Vacaville Arts & Culture Master Plan by Designing Local

VACAVILLE Arts & Culture MASTER PLAN

AUGUST2025

CITY STAFF

Melody Land Recreation Manager

Keana Garcia Administrative Technician II

Kimberly Haynie Office Assistant II

Bruce Mulder Director of Parks and Recreation

ELECTED OFFICIALS

John Carli

Mayor

Roy Stockton

Councilmember, District 1

Gregory Richie II

Councilmember, District 2

Michael Silva

Councilmember, District 3

Sarah Chapman

Vice Mayor, District 4

Ted Fremouw

Councilmember, District 5

Jeanette Wylie

Councilmember, District 6

ARTS ADVISORY COMMITTEE

Brooke Fox Chair

Ryan Bates Vice Chair

Amy Robinson Member

Fatena “Fae” Salfiti Member

Samina Landis Member

DESIGNING LOCAL TEAM

Josh Lapp, AICP Principal + Co-Founder

Lesli Current Principal + Landscape Designer

Jasmine Metcalf Urban Planner

Meredith Reed Urban Planner

Anna Talarico Public Art Coordinator

Andrew Eble Urban Planning Co-op

Melina Duque Urban Planning Co-op

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT

ASSET INVENTORY & ANALYSIS

(CHAPTER 1) SECTION 1

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The Vacaville Arts and Culture Master Plan builds off of decades of arts and culture efforts in the community. Many of the longstanding arts efforts have been grassroots, driven by local community members. The City too has made strides over the years through both direct investments, such as the Vacaville Performing Arts Theatre, as well as through supportive partnerships.

This plan marks the start of a new era for arts and culture in Vacaville. Through this plan the City has now chosen to not only make arts and culture a priority but to do so in a deliberate manner to maximize impact.

Within this plan you will find a vision and guiding principals for arts and culture in Vacaville, developed in partnership with community members. You will also find the methods by which the City and its partners can accomplish the community’s priorities.

The future is bright for arts and culture in Vacaville!

1: CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR EXPERIENCES

2: CATALYZE THE LOCAL ARTS ECOSYSTEM

3: ENLIVEN THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT WITH PUBLIC ART

4: UTILIZE ARTS AND CULTURE AS AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

5: PRIORITIZE ACCESSIBILITY TO THE ARTS

6: FURTHER INTEGRATE ARTS INTO PARKS AND RECREATION

*see page 30 for further detail

(CHAPTER 1) SECTION 2

PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT

To ensure significant public input guided the planning process, a large-scale public engagement effort was launched soon after the kickoff of the project. Engagement began in April 2024 with an on-site visit from the planning team and concluded in November 2024 with another site visit.

The engagement effort took various forms, including:

• A digital survey

• Virtual and in-person stakeholder conversations

• Focus groups

• Community tabling

Additionally, the Designing Local team facilitated the selection of local artist Angela Arteritano to conduct artist-driven engagement which became “Weaving Our Future” as part of the planning process.

OUR APPROACH

The purpose of the Vacaville Arts and Culture Master Plan development process was to guide the City through public dialogue that allows for residents to express a collective vision for arts and culture within the City. There were several key components of our approach:

Meeting people where they were. This meant that we went out to individual events to engage with residents out in the community rather than expecting them to come to us.

Engage in each District. In addition to pop-up engagement at existing community events we also wanted to be intentional about ensuring a geographic distribution of events. In order to accomplish this the “Weaving Our Future” engagement events were distributed throughout the City and with one in each council district.

Go local with artists.

In order to build a stronger connection with the community through the planning process we decided early on to hire a local artist to assist with engagement. The stars aligned with local artist Angela Arteritano who was selected through a Call for Artists and who developed and executed ‘Weaving Our Future.’

