Where is art? That will likely become a question of the past for cultural consumers in Placer County. A collaborative effort among local arts organizations has begun to incite a creative community. The work is guided by PlacerArts and made possible through grants by the Placer Community Foundation.

Spurred by a recent analysis which indicated Placer County residents have a strong interest in the arts but are not maximizing the cultural resources available to them locally, nonprofit art organizations are finding new and collaborative ways to increase public involvement. One big change is the advancement of on-line marketing through PlacerArts’ Online Events Calendar and Artist Registries at placerarts.org.

Placer Community Foundation recently awarded PlacerArts a $20,000 grant for technological enhancements of online marketing tools and collaborative promotions. Scheduled to be implemented at the start of 2009, new user-friendly tools will allow people to access all arts-related activities taking place in Placer County, with links and a virtual map of local arts organizations, as well as an enhanced on-line box office for ticket purchases.

“The purpose of improving collaborative marketing is to increase public involvement in local arts through greater on-line accessibility to Placer County’s flourishing arts and culture scene,” said Angela Tahti, Executive Director of PlacerArts. “PlacerArts.org is the gateway to a rich array of performing, literary and visual artists and arts organizations that provide quality programming.”

Additional grants in the arts this past year from Placer Community Foundation have supported: Auburn Community Concert Association, Auburn Placer Performing Arts Center, Lincoln Arts & Culture Foundation, Roseville Arts!, Placer Community Theater, Placer Theatre Ballet, South Placer Heritage Foundation, and Take Note Troupe.

While the Placer Community Foundation has been making grants to the arts for the past three years, its Board of Directors made the strategic change to focus its grantmaking on these audience development efforts.

“We see the need for arts in our community now more than ever,” said Veronica Blake, Chief Executive Officer for Placer Community Foundation. “During times of economic uncertainty, the arts are a positive vehicle for change. They enrich lives, stimulate economic growth, help advance educational success in our youth, and build cultural connections. We are pleased to support this work.”

To learn how you can support the arts in Placer County, visit the Placer Community Foundation website at www.placercf.org or call (530) 885-4920.