By Michele E. Buttelman
Signal Staff Writer
In 2009 the City of Santa Clarita embraced support of the arts as an important facet of civic responsibility by appointing a five-member Arts Commission to promote art in Santa Clarita.
In 2015 an Arts Master Plan was developed to provide a roadmap for making Santa Clarita an arts-friendly city.
Enacted in 2016 the plan began with 41 items, with 20 more items added in the last few years. Currently, 31 of the 61 items on the decade-long plan have been accomplished, said Phil Lantis, Arts and Events manager. Six more items will be added to the plan for the coming year.
From civic art to fine art, music, theater, sidewalk poetry and more, the arts are thriving in Santa Clarita, not only embraced by the city, but also by Santa Clarita Valley arts-based nonprofits.
SantaClaritaArts.com
Lantis said SantaClaritaArts.com is a city-hosted resource for those looking to experience arts in Santa Clarita. Users can find galleries, public art and youth art education information on the website.
Interested in exhibiting your artwork or curating for one of the many exhibit locations throughout the city of Santa Clarita? Fill out an online application at santaclaritaarts.com to be considered. This call is open year-round and spaces are juried by committee.
Watch SantaClaritaArts.com for frequent “call for artists” theme exhibit opportunities.
The Importance of Art
Lantis has spent his career in arts and events with the city of Santa Clarita. He has worked in the Santa Clarita art scene for 30 years. Lantis said art is important to Santa Clarita’s identity.
“Art creates a sense of community,” he said. “Arts brings people together. Economically the arts have been a great benefit to the city.”
Lantis also offered an historical perspective when considering the impact of art on Santa Clarita’s legacy.
“When you look back in history, what survives about a culture is its art. We are creating our historical record through the arts. We are creating who Santa Clarita is as a community through its arts. That’s the story that will be told 100 years from now,” he said.

Fine Art
There are more than a half dozen locations where established and emerging artists stage gallery shows. There also is a fine art gallery hosted by the Santa Clarita Artists Association in Old Town Newhall.
Exhibits Around Town
City of Santa Clarita City Hall First Floor Gallery
23920 Valencia Blvd #120 91355
Pop Culture
Sept.15 – Jan.12, 2024
Embracing the fusion of art and pop culture, this dynamic exhibit explores the ever-evolving landscape through the eyes of local exhibiting artists. The exhibition pays homage to the diverse facets of popular culture, spanning from iconic comic book characters to beloved musicians. Each artwork captures the essence and nostalgia of pop culture movements.
Canyon Country Community Center
18410 Sierra Highway 91351
My Kind of Town by Justin N. Kim
Aug. 11 – Dec. 8
Kim is a Korean born abstract painter who currently lives and works in Los Angeles. He paints abstract color field paintings, maps and circuit boards visualizing melded relationships found within manmade subject matters and surroundings.


Newhall Hall Community Center
22421 Market St 91321
Video Games
July 26 – Nov. 17
This visual art exhibition delves into the captivating realm of video games. Explore the intersection of art and gaming as talented local artists showcase their creative interpretations of the vibrant and dynamic world of video games.
Canyon Country Jo Anne Darcy Library
18601 Soledad Canyon Rd. 91351
Gloaming by Claire Steidl
Aug. 25 – Dec. 18
Emerging artist Steidl’s mesmerizing exhibit, “Gloaming,” explores the enchanting interplay of light and shadow, memory and emotion, as the beauty of twilight is captured on canvas in her first solo exhibition of her artistic journey.
Old Town Newhall Library
24500 Main St. 91321
Season of Discovery by Santa Clarita Artists Association
Sept. 22 – Dec. 29
“Season of Discovery” is an immersive showcase, highlighting the talent and creativity of local artists. The exhibition encompasses a wide range of artistic mediums, including oil and watercolor paintings, ink drawings, photography and mixed media. Exhibiting artists: Pam Rothmann, Cheri Marcovitch, Sandy Fisher, Charlotte Mullich, Cathy King, Tobi Beck, Jane Mick, Laura Ledesma, Joseph Jasik, Meresssa Naftalin, Debra Zednik, Lynda Frautnick, LW Krebs, Patty Haft, Lisa Barr, George Ivanyi, Idelle Okaman Tyzbir, Karen Martinez, Naomi Young, Howard Marcovitch and Gary Friedman.


Valencia Library
23743 West Valencia Blvd. 91355
A Confluence of Culture by Larry Richardson
July 11 – Oct. 13
Richardson worked in the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s touring through the southern states. After one year he concluded his work in the movement and was part of the March on Washington having the honor to be present during the historical “I Have a Dream” speech by Dr. Martin Luther King. He has earned many awards for his work and is collected by a divergent group of people.
Santa Clarita Artists Association
Sixth Street Gallery, 22508 Sixth St.
91321
The nonprofit SCAA brings together artists from the Santa Clarita Valley in all disciplines. Gallery hours are Friday 5-8 p.m., Saturday 1 p.m.-7 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m.-5 p.m.