POP-UP ENGAGEMENT

• Loop the Lagoon (800 attendees)

• Vaca-Con (3,200 attendees)

• Art League Gallery Reception (100 attendees)

• Dia de los Muertos (1,500 attendees)

• Creekwalk - Time Bandits (2,000 attendees)

• Peña Adobe Open House (200 attendees)

“WEAVING OUR FUTURE” ARTIST ENGAGEMENT

• Andrews Park

• Peña Adobe Park

• Play-4-All Park

• Magnolia Park

• Southwood Park

• Ridgeview Park

Weaving Futureour

ARTIST LED ENGAGEMENT

“Weaving Our Future” was the result of a Call for Artist conducted by the City of Vacaville and Designing Local. The Vacaville based artist Angela Arteritano led residents through guided art making workshops throughout August 2024. Residents contributed their visions for the future of arts and culture in Vacaville.

Participants’ ideas and wishes for arts and culture were incorporated into a tapestry by Angela through painting and punch needling techniques. The tapestry was displayed in the VPAT lobby during performances of “Carmen,” a flamenco ballet adaptation of the Opera, presented by On Stage Vacaville with musical accompaniment by the Grand Feature Film Orchestra. Performances took place September 27 - 29, 2024.

The project also included a short dance film exploring themes of belonging and community. “Weaving Our Future” was instrumental in engaging residents on their desires for the future of Arts and Culture in Vacaville. Their participation, along with our other engagement activities are the foundation for this plan�

WORKSHOPS

• August 2, 6:30 – 9:30 PM at the CreekWalk Concert in Andrews Park

• August 3, 3:00 – 5:00 PM at Peña Adobe Open House at Peña Adobe Historic Area

• August 4, 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM at Play-4-All Park

• August 4, 1:00 – 3:00 PM at Magnolia Park

• August 6, 5:00 – 7:00 PM at Southwood Park

• August 10, 8:00 – 10:00 AM at Ridgeview Park

The Weaving Our Future tapestry was accessioned into the Vacaville

Public Art Collection giving a lasting memento from the Arts and Culture Master Planning process.

What we heard “

KEY SURVEY TAKEAWAYS

Vacaville was most commonly described as “friendly,” “small,” “safe,” “family-oriented” by respondents.

Arts and Culture in Vacaville should feel “welcoming, inclusive, fun, diverse, and exciting” according to respondents.

Lack of knowledge and lack of offerings are the largest barriers of participation in arts and culture activities.

Murals are the most desired Public Art Typology. Other common typologies identified are Sculptural and Functional Art pieces.

Respondents strongly identified Downtown and Parks as places for public art implementation.

Perceived quality of art currently in Vacaville rated 48�97/100�

Respondents participated in events pertaining to Parks and Nature, Food, Live Music, and Community Arts Events

KEY STAKEHOLDER TAKEAWAYS

Vacaville is growing and has the opportunity to be the leader and key hub for arts and culture in Solano County.

While the local arts ecosystem exists, future success depends on it expanding and growing.

There is a need for more arts infrastructure in Vacaville, both physical, programmatic, and operational.

Arts and culture in Vacaville should maximize the potential of the existing performing arts community and offering additional opportunities geared towards young adults.

Cultural offerings and public art should be used to enhance parks and drive foot traffic in Downtown Vacaville.

Additional funding for both public art and cultural activities should be explored.

120,125+

SOCIAL MEDIA REACH

7,800+

EVENT IMPRESSIONS

6,883

ONLINE INTERACTIONS

HOURS OF STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS

107

SURVEY RESPONDENTS

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT TIMELINE

STAKEHOLDERS

SURVEY RESPONSE COLLECTION Dia de los Muertos Loop the Lagoon & Vaca-Con WEAVING OUR FUTURE

SURVEY SNAPSHOT

The following is a snapshot of our survey results. SurveyMonkey was used as the survey platform and the survey was diseminated via the City Website and social media. The full results can be found in Appendix 1.

WHAT WORD OR PHRASE WOULD YOU USE TO DESCRIBE VACAVILLE?

