The City of Whittier
believes that it is important to have public art that is exceptional
and enhances the beauty of the community. This is important because
it will increase the understanding and enjoyment of public art by
Whittier residents. In an effort to successfully pool the resources
of the various cultural arts organizations in our City, the City
of Whittier Cultural Arts Commission
formed the Community Arts Coalition in June 2001. The main goal
of the group was to create a forum, under the umbrella of the Commission,
for these arts groups to meet and get to know each other. exchange
ideas and provide mutual assistance in perpetuating the arts in
our community.
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Thus far, the Coalition, made up of
13 local organizations, has met to tackle issues such as networking,
promoting events via the internet, outreach to minority groups,
publicity and marketing, creating a master calendar and exploring
cultural arts programs in nearby cities. Guest speakers have included
Victor Ledesma of the Whittier Latino Coalition, Pete Gomez of the
Hispanic Outreach Taskforce, Bill Bell of the Daily News, Alex Moisa
of Friends of Pio Pico and Annette Johnson of the City of Pico Rivera.
Chorale Bel Canto(www.choralebelcanto.org)
Chorale Bel Canto is a community-based masterworks chorale whose
mission is to present quality musical programming for the cultural
benefit of the community as well as to provide a demanding and satisfying
artistic outlet for qualified singers.
Hillcrest Festival of Fine
Arts
The Annual Hillcrest Festival of Fine Arts showcases the arts on
the last weekend in February. The festival is located at 2000 West
Road in La Habra Heights, near the border of Whittier and La Habra
Heights. Admission and parking are free. Hours are 10:00 a.m. to
5:00 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 11:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Sunday.
Talented artists from Southern California exhibit and sell an extensive
variety of art, including watercolor, mixed media, and oil paintings,
pottery, jewelry, ceramics, hand-woven clothing, stained glass,
blown glass, sculptures, and photography. During the 3-day event,
many artists will also be demonstrating their skills. In addition,
the festival offers children’s art workshops, musical entertainment,
the popular Arts & Crafts Boutique, and the Starving Artist
Café. The first festival, held in 1961, was created as a
free community service outreach project providing a high quality
festival celebrating all the arts. It has grown over the years through
the hard work of church volunteers and friends who contribute thousands
of hours in organizing, coordinating, and hosting the weekend event.
New Century Singers
A 40-voice women’s chorus, one in the state-wide California
Women’s Chorus, Inc. organization, is open to women of all
ages in the Greater Whittier Area who enjoy singing and performing
popular show tunes, old standards, classical and religious music,
with no auditions required. Rehearsals, under the direction of Judy
Kertes, are on Wednesday mornings or Sunday evenings.
Rio Hondo Symphony
(http://www.riohondosymphony.org)
The Rio Hondo Symphony performs four FREE classical music concerts
each season at the Vic Lopez Auditorium at Whittier High School,
Whittier Ave. in Whittier, California. The concerts start at 3 p.m.,
have one intermission, and are completed before 5 p.m. Two concerts
are held in the fall, and two in the spring.
Each concert is preceded by a Concert
Preview sponsored by the Rio Hondo Symphony Guild and is held at
10 a.m. on the Friday before the concert. In addition, each concert
is followed by a reception. Symphony members at the Soloist level
($150) and higher will receive an invitation to the reception in
the mail.
In addition, various special events
related to the Rio Hondo Symphony are held each year. For more details
call 562.698.8626 or visit the Web Site at: www.riohondosymphony.org
Shannon Center for the Performing
Arts(www.shannoncenter.org)
The mission of the Ruth B. Shannon Center for the Performing Arts
is two-fold. First, to provide the highest quality, service-oriented,
large-group meeting and entertainment facility with full support
services to Whittier College students, faculty, staff and administration.
Secondly, the Shannon Center serves as the most visible gateway
to Whittier College campus for the general public, and as such strives
to provide the highest quality programming in a variety of styles
to attract and satisfy a culturally diverse population with an eye
toward enhancing the image, visibility and viability of the College.
Whittier Art Gallery and Association(www.whittierartgallery.org)
The Whittier Art Gallery is a unique 70-year-old, non-profit gallery
totally supported by its membership, whose dues, gifts and volunteer
participation enable us to provide the following benefits:
- Maintain the gallery with free admission to the public.
- Provide artists top quality, low cost exhibit space.
- Offer classes for children and adults.
- Offer space and encouragement for artists to meet and exchange
ideas.
Exhibitions change monthly with open
exhibitions held 4 times a year. Members are amateurs and professionals
working in all mediums: painting & drawing, ceramics, sculpture,
jewelry and photography. The facility may be rented by members and
non-members on a monthly basis for exhibition purposes or meetings.
Whittier Art Gallery and Association membership is open to artists
and those who support the arts.
Whittier Choralaires
(www.choralaires.org)
The Whittier Chapter of the Society for the Preservation and Encouragement
of Barber Shop Quartet Singing in America, Inc. is a fraternity
of male singers of all ages who share the desire of communicating
the love and joy of the musical style know as barbershop harmony.
The Whittier Chapter provides for its members a positive environment
which embraces the Society mission and vision, and maintains as
its primary goal the production of outstanding Barbershop performances
built from a foundation of musical excellence in the Barbershop
art form.
Whittier Community Theatre(www.whittiercommunitytheatre.org)
The Whittier Community Theatre was formed in 1922 and has been in
continuous operation for 87 years - making them the oldest non-profit
theatre west of the Mississippi! Their mission is to provide outlets
for local talents with opportunities for learning development and
performing before live audiences; to provide development of production
and artistic skills for local directors and producers; and to provide
quality live theatre at nominal prices for our audiences.
Whittier Cultural Arts Foundation
(WCAF)
The Whittier Cultural Arts Foundation is the non-profit fundraising
arm of the Cultural Arts Commission created to advocate and support
the availability and accessibility of the visual and performing
arts to the greater Whittier community. Founded in 1991, the Foundation
raises funds (1) to incorporate the arts in all public and private
sectors, (2) to provide a network of support and supporters for
the arts, (3) to encourage and assist schools in making the arts
a part of every student’s experience, (4) to promote growth
in the arts through increased community involvement and support,
and (5) to appreciate the arts and nurture the artists. The Foundation
raises monies largely from membership dues, grants and fundraisers.
Everyone is welcome to become a member.
Whittier Historical Society
(www.whittiermuseum.org)
The Whittier Historical Society has designated the following as
its mission:
- Discover, collect, preserve and display objects, documents,
photographs, literary or artistic works, and other articles or
materials which may establish or illustrate the history of Whittier,
the Whittier area, and the State of California.
- Maintain the Whittier Museum and the Museum's Collections for
the education and enjoyment of the general public, as well as
for research.
- Educate the community in preserving structures and sites in
the Whittier area having historical significance.
- Publish and disseminate information to promote appreciation
and enjoyment of the above by the widest possible number of residents
of the Whittier area and its environs.
Whittier Rose Parade Float Committee(www.whittierrosefloat.com)
Whittier sponsored a float for the 2005 Pasadena Tournament of Roses
Parade. The Committee encouraged citizens to join them and neighboring
businesses in supporting the float, designed by local artist Raul
Rodriguez and Larry Crain.
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