas Valley State Prison, which offers weekly workshops to incarcerated men.
- One of her favorite poems she has written is called “Ode to a Pork Chop.”
- Bass lives in Santa Cruz with her wife Janet Bryer. DNA
Art Event
Capitola Art & Wine Festival
RUNNERS-UP Open Studios Art Tour, First Friday
Art Gallery (Retail)
Artisans & agency
1368 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz,
423-8183, artisanssantacruz.com
RUNNERS-UP Radius Gallery, R. Blitzer Gallery
Artist (Local)
Marie Gabrielle
RUNNERS-UP Ed Penniman, Lauren Ringelman
Author (Local)
K.M. Rice
RUNNERS-UP Jonathan Franzen, Duncan McCollum
Dance Lessons (Studio)
Tannery World Dance and Cultural Center
1060 River St., Suite #110, Santa Cruz, 332-1398, tanneryworlddance.com
RUNNERS-UP Motion Pacific, Santa Cruz Ballet Theatre
Festival (Art/Film)
Santa Cruz Film Festival
RUNNERS-UP Capitola Art & Wine Festival, Banff Mountain Film Festival
Festival (Music)
Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music
RUNNERS-UP Capitola Twilight Concerts, Mountain Sol
Festival (Street)
Greek Festival
facebook.com/santacruzgreekfestival
RUNNERS-UP Capitola Art & Wine Festival, Capitola Twilight Concerts
Kids’ Art Program
Mon Ami Art Studios
RUNNERS-UP Studio Sprout, Watershed Arts/Linda Cover
Movie Theater
Nickelodeon
210 Lincoln St., Santa Cruz,
359-4523, landmarktheatres.com/santa-cruz
RUNNERS-UP Del Mar Theatre, Rio Theatre
Mural/Public Art
Mission St. Ocean Mural
RUNNERS-UP Black Lives Matter, Shopper’s Corner
Museum
Museum of Art & History
705 Front St., Santa Cruz,
429-1964, santacruzmah.org
RUNNERS-UP Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History, Santa Cruz Surf Museum
Photographer (Local)
Shmuel Thaler
RUNNERS-UP Devi Pride, Jana Marcus
Poet (Local)
Ellen Bass
RUNNERS-UP Rachelle Escamilla, Gary Young
Radio Personality (Local)
“Ralph Anybody” Jeff Juliano
RUNNERS-UP “Sleepy” John Sandidge, Rosemary Chalmers
Radio Station
KPIG-FM
107.5