WHAT MOTIVATES YOUR DECISION TO INTERACT WITH ARTS AND CULTURE?

HOW WOULD YOU RATE ART IN VACAVILLE? 4.8 average

WHERE WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE MORE PUBLIC ART IN VACAVILLE?

PARKS WITHIN STREETSCAPES

GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS

WHAT PUBLIC ART TYPES DO YOU WANT TO SEE MORE OF IN VACAVILLE?

ARTS AND CULTURE IN VACAVILLE SHOULD FEEL:

HOW IS ARTS & CULTURE PART OF YOUR SCHEDULE?

IN THE LAST YEAR, WHICH ARTS AND CULTURE ACTIVITIES IN VACAVILLE HAVE YOU PARTICIPATED IN?

PARKS AND NATURE

MUSIC PUBLIC ART MUSEUMS

CULTURAL ARTS

WHAT BARRIERS EXIST TO YOU PARTICIPATING IN ARTS AND CULTURE ACTIVITIES IN VACAVILLE?

#3 #4

ASSET

INVENTORY & ANALYSIS (CHAPTER 1) SECTION 3

An inventory and analysis of cultural amenities, performance spaces, and the Vacaville Public Art inventory has gleaned a few key findings for the arts and culture program: 1) Vacaville is geographically poised to be the primary arts and culture destination in Solano County, serving much of the north and central region.

2) There are 41,827 residents of Solano county’s 450,000 that do not have access to a performing arts space within a 15-minute drive,

3) Vacaville’s public art collection is primarily housed in Downtown Vacaville, with over 34% of the collection being housed exclusively at City Hall and only 19% of artworks being located in the exterior public realm.

Through implementation of this plan and its recommendations, the City of Vacaville can increase arts and culture access both to community members and draw people from across Solano County to experience the arts.

EXISTING ARTS & CULTURE ASSETS

SOLANO COUNTY CULTURAL AMENITIES

ACCESSING PERFORMANCE SPACES

During stakeholder conversations it was routinely discussed that performers desired more access to spaces to perform and rehearse, as existing spaces were often booked out far in advance. The exhibit to the left showcases the geography reachable within a 15-minute drive time of performing arts spaces in Solano County. It was discovered that 41,827 people are not currently served by the existing venues, with Vacaville venues serving the entire northern portion of the county.

