On July 17, community members, artists, and civic leaders gathered in San Bernardino’s new Sole Alley for a cultural input session aimed at shaping the city’s forthcoming California Cultural District designation.
Hosted by the Garcia Center for the Arts, San Bernardino Generation Now, and Arts Connection, the workshop was held at Creative Grounds and marks a pivotal moment in the city’s push to preserve its cultural identity, fight artist displacement, and attract economic investment through the arts.
The session drew about 20 participants, including Councilmember Mario Flores, Realicore Real Estate Group co-founder David Friedman, Creative Grounds co-founder Duan Kellum, Three Little Blue Birds co-owner Tia Johnson, and artist Steven Bielak. The event was facilitated by Arts Connection Executive Director Alejandro Gutierrez Chavez and San Bernardino Generation Now Community Organizer Miriam Nieto.
Artist Carolyn Schutter moderated the workshop, which prompted attendees to reflect on their favorite past and present cultural events and envision the future of arts and community in San Bernardino. Participants wrote their ideas on colorful sticky notes and posted them on boards taped to the alley’s brick walls.
What is a California Cultural District?
Established through Assembly Bill 189 in 2015 and administered by the California Arts Council, the California Cultural Districts Program recognizes neighborhoods with a high concentration of artistic and cultural assets. Each district is selected through a competitive application process and must demonstrate strong collaboration between arts organizations, local government, and small businesses.
Districts typically feature theaters, galleries, public art, performance spaces, artisan shops, festivals, and historically or architecturally significant sites. The program aims to support local artists, promote socioeconomic and ethnic diversity, preserve cultural heritage, and counteract artist displacement.