Cheers to 9 Years!

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99 Bottles Opens TONIGHT

Starting Friday, August 2, 2024, we say #Cheesto9Years!

We commemorate nine years of Local Color with our first public show inside our brand-new space, noble workshop & gallery. A callback to a 2016 show of the same name hosted inside our former studio and gallery space along N. First Street, 99 Bottles features custom-adorned bottles, vessels, or containers from 119 local Artists. Though the show was going to initially feature 99 artists, in the spirit of radical inclusion, Local Color chose to include all Artists who submitted a bottle.

“By allowing all submissions the opportunity to showcase their art, we’re working to eliminate gatekeeping and celebrate all those who choose to call themselves artists. Happy 9th birthday to Local Color!” shares Executive Director Erin Salazar. If you love radical inclusivity, you can donate to Local Color’s 9th Birthday Fundraiser here.

Thanks to grant funding from the San Jose Downtown Association's 2024 Arts and Marketing Grant, 99 Bottles is the first of three gallery shows planned for this year. Want to know what’s next? Follow noble on Instagram.

Join us tonight from 6-9pm before the first bottles fly off the shelves! If you can’t make it, noble will be open to the public Thursday through Friday from 12-6 pm and Saturdays from 12-5 pm until August 17th.

Lead Artist Miguel Ozuna (R) and Assistant Artist David Karbra (Second from R) guide Color Me Rad young Artists on the cohort’s first photo walk. Photo: Alex Knowbody

Color Me Rad Summer 2024 Recap

After two whirlwind weeks, we recently wrapped our Color Me Rad Summer series. These focused workshops pair young Artists with working Artists to learn new skills first-hand! Our two cohorts, led by Jessica Carmen and Miguel Ozuna, focused on mural painting and photography.

Jesssica Carmen’s young Artists cohort started their workshop by building identity collages, then transitioned into conceptualizing their group mural before putting paint to canvas. Building his practice around the curriculum of “Joven Nobel,” Miguel inspired the young Artists in his cohort to use photography as a tool for self-expression, starting with self-portraits and encouraging them to thoughtfully capture their surroundings during golden hours.

Photos: Alex Knowbody

At the closing exhibition, young Artists from the mural cohort showcased their group mural, while each Young Artist from the photography cohort featured select shots taken during their time in the program. Photographers were also encouraged to gift one of their photos to someone close to them. In addition to an artist stipend, all young Artists had work for sale during the show at noble workshop & gallery. Collectively they raised an additional $1,050. 100% of the proceeds went to the young Artists behind the creations.

Thank you to Jessica Carmen, Beca Escobedo, Miguel Ozuna, and David Kabra for your dedicated efforts in leading and inspiring the next generation of young creatives. Additional thanks to Local Color team members Janet, Wednesday, and Alejandro for tirelessly working behind the scenes to power and capture this impactful program.

Congrats once more to Ghazal, Britta, Connor, and Raul from Color Me Rad’s photography cohort, and Avani, Avi, Hilary, Irie, Kaia, Kristine, Leah, and Tracey from the mural painting cohort. We hope this is your first of many creative endeavors to come!

Young Artists from Color Me Rad’s mural cohort pose alongside Jessica Carmen (L) and Beca Escobedo (R) the the CMR closing exhibition. Photo: Alex Knowbody

Color Me Rad is supported in part by the California Arts Council, a state agency, City of San José’s District 5 Council’s Office, SVCreates, in partnership with the County of Santa Clara and the Sares Regis Foundation.

We’re Hiring!

Local Color is seeking a collaborative, adaptable, and empathetic individual to join our team as a temporary Creative Experience Manager from September 2024 to March 2025.

As the Creative Experience Manager (CEM), your job is to lean into artistic curiosity to create and facilitate unique experiences for individuals and groups both in community and corporate settings. You will be responsible for project managing (developing, leading and documenting) artistic activities. The CEM will work closely with the Executive Director to ensure that each project/event is rooted in our organization's values and generates critical resources for the organization to serve the artist community.

Applications are due by Friday, August 16.