MAP KEY

15-MIN DRIVE SHED

Theatres & Performance Spaces

VACAVILLE City Boundary

SOLANO COUNTY BOUNDARY County Boundary

VACAVILLE

FAIRFIELD

VALLEJO

SAN PABLO BAY

NAPA

RIO VISTA

MANKAS CORNER

DAVIS

EXISTING ARTS & CULTURE ASSETS

INVENTORY: CULTURAL AMENITIES

15-MIN DRIVE SHED

Theatres & Performance Spaces

ARTS & CULTURE ASSET Arts Spaces

PUBLIC ARTWORK Exterior Works

PUBLIC ARTWORK Interior Works

ACCESSIBILITY ANALYSIS: PERFORMING ARTS SPACES

15-MIN DRIVE SHED

Theatres & Performance Spaces

VACAVILLE

NUT TREE AIRPORT

CENTENNIAL PARK

ANDREWS PARK

LAGOON LAKE

VACAVILLE

NUT TREE AIRPORT

CENTENNIAL PARK

ANDREWS PARK

LAGOON LAKE

INVENTORY: PUBLIC ART

EXISTING ARTS & CULTURE

INVENTORY: EXTERIOR REALM PUBLIC ART

VACAVILLE

CENTENNIAL PARK

ANDREWS PARK

LAGOON LAKE

VACAVILLE NUT TREE AIRPORT

CENTENNIAL PARK

ANDREWS PARK

LAGOON LAKE

ANDREWS PARK

CENTENNIAL PARK

PUBLIC ARTWORK Exterior Works

VACAVILLE City Boundary

PUBLIC ARTWORK Exterior Works

PUBLIC ARTWORK Interior Works

ANDREWS PARK CENTENNIAL PARK

VACAVILLE: PAST & FUTURE

COMMUNITY CHARACTER FRAMEWORK

VISION FOR ARTS & CULTURE GUIDING PRINCIPLES

(CHAPTER

2) SECTION 1

COMMUNITY CHARACTER FRAMEWORK

The following framework outlines a family of components that speak to the core identity of Vacaville. This framework can be used as an inspiration for future arts, culture and placemaking projects. The framework is not exhaustive but seeks to give a snapshot of the history, people, stories, and future of the City of Vacaville.

HOW TO USE THIS FRAMEWORK

Artists, designers, and creatives looking for inspiration for Vacaville-centric projects can mix and match these elements into their concepts. However the components of the Community Character Framework are interpreted, they will serve as a reflection of the City and as an inspiration for the creative process.

Heart & Home

When asked how to describe Vacaville, many residents went to a simple word: home. Other folks mentioned the family-friendly environment with quality schools, parks, and community events. The small town feel continues to stand out and is a key reason that Vacaville remains home for so many.

Montañas y Valles

The rich land and beautiful rolling landscape that was home to indigenous peoples for millennia and drove Vaca and Peña to establish what would become Vacaville, still inspires residents today. As the linchpin between the peaks of the Vaca Mountains and the plains of the Sacramento Valley, Vacaville occupies a unique position and a natural landscape all its own.

Old Meets New Future Focused

Vacaville has a unique historic character but has also undergone a remarkable transformation from its agricultural roots to a thriving city. This growth is evident in its steadily increasing population, new industry, and new development. This combination allows residents and visitors to experience the best of both worlds.

Vacaville has successfully diversified its economy beyond agriculture, attracting a range of industries and businesses. Its attractive location, affordable housing options, and strong community values have been key drivers of its growth. While challenges remain, such as managing growth sustainably and maintaining housing affordability, Vacaville continues to evolve and prosper.

Montañas y Valles

VACA MOUNTAINS

LAGOON

Old Meets New

VACA & PEÑA

NUT TREE AGRICULTURE

RANCHO LOS PUTOS

SAFE POTENTIAL

INVITING DIVERSE

(CHAPTER 2) SECTION 2

VISION FOR ARTS & CULTURE

The following vision statement is meant to be a concise and inspiring declaration of the City of Vacaville and the community’s ultimate aspirations for arts and culture. It sets Vacaville’s (or “the”) desired future conditions and should guide the efforts of the City, partner organizations and the general public.

The Vision for Arts & Culture along with the Guiding Principles in the following section should:

• Provide direction and guidance for decisionmaking;

• Align the City, partners and the general public towards common goals;

• And most importantly motivate and inspire.

OUR VISION IS FOR VACAVILLE TO BE THE CENTER OF ARTS AND CULTURAL OPPORTUNITY IN SOLANO COUNTY.

GUIDING PRINCIPLES

1: CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR EXPERIENCES

Through the public engagement process the community made it clear that they desire more and better arts events and activities. This has been demonstrated by the continued success of existing events like CreekWalk and newer events such as Día de Los Muertos and Vaca-Con. A core principal of arts and culture in Vacaville should be to create opportunities for experiencing arts and culture for people of all ages. Investments in facilities and cultural spaces will also expand performing arts offerings and experiences.

2: CATALYZE THE LOCAL ARTS ECOSYSTEM

The City of Vacaville has the opportunity to support artists and create the infrastructure that would allow for a snowball effect in the arts community, bringing in additional outside support and resources. According to their 2022 study on the economic impact of arts and culture, Americans for the Arts found that the industry generated $151.7 billion in national economic activity, leading to $29.1 billion in tax revenue. An investment in arts and culture will unlock the City’s full potential as a creative and thriving hub.

