In conjunction with National Arts and Humanities Month, the City of Santa Clarita will host ARTober during the month of October with an array of art-focused activities. During the month of October on every Saturday, residents can partake in a variety of happenings throughout the City to celebrate the arts. All events are free and open to the public.

Kicking off the celebration on Saturday, October 1 will be the Arts Tune Up event at The Centre, located at 20880 Centre Pointe Parkway. The Arts Tune Up is a four hour workshop that will offer expert advice, consultation and information to individual artists, current and future arts practitioners, arts advocates, and arts organizations looking to gain insight on a variety of topics. From 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., attendees will have the opportunity to visit three expert discussions and topic presentations. The discussions will be in an informal, round-robin setting. Scheduled topics include advocacy, community and cultural outreach, fundraising, marketing, publicity, skill sharing and social media. Arts Tune Up is hosted by the City of Santa Clarita Arts Commission and the Los Angeles County Arts Commission.

From 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 8, at the Westfield Valencia Town Center Art Exhibit, residents can become immersed in the elements during Elemental Experience, a wind, fire and water sensory installation created by artist Idelle Okman Tyzbir. The Town Center Art Exhibit is located at 24201 Valencia Boulevard on the lower level of the mall near Sisley Italian Kitchen.

On Saturday, October 15, from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., residents can join the Public Art Celebration at Central Park, located at 27150 Bouquet Canyon Road. The City will celebrate the public art installation, “The Western Tiger Swallowtail,” created by the artist LT Mustardseed. This hands-on art celebration will include interactive art activities, folkloric dancing, live music, SCV Adventure play, live butterflies for the first 100 children and more!

Culminating the month’s events in Santa Clarita will be the official SantaClaritaArts.com  Launch Party on Saturday, October 22 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at The Patios at Westfield Valencia Town Center. The new SantaClaritaArts.com website combines a comprehensive listing of events in the Santa Clarita Valley, making the website the best source for arts and culture in Santa Clarita. The new website will also include a directory to search for artists and creative services, news to stay up to date on local art happenings and digital resource services for artists.

National Arts and Humanities Month is celebrated in October and is a coast-to-coast collective recognition of the importance of culture in America. The month long celebration’s goals include focusing on the arts at local, state and national levels; encouraging individuals and organizations to participate in the arts; allowing governments and businesses to show their support of the arts; and raising public awareness about the role the arts and humanities play in our communities and lives.

For more information about the ARTober or SantaClaritaArts.com, contact the City of Santa Clarita’s Arts and Events Office at (661) 250-3787.