Apply Here

LoCo Happenings

Adobe Field Trip Recap

Adobe Field Trip is an annual global event across several Adobe campuses that grants the family of employees a glimpse into their work, and gives fellow employees a chance to see the lives of their colleagues outside work. Local Color staff and local Artists were on-site at Adobe’s San José HQ, offering three activations to spark creativity. J. Duh assisted with our Build-A-Button activity, The Letter Mermaid led participants in animal collage, and Painting with James facilitated our community canvas space on Adobe’s vibrant basketball court. Thank you to these Artists and our staff for inspiring creative moments! (Photo: Alex Knowbody)

Iridescent Batik Workshop at noble workshop & gallery

iRidescent Batik Studio hosted their first scarf workshop in early July inside noble workshop & gallery. Hosted by textile artist Voonbin Leow, the comprehensive two-day workshop outlined the basics of batik then assisted participants in designing their own scarf. Batik is a traditional fabric dyeing technique celebrated for its cultural significance in Indonesia and Malaysia. We’re excited to provide space for independent creatives like Iridescent to share their therapeutic art practice with others. To join their next workshop, visit iridescentbatik.com. (Photo courtesy of @iRidescentbatikstudio)

Coming Soon: San Jo Lo Down

Local Commons members San Jo Lo Down have been hard at work tracking down, researching, and editing stories that share the blue collar side of this city — and they’re ready to share them very soon! Billed as “a podcast for the workers of San José,” the SJLD team will soon share episodes that cover the recent nurses strike, Latin American immigration, and San José educators. The podcast premieres August 15, and you can listen to a trailer right now on their website. You can also directly support the continuation of their work by donating to their cause via Fundrazr. (Flyer courtesy of San Jo Lo Down)

Greetings From Grantland

We Are Silicon Valley Community Foundation Grantees!

Huge thanks to the Silicon Valley Community Foundation for awarding us two grants! One grant supports critical general operating funds, while the other will assist us with capacity building and leadership investment as we continue to grow into the next stages of our non-profit journey.

Thank You to San Jose Downtown Association: 2024 Arts & Marketing Grantees

Local Color will premiere a series of three gallery exhibitions inside noble gallery & workshop in Summer and Fall 2024 thanks to a grant from San José Downtown Association. We’re grateful to be 2024 Arts Marketing grant recipients! This community support will help build showcasing opportunities for local artists and help revitalize San José’s downtown corridors.

Funding Opportunities from the Community

CreaTV DocuMentorMe Program

CreaTV San José's DocuMentorMe is a 15-week training program that provides an opportunity to explore the creative art of storytelling through documentary media production. No prior documentary or media-making experience is required. Cohort members will receive a $1,600 stipend and a free one-year membership to CreaTV. Applicants who live in San José, and who are underrepresented in mainstream media, including those who are Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), people living with low incomes, and people of other systemically excluded communities will be prioritized. Apply here. Applications open until August 4.

Alternative Exposure

Alternative Exposure funds the presentation of Bay Area visual art projects by multiple artists. Selected projects receive awards of up to $5,000 to provide the seed funding to bring their vision into reality. Possible projects include: exhibitions; publications, zines, or print series; festivals or events with a visual component; public learning opportunities for visual artists; new or ongoing projects; non-institutional spaces for art and artists; performances; film screenings; web-based projects; and so much more! Visit soex.org for more information. Applications open until August 12.

CCI Arts T&E Fund

The Investing in Artists: Tools & Equipment program (the "T&E Fund") will award grants of $1,000–$5,000 to individual craft artists to purchase artistic tools, materials, or equipment that support their ability to make object-based work. Applicants must identify as an individual working craft artist. Click here for application and guidelines. Applications open until September 4.

Become A Creative Ambassador of San José

The role of the Creative Ambassadors is to champion the power of creative expression and engage residents in finding their own creative voice. Ambassadors serve a one-year term Jan 1 - Dec 31 during which they produce a creative project that invites active participation from residents and celebrates the diversity of San Jose's cultural communities. Up to five Creative Ambassadors will be selected for the 2025 term. Each Ambassador will receive a stipend of $9,500 to develop and implement an approved creative expression project within the Ambassador’s term. Learn more here. Applications open until September 29.

Community Opportunities

Culture Night Market at Santa Clara County Fairgrounds

Culture Night Market is helping to activate the Santa Clara County Fairgrounds throughout August! You can catch various vendors at the Santa Clara County Fair, happening until August 4. Later this month, Feast Mode pops up at the fairgrounds, featuring food, music, and more from 5-9pm on August 22 and 29. Click here for more event info. (Flyer: @culturenightmarket on Instagram)

AJNA Dyeing Workshop August 10 at noble

AJNA uses natural dyeing techniques to help participants create conscious, one-of-a-kind mindfully crafted textiles. After hosting successful workshops at our digital underground space, AJNA will host its first workshop inside noble! Particpants will learn how to bundle dye their own silk scarf. All materials will be provided! Visit AJNA’s site to sign up.

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