3: ENLIVEN THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT WITH PUBLIC ART

Vacaville can transform its public spaces into captivating experiences by integrating public art throughout the City. Imagine vibrant murals adorning blank walls, sculptures adding intrigue to parks and plazas, and interactive installations inviting community engagement. Public art can also serve as an alternative mechanism for implementing Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) strategies for safety enhancement in Vacaville. Additional public art will make Vacaville a more dynamic, safer, and engaging destination for residents and visitors alike.

4: UTILIZE ARTS & CULTURE AS AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

While art should exist for its own sake, it also significantly contributes to economic activity. Given this impact, Vacaville has a great opportunity to invest further in arts and culture as part of the City’s economic development strategy. The desire to improve and enliven Downtown Vacaville presents a core opportunity to utilize arts and culture to aid in economic development, building on existing events and past work.

5: PRIORITIZE ACCESSIBILITY TO THE ARTS

Vacaville can ensure everyone has the opportunity to experience and participate in the arts by prioritizing financial accessibility. This means offering low cost or free events, and scholarships to ensure cost is not a barrier to engagement. This approach is key to ensuring that the City can cultivate a more inclusive and equitable arts ecosystem that benefits everyone in the community. By removing financial obstacles, Vacaville can ensure equity and unlock the creative potential of all its residents.

6: FURTHER INTEGRATE ARTS INTO PARKS & RECREATION

Though Parks and Recreation has long managed arts and culture programming in Vacaville, there remain extensive opportunity to more seamlessly weave arts and culture into the Departments physical and organization infrastructure. By further integrating arts into Parks and Recreation, Vacaville can foster creativity, encourage community interaction, and enhance the overall operations of the Department and experience of residents.

(CHAPTER 2) SECTION 3 FRAMEWORK FOR IMPLEMENTATION

The planning team understands that even the most finely-tuned vision or detailed roadmap requires adaptability so that its users can best respond to present-day circumstances. In order for this plan to continue to support the long-term needs of Vacaville, its decision makers, and its evolving circumstances, the Now, Soon, Next, Then framework for plan implementation offers a flexible yet strategic timeline that prioritizes projects and foundational cultural program elements so that future investments can best leverage the momentum and increased capacity in the cultural sector built through prior phases.

The flexibility provided in this framework creates opportunities for decision-makers to pursue diverse funding sources and pivot implementation priorities to take advantage of changes and growth in the local cultural ecosystem. It also allows the community to continue to dream big, yet places emphasis on actionable, momentum-building steps for growing local arts and culture assets and tackle them as additional funding and capacity becomes available.

NOW 0-4 YEARS

Recommendations and projects in the NOW category are generally either foundational elements that are required prior to later investments in arts and culture or low-cost and quickto-implement project ideas that provide early wins for the community. This might include feasibility studies that provide substantive data to direct capital investments or grantmaking, partnership and organizational capacity building, and the adoption or refinement of policies, processes, or ordinances that create funding streams and lay the groundwork for longer-term strategies.

SOON 4-8 YEARS

Recommendations and projects in the SOON category typically require additional planning and financial measures compared to items in the Now category. These projects may also take advantage of new and diverse streams of funding and partnerships that have been built during the earlier phase. This category is likely to include priority investments to support the community’s vision for arts and culture and strategies to maintain momentum in growing the local arts and culture ecosystem.

NEXT 8-12 YEARS

Items in the NEXT category may comprise several things, from projects with longer implementation timelines driven by their complexity or funding requirements to provide and strategies that provide a clear value but may still fall as a lower priority compared to projects and recommendations in the earlier phases. These projects are often informed by successes and challenges faced during the early years of plan implementation and may pivot from the early vision after additional stakeholder input provides immediate direction to the current needs and priorities of the community. That said, large-scale investments in the Next category are often times some of the most impactful and galvanizing moments in plan implementation.

