“I look forward to an America which will reward achievement in the arts as we reward achievement in business or statecraft. I look forward to an America which will steadily raise the standards of artistic accomplishment and which will steadily enlarge cultural opportunities for all of our citizens,” said John F. Kennedy at a speech at Amherst College in October, 1963.
A concise, timeless consideration, indeed.
The Morgan Hill Community and Cultural Center (CCC) is one local place that walks the walk described in Kennedy’s words when it comes to supporting the arts year in and year out. Morgan Hill residents can always turn to the CCC for local artists’ free exhibits, seasonal theater, or other activities such as Art a la Carte, an annual children’s arts and crafts fair that has been in Morgan Hill for 13 years and counting.
“Even with budget cuts or sometimes tumultuous economic swings, local artists and committed volunteers consistently converge at the CCC to keep up the critical tradition of art, learning and inspiration for everyone in our community. I am proud that the CCC keeps in step with achievements in the arts and steadily enlarges cultural opportunities for all of Morgan Hill’s citizens, just as Kennedy hoped so long ago,” said Maureen Tobin, community services manager at the CCC.
The CCC is a hub for three main avenues for the arts. The first is an annual program allowing local artists to exhibit for free inside the building’s main hallway. Time slots are approximately one month per artist or group, and allow up to approximately 70 different works of art to be displayed. The schedule for the next calendar year is typically organized in the fall and all local artists are welcome to request a time slot. The CCC staff works with the El Toro Culture and Arts Committee, a subgroup within the Morgan Hill Community Foundation, to organize and manage the repeating, annual program. The current show features Karen Hegglin, a local artist who teaches all age ranges. Hegglin’s show is comprised of her student’s art work and will be available through the end of April.
The second highlight the CCC offers is the seasonal theater hosted by the South Valley Civic Theater, which is a nonprofit theater organization directed and staffed entirely by volunteers. It produces musical and non-musical live theater shows drawing on talent from across the region. Its current season is now featuring “Deathtrap” starting April 12 and running through May 4, at the Community Playhouse located on the CCC campus. Tickets are available online at www.brownpapertickets.com/event/3491801, or two weeks before the performances at BookSmart, the Gilroy Welcome Center, and the CCC. For more information about this season or next season’s shows, please see www.svct.org.
The third highlight is this year’s 13th Annual Art a la Carte, which is also organized and staffed entirely with community volunteers. It began as a Leadership Morgan Hill project before it moved to a program managed by the City, and then the Library Culture and Arts Commission’s responsibility. It is now managed within the Morgan Hill Community Foundation, which supports a range of public service projects, including several within the arts. For more information, please see www.morganhillcf.org.
Coming up at the Community and Cultural Center
March 29-April 30 – Karen Hegglin Art Exhibit, www.karensartzone.com
April 12-May 4 – “Deathtrap,” hosted by the South Valley Civic Theater, www.svct.org
April 12 – South Valley Wine Auction, Alliance Member of Morgan Hill Community Foundation, www.southvalleywineauction.org
April 19 – 8th Annual Youth Action Council (YAC) Senior Citizens Ball, www.mhrecreation.com
April 27 – Art a la Carte, El Toro Culture & Arts Committee, www.morganhillcf.org
May 2-30 – Sheri Chakamian Art Exhibit, www.sherisartstudio.com
June 4-28 – Pamala Meador Art Exhibit, www.pamalapaints.com
June 7-29 – “Fiddler on the Roof,” hosted by the South Valley Civic Theater, www.svct.org
July 8-August 16 – Georgess Gomez Art Exhibit, www.georgesse.com
September 3-25 – Carolyn Daily Art Exhibit, www.carolynclaytondaily.com
September 27-29 – Quilt Show Exhibit
September 30-November 1 – Lynda Bassett Art Exhibit, www.lyndabassettart.com
October 4-26 – “Twelve Dancing Princesses,” South Valley Civic Theater, www.svct.org
November 7-Dec 18 – Valle del Sur Art Guild Exhibit, www.facebook.com/Valledelsur.Art
November 23-Dec 14 – “Miracle on 34th Street,” South Valley Civic Theater, www.svct.org
About the Morgan Hill Community and Cultural Center
The Morgan Hill Community and Cultural Center first opened its doors on December 7, 2002, in a joint celebration with the Morgan Hill Community Foundation. Ten years later the Community and Cultural Center continues to be a vibrant and thriving campus. It is a venue of choice for both large and small events, community festivals, concerts, public art, theater and business meetings. The campus is the home of the Morgan Hill Recreation Preschool, Gavilan College Morgan Hill Satellite Campus, South Valley Civic Theater, Chamber of Commerce’s Friday Night Music Series, Mushroom Mardi Gras, Morgan Hill Rotary Club, many Morgan Hill Community Foundation events, and dance studios.
About Morgan Hill Community Foundation
The Morgan Hill Community Foundation (MHCF) is a tax-exempt public charity focused on improving the quality of life in the greater Morgan Hill region. MHCF accomplishes this by furthering a culture of giving to address community needs and identifying and acquiring resources that provide support to nonprofit groups and programs. The group meets the breadth of community needs through six funding areas: Arts & Culture, Recreation, Education & Livelong Learning, Health & Human Services, Science & Technology, and Environment & Agriculture. It has an annual discretionary grants process that awards grants to local non-profit organizations and programs, as well as works with donors on an individual basis to assist in philanthropic choices and community investment strategies. It is an affiliate member of the Silicon Valley Community Foundation, a tax-exempt public charity with assets of approximately $2 billion. For more information, see http://www.morganhillcf.org/.
