Capitola Art and Cultural Commission

Capitola Art and Cultural Commission There are seven members of the commission. Each serves a term of two years. Appointments are made by the City Council.

The Capitola Art & Cultural Commission hosts the summer Twilight Concerts, Movies on the Beach, and Sunday Art & Music at the Beach, as well as administers public art projects. The Capitola Art & Cultural Commission’s purpose is to advise the City Council as to the allocation of public funds for the support and encouragement of existing and new programs in the arts; acquire by purchase, gift or ot

herwise, works of art subject to City Council approval; initiate, sponsor or direct special programs which will enhance the cultural climate of the City; establish close liaison with other commissions and civic organizations in order to foster public interest in the arts; and implement the Art & Cultural Master Plan. The commission is composed of the following: One (1) City Council Member; One (1) Planning Commissioner; One (1) Artist or Arts Organization Representative Member; One (1) Arts Professional Member and Five (5) “At-Large” Members. The Art & Cultural Commission meetings are on the 2nd Tuesday of the month at 6:30pm in the Council Chambers. For more information, please contact [email protected] @ 475-7300 x 297

🎶 Calling All Musicians & Bands! 🎶The City of Capitola is now accepting applications for musicians and bands interested ...
01/07/2026

🎶 Calling All Musicians & Bands! 🎶

The City of Capitola is now accepting applications for musicians and bands interested in performing at our 2026 Summer Events Season!

One of our most beloved series, Twilight Concerts, brings live music to the Capitola coastline—and we’re looking for talented performers to be part of it. 🌅🎸

⏰ Deadline for Twilight Concerts consideration: January 21

If you’re ready to share your sound with our vibrant community and summer crowds, don’t miss this opportunity!

👉 Apply now and be part of Capitola’s 2026 summer soundtrack.

Today is the DAY!!!Capitola Plein Air Exhibition and SaleFinal judging, awards and sale of art from 40 amazing artists. ...
11/09/2025

Today is the DAY!!!
Capitola Plein Air Exhibition and Sale
Final judging, awards and sale of art from 40 amazing artists.
View these amazing works before they are gone.
11am-4pm
New Brighton Middle School
250 Washburn Ave
Capitola, CA

Capitola Today! Join us in Capitola Village Esplanade Park for the 10th Annual Capitola Plein Air — an event filled with...
11/08/2025

Capitola Today!
Join us in Capitola Village Esplanade Park for the 10th Annual Capitola Plein Air — an event filled with art, music, and community! Today is the Quick Paint (10am-2pm) Artists will take on the challenge of creating an entire new art piece in just two hours. Come and see the art pieces on display after 12:45 today. Take part of the event by casting your ballot for the people’s choice award.

There are opportunities to create a FREE art project sponsored by Palace Arts
🎶 Live music by Clay Moon
🎨 Dozens of artists painting outdoors + creative vibes everywhere

Perfect for families, friends, and anyone needing a little inspiration. Come celebrate creativity at the coast today!
Tomorrow is the art exhibition and sale at new Brighton middle school performing art center from 11 AM to 4 PM. Please join us!

11/04/2025

Meet the 2025 Capitola Plein Air Artists!
🎨 Artist Spotlight: Aiwen Chen


Aiwen Chen is a Chinese-American oil painter and art educator based in the South Bay Area, California. Inspired by water, light, and everyday moments, she creates expressive landscapes that celebrate the beauty of nature. Aiwen often paints en plein air, capturing rivers, lakes, creeks, oceans, and misty wetlands with dynamic brushstrokes and palette knife textures that add depth and evoke the spirit of the place. Her work has been exhibited at the de Young Museum, Coastal Arts League Gallery, and Blue Line Art Gallery, and she has competed in numerous plein air events, including Capitola Plein Air. Aiwen earned her BFA in Drawing and Painting from the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, where she was recognized in the Spring Show for three consecutive years.
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🎨 Celebrate 10 Years of Capitola Plein Air!
Join us as 40 artists capture the beauty of Capitola outdoors!

🖌️ Quick Paint | Sat, Nov 8 | 10am–2pm | Esplanade Park
Watch artists create new works in just two hours, enjoy live music by along the waterfront, and join a free community art activity hosted by . Don’t forget to vote for the People’s Choice Award!

🖼️ Exhibition & Sale | Sun, Nov 9 | 11am–4pm | New Brighton Middle School, 250 Washburn Ave
Explore the week’s stunning plein air pieces, enjoy live music by , delicious food from , create hands-on art activities with Palace and , and take home your favorite original artwork!