THEN 12-15 YEARS

Action items in the THEN category encompass visionary and transformative measures that require robust partnerships and commitment to creating a truly thriving arts and culture ecosystem. Then is the moment when the community has truly arrived at the vision articulated through the planning process. This is evidenced through both the successful implementation of critical plan recommendations but also in the runoff effect plan outcomes have on the broader arts and culture ecosystem.

FACILITY NEEDS

FACILITY STRATEGIES

FACILITY OPPORTUNITIES

(CHAPTER 3) SECTION 1

FACILITY:

• NEEDS

• VPAT

• TYPES

• STRATEGIES

• OPPORTUNITIES

FACILITY OVERVIEW

Community Identified Needs

Throughout the engagement process, the planning team worked to identify facilities that are desired by users and the general public in Vacaville. Following engagement the team analyzed community desires to determine key needs. The facilities identified by the public are noted in general terms.

Strategies to Address Needs

Following the needs, there is a series of strategies identified that the City should follow moving forward pertaining to facilities.

The strategies are based on an approach of utilizing resources efficiently and effectively, building on existing resources first. By implementing these strategies, Vacaville can create a dynamic network of spaces that foster artistic expression, community engagement, and cultural vibrancy.

Opportunities to Address Needs

The engagement process also identified key sites and facilities for implementing the above strategies to achieve the desired outcomes. The following potential facilities projects are conceptual in nature but can be the basis by which the City begins to explore how to meet both the needs outlined above but also capitalizes on the key opportunities that exist in the community.

KEY NEEDS

• Rehearsal Space

• Outdoor Performance Space

• Black Box Theatre Style

• Community Art Spaces

STRATEGIES TO ADDRESS NEEDS

• Strategy 1: Explore Existing City-Owned Spaces (p 40)

• Strategy 2: Expand & Enhance Partnerships (p 41)

OPPORTUNITIES TO ADDRESS NEEDS

• Opportunity 1A: Andrews Park Arts Plaza & Path (p 42)

• Opportunity 1B: Andrews Park Amphitheater (p 44)

• Opportunity 2: Peña Adobe Park Improvements (p 46)

• Opportunity 3: Community Center Improvements (p 48)

• Opportunity 4: Small Amphitheater Program (p 49)

SPOTLIGHT: VACAVILLE PERFORMING ARTS THEATRE (VPAT)

The Vacaville Performing Arts Theatre is a cityowned and developed venue located adjacent to the Ulatis Community Center and Vacaville Cultural Center Library. Since its Grand Opening in April of 1993, the Vacaville Performing Arts Theatre has hosted a variety of activities, including: Popular headlining entertainers; Symphony and chamber music; Dance–including ballet, ethnic, modern, jazz, and children’s productions; Comedy; Live theatre–including musicals, dramas, one-man shows, and children’s theatre; and Business meetings and community events.

The Vacaville Performing Arts Theatre boasts an 80′ x 40′ stage with 40′ x 20′ proscenium. Acclaimed for the quality of its world class acoustics and excellent sight lines, the Theatre is equipped with professional sound and lighting systems, a full orchestra pit for 32 musicians, two large dressing rooms, and a professional height fly system to accommodate fullsized scenery. The Theatre also offers a nine-foot Kawai concert grand piano, 75 musician chairs, music stands, short throw Christie 20,600 lumens projector, moving and specialty lights, hazers, geysers, foggers, Marley floor, conductor’s podium and lecterns to support business, educational, or performance needs.

PERFORMANCE SPACE TYPES

REHEARSAL SPACE

Dedicated rehearsal space is crucial for artists to hone their craft and deliver impactful performances. It provides a safe and consistent environment for musicians to practice, for dancers to refine their choreography, and for actors to develop their characters. Rehearsal spaces foster collaboration, allowing artists to experiment, refine their work, and ultimately share their talents with the community.

OUTDOOR PERFORMANCE SPACE

Outdoor performance spaces offer a unique and engaging way to experience the arts. They provide a dynamic setting that can accommodate diverse performances, from concerts and plays to dance and spoken word events. These spaces create opportunities for larger audiences, foster a sense of community, and connect people with the natural environment.

