What is This All About?

Since 1993, hundreds of organizations throughout the United States have celebrated October as National Arts and Humanities Month (“NAHM”). The event is now the largest annual celebration of the arts and humanities in the nation, and has encouraged millions of Americans to renew or begin a lifelong habit of active participation in these disciplines.

This year, representatives from the City of Mountain View’s Performing Arts Committee and Visual Arts Committee, the Community School of Music and Arts, the Central Business Association and other organizations have formed a planning committee to launch a local celebration of NAHM in Mountain View, California. The purposes of the planning committee's activities are

• to increase awareness of the importance of the arts in Mountain View, and
• to lay the groundwork for an annual celebration of NAHM in Mountain View.

The committee is organizing an Arts Challenge in which community members will be asked to complete a fill-in-the-blank letter, describing ways in which they appreciated and/or created art in Mountain View in October 2010. The "blank" letter will be available to download from this blog and the websites of local organizations; and hard copies will be available to pick up from the Mountain View Public Library and other central locations. Individuals who submit completed letters (at the Mountain View Public Library or by mail) will qualify for a random drawing for prizes.

Stay tuned!

Save the Dates

On October 3 and October 17, we will be showcasing two of the Peninsula's finest performing arts venues, with events that will be free and open to the public. The October 3 event will take place at the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts, and the October 17 event will take place at the Community School of Music and Arts. Both performances will begin at 2:00 pm. More details are coming soon...

About Arts Action 21

Arts Action 21 was initiated by the City of Mountain View's Performing Arts Committee, and is now supported by numerous regional and local groups and volunteers. Please check back to stay informed about our upcoming activities!

For 2010, the theme of the October arts celebration in Mountain View is multiculturalism. Last year, we awarded more than $800 in prizes to celebrate National Arts and Humanities Month in Mountain View. For more information about this, please visit our blog at Mountain View Celebrates the Arts in October.

Explore new facets of the arts and humanities in your lives and begin a lifelong habit of active participation. Watch this space for more details in the coming months!