✨ Trading Card Scavenger Hunt & Raffle | Nov 3–9
Spot artists painting around Capitola and collect their unique trading cards. Bring your collection to the Exhibition to redeem for raffle tickets! The grand prize basket includes gifts from , Best Western Plus Capitola by the Sea, Palace Art & Office Supply, Art Factory Studios, , and more!

11/04/2025

Meet the 2025 Capitola Plein Air Artists!
🎨 Artist Spotlight: Andrea Kosmo


Andrea Kosmo is a landscape and still life painter based in Northern California whose work explores the shifting relationships between light, environment, and memory. She paints on location using plein air techniques, sketches, memory, and photographs to inform her studio practice. Andrea’s paintings reflect California Impressionist influences, capturing subtle color shifts, atmospheric light, and the emotional resonance of natural environments. She earned her B.F.A. from Syracuse University on a full scholarship, studying painting under Michael Sickler and illustration under Murray Tinkelman, and continues to paint outdoors year-round, developing a series inspired by Northern California light in rural landscapes.
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🎨 Celebrate 10 Years of Capitola Plein Air!
Join us as 40 artists capture the beauty of Capitola outdoors!

🖌️ Quick Paint | Sat, Nov 8 | 10am–2pm | Esplanade Park
Watch artists create new works in just two hours, enjoy live music by along the waterfront, and join a free community art activity hosted by . Don’t forget to vote for the People’s Choice Award!

🖼️ Exhibition & Sale | Sun, Nov 9 | 11am–4pm | New Brighton Middle School, 250 Washburn Ave
Explore the week’s stunning plein air pieces, enjoy live music by , delicious food from , create hands-on art activities with Palace and , and take home your favorite original artwork!

✨ Trading Card Scavenger Hunt & Raffle | Nov 3–9
Spot artists painting around Capitola and collect their unique trading cards. Bring your collection to the Exhibition to redeem for raffle tickets! The grand prize basket includes gifts from , Best Western Plus Capitola by the Sea, Palace Art & Office Supply, Art Factory Studios, , and more!

11/04/2025

Meet the 2025 Capitola Plein Air Artists!
🎨 Artist Spotlight: Barry Ebner


Barry Ebner is a painter, printmaker, and fine art bookmaker whose work reflects a deep harmony with the elements. Barry returned to plein air painting in 2020 after first discovering it in the 1990s, finding inspiration along the California Coast. He has exhibited internationally — in Chile, Switzerland, and Wisconsin — and has taught printmaking workshops around the world. Based in Berkeley, he collaborates with his wife on poetry and book projects while continuing to explore color, atmosphere, and the vibrant life of the outdoors.
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🎨 Celebrate 10 Years of Capitola Plein Air!
Join us as 40 artists capture the beauty of Capitola outdoors!

🖌️ Quick Paint | Sat, Nov 8 | 10am–2pm | Esplanade Park
Watch artists create new works in just two hours, enjoy live music by along the waterfront, and join a free community art activity hosted by . Don’t forget to vote for the People’s Choice Award!

🖼️ Exhibition & Sale | Sun, Nov 9 | 11am–4pm | New Brighton Middle School, 250 Washburn Ave
Explore the week’s stunning plein air pieces, enjoy live music by , delicious food from , create hands-on art activities with Palace and , and take home your favorite original artwork!

✨ Trading Card Scavenger Hunt & Raffle | Nov 3–9
Spot artists painting around Capitola and collect their unique trading cards. Bring your collection to the Exhibition to redeem for raffle tickets! The grand prize basket includes gifts from , Best Western Plus Capitola by the Sea, Palace Art & Office Supply, Art Factory Studios, , and more!

11/04/2025

Meet the 2025 Capitola Plein Air Artists!
🎨 Artist Spotlight: Bill Kennann

Bill Kennann is an impressionistic painter working primarily in oils and watercolors. He enjoys capturing seascapes, mountain lakes, figurative subjects, and occasional whimsical scenes. Bill is drawn to plein air painting for the challenge of portraying natural light and atmosphere, while exploring color, texture, and emotional resonance in each piece.

Based in Santa Cruz, Bill studied Fine Arts at San Jose State University and continues to expand his practice through experimentation and plein air observation. He also operates a gallery and custom picture framing business, sharing his work with the local community while pushing his own artistic boundaries.
________________________________________
🎨 Celebrate 10 Years of Capitola Plein Air!
Join us as 40 artists capture the beauty of Capitola outdoors!

