Arts & Culture

Last March, film director Melissa Elizondo was about to board a plane from Mexico bound for the Watsonville Film Festival (WFF) when she got a call from Executive Director Consuelo Alba. The festival had been canceled due to the pandemic, and international travel was...

Author Barbara King was holding an event at Kelly’s Books for her novel “The California Immigrant” when inspiration for her next project, “The Apple King,” struck. A woman approached her and recommended that King read a book called “Blossoms Into Gold,” which follows the history...

Do you have a recent photograph you’d like to share? Send it to us for consideration by emailing it to [email protected] or mailing it to 21 Brennan St., Suite 14, Watsonville, CA 95076. Please include a brief description of the photo as well as the name...

Tonight, members of the Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History (MAH) will have an exclusive sneak peak of the new exhibit, “In These Uncertain Times: Creativity, Community, and Compassion During a Global Pandemic.” The virtual event will be the only time people can...

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—On March 10, 2020, the Kuumbwa Jazz Center in Santa Cruz held a live performance, complete with a large audience, full band, and an open kitchen and bar. What staff, musicians and patrons didn’t know at the time was that the concert would...

WATSONVILLE—Watsonville Brillante, the ongoing community mosaic project spearheaded by Community Arts Empowerment (CAE), has extended its deadline for art submissions to Feb. 10. Organizers are looking for local artists’ work to be featured on the six-story parking garage on Rodriguez Street, which is attached...

Xipetotec Galindo helps his daughter, Coral Gonzalez, 3, apply paint to a large outdoor mural on the walls of La Manzana on West Lake Avenue in Watsonville. Watsonville artist Yermo Aranda, who originally created the mural, has been working with community members in restoring the mural. The...

WATSONVILLE—Music concerts and other live events might not be happening this holiday season, but the Watsonville Community Band (WCB) hopes it can still bring a little joy into people’s homes. On Monday WCB released a new music video, dubbing it their Christmas “concert” for the...

Artist Judy Gittelsohn fondly remembers her first experience at an artist’s retreat. Working for the company Golden Paints, she was able to go to a place where she could work without distractions or responsibilities. “It really nourished my development,” Gittelsohn said. “I did my best...

He was only 6 years old, but Glenn Church vaguely remembers the construction of the power plant in Moss Landing, which was being built not far from where he grew up. “I recall seeing those stacks go up… it was a big deal,” he said....