The San Mateo County Office of Arts and Culture and the Arts Commission will present the first Countywide Celebration of Arts and Culture for the entire month of August.
The theme – "Building Community through the Arts" – is focused on highlighting the exciting and diverse programs, activities and events happening across the county.
The month-long celebration will culminate on Saturday, August 27, from noon to 3 p.m. with an exciting and free event at San Mateo’s Central Park Outdoor Stage featuring a public space for all to enjoy performances including dance, music, spoken poetry, theater and more.
Everyone is invited to share in the joy and delight these diverse talented artists and organizations bring to our community.
The Mural Project
A key component of this month-long event will be creation of a participatory mural commemorating San Mateo sculptor Ruth Waters and her contributions to the art community.
The goal of the mural project is to create a collaborative space where community members can contribute equally to creating art. The goal is to build community bonding and social belonging through a shared experience of self-expression.
This mural will be 8 feet tall and 8 feet wide. It will be completed by individuals who add their voices about what art means to them in 256 smaller squares created at art events throughout the county during August 2022. The final mural will be assembled and presented at the August 27 event in San Mateo’s Central Park. The mural will be shown at multiple venues throughout the county during the coming year.
About “Building Community through the Arts”
For more information about the event and performers, and a calendar of August events throughout the County, visit the event website.
For more information about the mural project, contact Laura McHugh, at lauramchugh@me.com
About the San Mateo County Office of Arts & Culture/Arts Commission
The San Mateo County Office of Arts and Culture and Arts Commission champions the arts as essential for a healthy and vibrant community by shaping innovative cultural policies, creating inclusive and diverse programming, investing in the creative economy and ensuring access to arts and culture events, programs and education.
The Arts Commission consists of 10 members, appointed by the Board of Supervisors, two each residing in one of each of the five County supervisorial districts. For more information, visit the County Office of Arts and Culture.
About Ruth Waters
For decades, Ruth Waters, a notable Peninsula artist and community builder dedicated her life to uplifting other artists and connecting their work to the public. Waters passed away unexpectedly at the age of 88 on June 13.
“She supported the marginalized, she was somebody who was very interested in inclusion. There was nothing that would rock Ruth’s world at 88. ... Ruth lived for the present and for the future. She supported women in the arts – she he just wanted to be that voice for them,” said Stephen Seymour, San Mateo County Arts Commissioner and colleague.
Beyond connecting through art, Ruth Waters wanted to connect people. She spent the last 45 years working to build spaces where artists can share their work with the community while also teaching her skills to future generations of artists. She will be remembered for her work developing the Peninsula Art Museum and, more recently, the establishment of AZ Gallery and Art Studios at Tanforan.
Michelle Durand
Chief Communications Officer
mdurand@smcgov.org