🖌️ Quick Paint | Sat, Nov 8 | 10am–2pm | Esplanade Park
Watch artists create new works in just two hours, enjoy live music by along the waterfront, and join a free community art activity hosted by . Don’t forget to vote for the People’s Choice Award!

🖼️ Exhibition & Sale | Sun, Nov 9 | 11am–4pm | New Brighton Middle School, 250 Washburn Ave
Explore the week’s stunning plein air pieces, enjoy live music by , delicious food from , create hands-on art activities with Palace and , and take home your favorite original artwork!

✨ Trading Card Scavenger Hunt & Raffle | Nov 3–9
Spot artists painting around Capitola and collect their unique trading cards. Bring your collection to the Exhibition to redeem for raffle tickets! The grand prize basket includes gifts from , Best Western Plus Capitola by the Sea, Palace Art & Office Supply, Art Factory Studios, , and more!

11/04/2025

Meet the 2025 Capitola Plein Air Artists!
🎨 Artist Spotlight: Carol Tarzier


Carol Tarzier is a Bay Area painter and sculptor whose work celebrates light, color, and reflection. After a long and awarded career in sculpture, she returned to her early love of oil painting, capturing the magical light on the California coastline, water, clouds, and reflective surfaces. Her paintings and plein air work have earned numerous awards, including Best Collection at the Mendocino Open Paint Out and People’s Choice at the Carmel Art Festival. Carol teaches painting, helping students develop their perception of light and color, and her work is represented by Studio Gallery in San Francisco and MK Contemporary in Santa Cruz.
________________________________________
🎨 Celebrate 10 Years of Capitola Plein Air!
Join us as 40 artists capture the beauty of Capitola outdoors!

🖌️ Quick Paint | Sat, Nov 8 | 10am–2pm | Esplanade Park
Watch artists create new works in just two hours, enjoy live music by along the waterfront, and join a free community art activity hosted by . Don’t forget to vote for the People’s Choice Award!

🖼️ Exhibition & Sale | Sun, Nov 9 | 11am–4pm | New Brighton Middle School, 250 Washburn Ave
Explore the week’s stunning plein air pieces, enjoy live music by , delicious food from , create hands-on art activities with Palace and , and take home your favorite original artwork!

✨ Trading Card Scavenger Hunt & Raffle | Nov 3–9
Spot artists painting around Capitola and collect their unique trading cards. Bring your collection to the Exhibition to redeem for raffle tickets! The grand prize basket includes gifts from , Best Western Plus Capitola by the Sea, Palace Art & Office Supply, Art Factory Studios, , and more!

11/04/2025

Meet the 2025 Capitola Plein Air Artists!
🎨 Artist Spotlight: Cathy Xu

Cathy Xu is an award-winning watercolor artist based in San Francisco. She captures the essence of light, shadow, and shape in landscapes, cityscapes, and figures, creating works that celebrate the freedom and flow of water in all its forms. Her dynamic style balances fluid washes with intricate detail, reflecting the beauty and atmosphere of her surroundings. Cathy began exhibiting her work in 2025, after immersing herself in the study and practice of watercolor, and her paintings are inspired by a lifelong love of art, nature, and observation.
________________________________________
🎨 Celebrate 10 Years of Capitola Plein Air!
Join us as 40 artists capture the beauty of Capitola outdoors!

🖌️ Quick Paint | Sat, Nov 8 | 10am–2pm | Esplanade Park
Watch artists create new works in just two hours, enjoy live music by along the waterfront, and join a free community art activity hosted by . Don’t forget to vote for the People’s Choice Award!

🖼️ Exhibition & Sale | Sun, Nov 9 | 11am–4pm | New Brighton Middle School, 250 Washburn Ave
Explore the week’s stunning plein air pieces, enjoy live music by , delicious food from , create hands-on art activities with Palace and , and take home your favorite original artwork!

✨ Trading Card Scavenger Hunt & Raffle | Nov 3–9
Spot artists painting around Capitola and collect their unique trading cards. Bring your collection to the Exhibition to redeem for raffle tickets! The grand prize basket includes gifts from , Best Western Plus Capitola by the Sea, Palace Art & Office Supply, Art Factory Studios, , and more!

11/04/2025

Meet the 2025 Capitola Plein Air Artists!
🎨 Artist Spotlight: Christina Lim


Christina Lim is an emerging Bay Area artist whose work celebrates hope, joy, and serenity. Her paintings aim to capture the essence of light—both in nature and as a symbol of inner peace—creating a visual sanctuary for viewers. Christina works in acrylic and watercolor, focusing on landscapes, redwoods, and Hawaiian vistas. After earning a BFA in Graphic Design from California College of the Arts, she spent 25 years in design and leadership before returning to painting full-time in 2020. Since then, she has exhibited her miniature and larger-scale works, earning awards and growing her presence in the professional art scene.
________________________________________
🎨 Celebrate 10 Years of Capitola Plein Air!
Join us as 40 artists capture the beauty of Capitola outdoors!

