State Partners with Local Cultural Artists to Remind Californians “Your Actions Save Lives"

SACRAMENTO – The State of California’s “Your Actions Save Lives” campaign, which provides Californians with information about how to do their part to stop the spread of COVID-19, is partnering with local artists to reach disproportionately impacted communities throughout the state. The program features a variety of artwork with empowering public health messages of protecting one another, resilience and community.

Developed in partnership with The Center at Sierra Health Foundation, the arts initiative is designed to raise awareness of critical actions Californians have taken to help stop the spread of COVID-19, such as wearing a mask, washing hands, physical distancing and getting vaccinated.

“These accomplished artists are tapping into their culture and creativity to share empowering messages with communities that have been hard hit by COVID-19. Art has incredible power and we believe these works will spark important conversations, connections and inspiration throughout the state,” said Chet P. Hewitt, president and CEO of The Center at Sierra Health Foundation.

Who: More than 20 artists are using a variety of art forms and cultural symbolism to connect with communities through empowering messages to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Most of the artists are from the communities where their art is being produced. The project engages Latino, Black/African American, Asian American/Pacific Islander, Native American/Indigenous and LGBTQ artists and communities.

What: The California COVID-19 Community Arts Project features 14 original works produced in mediums including performing, literary, and visual arts in public places throughout California.

When: The program launches in April with installations and performances through June. Many installations will be displayed for at least six months. Art installation dates will vary by location.

Where: Artwork is sited in disproportionately impacted communities to reach ethnically and linguistically diverse audiences throughout California. See highlights below.

Why: Art, like California’s disproportionately impacted populations, is diverse. The program leverages the power of art as a form of communication and as a way to support California’s arts community while celebrating works that provide cultural and linguistic context for communicating messages of awareness, hope, resilience and community.

Highlights of the California COVID-19 Community Arts Project

San Francisco: Serge Gay Jr., mural, Safety First. 2390 Market St. in the Castro District.

Oakland: Masako Miki, interactive installation, Benevolent Animals, Dangerous Animals. Multiple locations in Chinatown.

San Jose: Robin Lasser/Adrienne Pao, pop-up art installation, Spring Awakening Text Bubbles. Multiple sites.

Monterey County: Anjelica Muro /Hector Mendoza Anguiano, newsprint, posters and t-shirts, Comunidad “Juntos salvamos vidas.” Tienditas, supermercados, local businesses in Monterey County.

Los Angeles/East — El Monte: Francisco Palomares, pushcart with handmade artworks, and coloring books, masks and postcards designed by the artist, PalomaresBlvd Art Carrito in El Monte. Seven sites in downtown El Monte includng the Transit Center, parks and plazas.

Los Angeles/South: Raul Baltazar, one-day performance, No Rona!. 20-mile bike ride/performance from South to East LA.

San Bernardino: Tamara Cedre, pandemic-related stories of local residents shared through video, printed ‘zine distributed in newsstands and website, Bridging the Space Between Us. Multiple sites throughout San Bernardino.

Santa Ana: Elena Loureco, Natalia Mendoza and Isabel Gonzalez, storefront installations in downtown Santa Ana, with installations in lending libraries throughout Santa Ana, Transformative Actions. Santa Ana.

San Diego: Tatiana Ortiz-Rubio, mural, Stop the Spread. Bread & Salt Gallery.

El Centro: Ernesto Yereno Montejano, mural, Untitled. Cynthia’s Flower Connection.

Stockton: Sunroop Kaur, mural, Spring. JMP Restaurant Supply.

Sacramento: Jessica Wimbley, digital installation and static billboard; Masking Series. Arden Fair Mall and Oak Park neighborhood.

Central Valley: Juan Felipe Herrera (poet), Leonel Mendoza and Los Originarios del Plan (music group), Grupo Recreacion (music group), Carmencristina Moreno (music group); San Joaquin Valley Latinx Music and Poetry for Covid-19 Prevention. Original songs and poem to be broadcast on Radio Bilingue.

Redding: John Harper, exterior installation, Birds on a Wire/Lessons from Nature. Turtle Bay Exploration Park.

For more information on COVID-19 and the latest public health guidance, visit covid19.ca.gov.

For more information on COVID-19 vaccines and to make an appointment to be vaccinated, visit MyTurn.ca.gov or call 833-422-4255.