Art in Public Spaces
About the Program
Art in Public Spaces is a new program of Nevada County Arts Council in partnership with the County of Nevada. Together, we present quarterly displays at the Rood Center, 950 Maidu Avenue, Nevada City.
Art in Public Spaces is a pilot program through which we are developing a process of engagement and selection in tandem with the County and our community.
Why Art in Public Spaces?
Public art must always strive to be physically and freely accessible. It can be for simple enjoyment or carry many meanings. It can be set in stone, span a wall, be ephemeral or permanent. It can be fantastic or representational; tell a story, lend civic pride, and remind us that though we may be unique in our identities, we are one.
Our program is about providing a thoughtful space of belonging for all residents of Nevada County, expressing community values, heightening our awareness, and helping us question our assumptions. Art in Public Spaces acknowledges both our California Cultural Districts, and communities that populate our diverse landscapes. It is for everyone, a form of collective community expression, reflecting our society and opening our civic spaces.
Have you visited the Rood Center recently? Please take a moment to fill out our brief anonymous survey.
CURRENTLY ON DISPLAY:
About Creative Capital
On Display: September 12, 2025 - February 17, 2026
Reception: Friday, September 19 | 4:30 pm
Medium: muli-media
Creative Capital | Cultivating Community with ASiF - Artists’ Studio in the Foothills highlights the importance of Nevada County’s creative hubs as catalysts for commerce and social well-being, exemplified the resident artists, teachers and students of Artists’ Studio in the Foothills. Click the link to learn more about this incredible resource for our local artists and community.
Creativity is our currency!
We partnered with ASiF to take a behind-the-scenes look at just one of the many makers’ spaces that make Nevada County a thriving arts ecosystem. For 16 years this 4,000-square-foot studio arts center—comprising studio spaces, classrooms, and a gallery—has served as a container for creativity and commerce.
By allowing artists to hone their skills, build businesses, and connect with the community, creative spaces like ASiF foster a vibrant cultural scene. Their business and the artists they support contribute directly to the social and economic vibrancy of Grass Valley-Nevada City Cultural District and surrounding communities. Creativity is not just a cultural amenity, it is a powerful economic driver.
Come explore this dynamic exhibition—where you’ll find ceramics, paper sculpture, papier-mâché, printmaking, painting, drawing and more!
To purchase artwork:
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT… 2025 Highlights:
May - August 2025, thanks to all who attended our last exhibition Culture in Focus!
Images: 11:Eleven Photography
In March 2025, we assembled a panel of experts to discuss the historical renaming of Johnson Canyon—
in case you missed it, check out this video produced by Bitesize Media.
