Browse feature stories highlighting the work of California’s traditional artists and communities and check out the latest news from ACTA.
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Building a national community of traditional artists rooted in culture, justice, and care
Haejin Bang drums in the Art Council Garden. Photo courtesy of the artist. This summer, in honor of LGBTQ Pride and Disability Pride Months, we’re proud to feature Haejin Bang (they/he) — Director of Cultural Arts & Base Building at the Beverly-Vermont Community Land Trust (BVCLT) in Koreatown,…
Alma Cielo, Ofelia Esparza, and Rosanna Esparza-Ahrens clap at the Akwaaba Food Forest in June 2025. Photo: Calethia DeConto/ACTA. On Sunday, June 8, ACTA gathered with artists, neighbors, and culture bearers at Akwaaba Food Forest in Pasadena for Healing Through…
July 9, 2025
Culture takes center stage at LA’s Justice + Art Jam
Gabriel Gonzalez with fellow ACTA Art Breaks In teaching artists open the Justice + Art Jam in Los Angeles in May 2025. Photo: S. Gray/ACTA. On May 24, ACTA proudly joined a dynamic lineup of nonprofits and cultural workers at Freewaves’ Justice + Art Jam…
July 4, 2025
Honoring the Art of Native California Basket Weaving
We’re proud to highlight three pairs in our 2024 Apprenticeship Program, which concluded last month. Each of these three pairs is dedicated to preserving and passing on the art of basketweaving in Native California communities. These mentors not only serve as master weavers but also function as…
July 4, 2025
Ancient foods, living knowledge: The Wintu Council builds sustainability and resilience
In the heart of Big Bar, in rural Trinity County in Northern California, the Nor Rel Muk Wintu Nation continues to deepen its connection to ancestral lands and traditions through the Wintu Educational and Cultural Council. Established by the tribe in 1961, the Council became a nonprofit in…
May 21, 2025
Announcing the 2025 Taproot Fellows
The Alliance for California Traditional Arts (ACTA) is thrilled to announce the second year of the Taproot Fellowship, a project of ACTA’s Taproot Artists & Community Trust created to uplift culture bearers whose work is more vital than ever in confronting the social…
A recap of the 2025 CA Arts & Culture Summit and Advocacy Day
On a quiet day in Loleta, a small town in Northern California’s Humboldt County, ACTA Program Manager Aliah Najmabadi and I visited the home of Katie Bowie to witness the incredible artistry that connects her family to their Yurok, Hupa, Wiyot and Bear River heritage. Katie, a…
Janhavi Pillai (L) and Roshni Pillai (R) sit at their home in San Jose, CA. Photo: A. Najmabadi/ACTA. In early March, I visited the home studio of Roshni and Janhavi Pillai, a mother-daughter pair from San Jose participating in ACTA’s 2024 Apprenticeship Program. Together, they are engaged in a focused…
After years of deep listening, careful collaboration, and creative storytelling, we are thrilled to launch the Sounds of California: Bayview microsite—a new digital collection that brings together community recordings, essays, and archival performances to honor the rich cultural life of Bayview-Hunters Point.