🖌️ Quick Paint | Sat, Nov 8 | 10am–2pm | Esplanade Park
Watch artists create new works in just two hours, enjoy live music by along the waterfront, and join a free community art activity hosted by . Don’t forget to vote for the People’s Choice Award!

🖼️ Exhibition & Sale | Sun, Nov 9 | 11am–4pm | New Brighton Middle School, 250 Washburn Ave
Explore the week’s stunning plein air pieces, enjoy live music by , delicious food from , create hands-on art activities with Palace and , and take home your favorite original artwork!

✨ Trading Card Scavenger Hunt & Raffle | Nov 3–9
Spot artists painting around Capitola and collect their unique trading cards. Bring your collection to the Exhibition to redeem for raffle tickets! The grand prize basket includes gifts from , Best Western Plus Capitola by the Sea, Palace Art & Office Supply, Art Factory Studios, , and more!

11/04/2025

Meet the 2025 Capitola Plein Air Artists!
🎨 Artist Spotlight: Cynthia (Cindi) Underwood


Cindi Underwood is an accomplished landscape and wildlife artist working in pastels, oils, and acrylics. Born in Birmingham, Alabama, and raised in Oklahoma and Texas, she now paints from her homes in Idaho and Colorado, traveling extensively to capture scenes from coast to coast. An avid outdoor enthusiast, Cynthia blends technical skill with a deep appreciation for nature, creating works that inspire viewers to notice the pleasant and beautiful aspects of the world. She has been featured in numerous art magazines, solo gallery exhibitions, and plein air invitationals, earning first-place awards, honors, and Signature and Master status in multiple national art societies.
________________________________________
🎨 Celebrate 10 Years of Capitola Plein Air!
Join us as 40 artists capture the beauty of Capitola outdoors!

🖌️ Quick Paint | Sat, Nov 8 | 10am–2pm | Esplanade Park
Watch artists create new works in just two hours, enjoy live music by along the waterfront, and join a free community art activity hosted by . Don’t forget to vote for the People’s Choice Award!

🖼️ Exhibition & Sale | Sun, Nov 9 | 11am–4pm | New Brighton Middle School, 250 Washburn Ave
Explore the week’s stunning plein air pieces, enjoy live music by , delicious food from , create hands-on art activities with Palace and , and take home your favorite original artwork!

✨ Trading Card Scavenger Hunt & Raffle | Nov 3–9
Spot artists painting around Capitola and collect their unique trading cards. Bring your collection to the Exhibition to redeem for raffle tickets! The grand prize basket includes gifts from , Best Western Plus Capitola by the Sea, Palace Art & Office Supply, Art Factory Studios, , and more!

11/04/2025

Meet the 2025 Capitola Plein Air Artists!
🎨 Artist Spotlight: Daisha Sherman


Daisha Sherman is a California-based painter who captures the quiet magic of the outdoors, from twilight drives to midday hikes. Using gouache and oil, she preserves fleeting moments of light, space, and emotion, creating work that speaks without words. Inspired by her upbringing in Southern Utah and the Bay Area, Daisha’s landscapes invite viewers to pause, reflect, and connect with the beauty in everyday life.
________________________________________
🎨 Celebrate 10 Years of Capitola Plein Air!
Join us as 40 artists capture the beauty of Capitola outdoors!

🖌️ Quick Paint | Sat, Nov 8 | 10am–2pm | Esplanade Park
Watch artists create new works in just two hours, enjoy live music by along the waterfront, and join a free community art activity hosted by . Don’t forget to vote for the People’s Choice Award!

🖼️ Exhibition & Sale | Sun, Nov 9 | 11am–4pm | New Brighton Middle School, 250 Washburn Ave
Explore the week’s stunning plein air pieces, enjoy live music by , delicious food from , create hands-on art activities with Palace and , and take home your favorite original artwork!

✨ Trading Card Scavenger Hunt & Raffle | Nov 3–9
Spot artists painting around Capitola and collect their unique trading cards. Bring your collection to the Exhibition to redeem for raffle tickets! The grand prize basket includes gifts from , Best Western Plus Capitola by the Sea, Palace Art & Office Supply, Art Factory Studios, , and more!

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Capitola, CA

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+18314757300

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