BLACK BOX THEATER SPACE

A black box theater provides a flexible and intimate performance space that can be adapted to a wide range of artistic expressions. Its adaptable configuration allows for creative staging, experimental performances, and unique audience interactions, fostering innovation and artistic risktaking. This versatility makes it an invaluable resource for smaller productions.

COMMUNITY ART SPACES

Vibrant community arts spaces are the heart of a thriving arts scene. These accessible and inclusive hubs provide opportunities for individuals of all ages and backgrounds to connect, create, and engage with the arts. These spaces provide a venue for workshops, classes, and open studios where residents can explore various art forms, from painting and pottery to dance and music.

EXPLORE EXISTING CITY-OWNED & PRIVATE SPACES

Though bold facility ideas may include newly constructed spaces, there are many existing City-owned buildings and privately owned spaces that could be easily used for arts and culture activities. Some spaces could likely be used as-is for various activities and existing underutilized City-owned spaces could be retrofitted in the future for other uses. By inventorying both existing city-owned and private spaces, the arts and culture team can then understand how spaces can be utilized more in their existing state or prioritized for future investments.

PRIORITY ACTIONS

• Inventory all existing city-owned spaces that have the potential to be used for programming

• Inventory private spaces that have the potential to be used for programming

• Convene stakeholders in the arts and culture community yearly to determine what needs and opportunities exist for existing spaces

TIMING

Now: 1-4 years

Recreation Manager & Team, Capital Projects Team

Now: 1-4 years

Recreation Manager & Team, Capital Projects Team

EXPAND & ENHANCE PARTNERSHIPS

In conjunction with regularly examining opportunities for existing City-owned facilities, the City should explore opportunities to enhance and expand partnerships with both non and for-profit arts partners. This could include opportunities to expand existing partnerships or create new relationships.

PRIORITIES FOR PARTNERSHIPS

• Expand programming offerings

• Program existing city spaces

• Plan new or expanded City-led events

• Convene annual meetings with all Vacaville-based or focused arts organizations

OPPORTUNITY 1A

ANDREWS PARK

ARTS PLAZA & PATH

As part of the Art League & Gallery revitalization the surrounding outdoor space could be transformed into a dynamic arts plaza for cultural expression and community engagement. The arts plaza would be connected to Andrews Park with a new pathway and would feature dynamic public art, spaces for performing arts, and a visually interesting approach to landscape design that is integrated into arts and culture offerings. The plaza’s design prioritizes accessibility and multi-functionality, accommodating a range of activities from passive recreation to programmed events, thereby enriching the public realm and contributing to the area’s economic and social vitality.

ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS

• Provide a dedicated platform for showcasing diverse forms of artistic expression such as performing and visual arts

• Draw visitors and tourists to the area and boost attraction to the Art League & Gallery Space

• Provide space for outdoor arts education and create opportunities for learning about art, history, and culture

TIMING IMPACT

Soon: 4-8 years

Recreation Manager & Team, Capital Projects Team

ARTS PLAZA (GENERATED BY AI)

VACAVILLE ART LEAGUE & GALLERY

GEORGIE DUKE SPORTS CENTER

NEW PATH TO ART LEAGUE & GALLERY 0'

NEW ARTS PLAZA

OPPORTUNITY 1.B ANDREWS PARK

AMPHITHEATER

Andrews Park is the premiere venue for city-led outdoor music performances in Vacaville. The existing band shell towards the center of the park is slated for future improvements and is poised for enhancement.

A permanent multi-use amphitheater in the plaza area adjacent to the bridge would allow for more theater and music performances in a more efficient and effective manner. This would allow for the use of the mobile stage elsewhere and connect to other strategic priorities such as Downtown revitalization, economic development, and more programming and accessibility to residents.

ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS

• Current funding for the band shell could be reallocated to planning and design of the Amphitheater

• Events would be considerably more efficient given lesser regular setup needs

• Potential for cost recovery with a usable venue

TIMING

Then: 12-15 years

Recreation Manager & Team, Capital Projects Team

COMMON GROUND CHERYL WING-ZI WONG | BROOKLYN, NEW YORK

PLAZA OF ARCOS DE ZAPOPAN ZAPOPAN, JALISCO, MEXICO

GILBERT REGIONAL PARK DIG STUDIO | GILBERT, ARIZONA

NEW ARTS PLAZA

GEORGIE DUKE SPORTS CENTER NEW

VACAVILLE

OPPORTUNITY 2

PEÑA ADOBE PARK IMPROVEMENTS

The existing Peña Adobe Park and Historic Site have been well programed by the Peña Adobe Historical Society (PAHS) but could be programmed even more with City resources.

Improvements to the park would allow for greater use by residents as well as the ability to host both artsfocused events and outside rentals. This could help support the overall park improvements by having opportunities for cost recovery. In addition this could allow for more programming outside Downtown.

Improvements at the site would also allow for better utilization and more visitorship of the Landmark 1843 Peña Adobe. Currently the PAHS programs the site on Saturdays, therefore the City could explore other additional, complimentary uses for the Adobe such as nature center programming, traditional arts, crafts, and agriculture classes and more on other days.

ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS

• Consultations should be made with Caltrans to study the possibility of sound barriers adjacent to the Adobe and Park

• California State Historic Preservation Office should be consulted to explore possible grants for studies or improvements to Peña Adobe

THE FIELD STATION THE PRESIDIO | SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA

Next: 8-12 years

Recreation Manager & Team, Capital Projects Team

CITY PARK NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA

EISENDRATH HOUSE TEMPE, ARIZONA

PEÑA ADOBE HISTORICAL FOUNDATION

NEW RECEPTION SPACE

CEREMONY SPACE

NEW SOUND BARRIER

MUSEUM

NEW PATH

COMMUNITY CENTER IMPROVEMENTS

The Vacaville Parks and Recreation Department currently manages three community centers: Three Oaks, Ulatis, and the McBride Center. These facilities offer excellent opportunities to increase arts infrastructure in the community by upgrading them with new arts components.

These potential new spaces could be dedicated solely to specific art forms or designed to be multi-functional. Additionally, programming in any new arts spaces could be managed by a future arts and culture team.

ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS

• Dedicated art studio space

• Gallery or exhibition space

• Digital arts lab

• Kiln room

• Maker spaces

• Film lab

TIMING

Soon: 4-8 years

Recreation Manager & Team, Capital Projects Team

STUDIO SPACE CULTURAL ARTS CENTER | COLUMBUS

WOODWORKING STUDIO BARN | BAINBRIDGE ISLAND

THE POTTERY STUDIO CITY OF FORT COLLINS

TIMING IMPACT STAFF

Next: 8-12 years, ongoing

Recreation Manager & Team, Capital Projects Team

OPPORTUNITY 4

SMALL AMPHITHEATER PROGRAM

Vacaville’s numerous parks present ideal opportunities to expand arts infrastructure and access throughout the community. This could be achieved through larger future developments or by adding amenities like small amphitheaters or other intimate venues.

These small amphitheaters could be rented by residents or activated for City-led programming.

ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS

Existing regional parks should be first targeted for new small amphitheaters. Future development should happen as new parks are developed.

PANKOWSKI FRIENDS AMPHITHEATER SCHMEECKLE RESERVE | WASHINGTON

JOHN STREETER GARDEN AMPHITHEATER WOOSTER, OH

SMALL AMPHITHEATER HENDERSON BIRD VIEWING PRESERVE | HENDERSON, NV

PROGRAMMING NEEDS

PROGRAMMING STRATEGIES

PROGRAMMING OPPORTUNITIES

(CHAPTER 4) SECTION 1

PROGRAMMING

• NEEDS

• STRATEGIES

• OPPORTUNITIES