Kern River Valley Art Association Brings Art to the broader community through KDACC grant

Kern River Valley Art Association uses art to increase awareness of climate problems 

With the support of the KDA Creative Corps, the Kern River Valley Art Association (KRVAA) launched “Make Kern River Valley Better Through The Arts.” This initiative aims to utilize the power of the arts to transform the Kern River Valley, a region of the Southern Sierra Nevada in Kern County. The program seeks to raise residents’ awareness about important issues facing their community such as water and climate mitigation and promote social change through artistic expression. 

As part of an initiative, KRVAA created a documentary film named “Kern River Valley Horizons,” which was showcased at five community gathering spaces for residents from the lowest quartile of the Healthy Places Index. The film showcases the Valley’s treasures and the challenges the region faces.  

Courtesy of Kern River Valley Art Association

Chuck Barbee, the narrator and one of the film’s writers, principal photographers and co-directors, emphasized the importance of a strong, unified local voice in addressing the challenges. The film’s core idea came from the KRVAA, with the assistance of the Grants Coordinator Art Sidner. The residents of Wofford Heights gathered at the Arts Center Gallery on Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023, for the public debut of the documentary film. The film “Horizons” aims to unite the diverse communities in the Valley and encourage effective communication, prosperity, and problem-solving. However, bringing everyone together and aligning their opinions is a challenge. 

The Valley faces several other challenges, including devastating wildfires, flooding, infrastructure issues, homelessness, and drug use. Nevertheless, the community is hopeful and believes that through arts initiatives like “Horizons,” they can overcome the issues.  

To support the initiative, the KRVAA has opened an Industrial Arts Center that offers training in various industrial arts skills such as welding, glass fusing, computer graphics and hand tools. The center provides a low-cost space for artists to access resources, learn new skills and express their creativity. 

Courtesy of Kern River Valley Art Association

The “Make Kern River Valley Better Through the Arts” program exemplifies KRVAA’s commitment to making the arts accessible to all populations, particularly those in the lowest quartile of the Healthy Places Index. The association’s passion for promoting social change through the arts has made it a hub for creativity and conversation, clarifying the community’s vision. 

To learn more about KRVAA, visit https://www.krvaa.org/.

About the Organization: Kern River Valley Art Association

The Kern River Valley Arts Association is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide art-related resources to residents of the Kern River Valley area. Its goal is to expand the cultural and economic perspectives of Kern River Valley’s inhabitants by offering artists a platform to exhibit their creations, supporting the growth of budding artists, and fostering tourism by establishing a hub for exceptional visual and performing arts.