How healthy is Sacramento’s arts scene? Local leaders weigh in

Local arts leaders say Sacramento has no shortage of talent or audiences, but shrinking grants, rising costs and limited corporate support are making it harder to build a sustainable creative economy.

Sacramento isn’t often referred to as an art city. Perhaps that’s due to its status as a government town or its position in the creative shadow of San Francisco and L.A.

A few Saturdays ago, I was perusing the “artists’ row” at the Midtown Farmers Market when I met a young artist selling prints of her colorful still-life paintings. I asked how she regarded Sacramento as a place to launch a creative career, and I was pleased by her enthusiasm. She said the community is supportive of her work — her booth is a popular one — and the city is more affordable than San Francisco while still within easy reach of that market.

I’ve found that Sacramentans, while proudly industrious and perhaps more pragmatic than their coastal counterparts, deeply value art and having a personal connection to the artists they patronize. Aside from its agrarian and commerce-oriented nicknames, Sacramento has been called the “City of Murals,” a reputation earned through hundreds of independent decisions to invest in creativity.

Nonetheless, it’s getting harder to make it as an artist in Sacramento.

Comstock’s brought together five leaders in the arts community to better understand the challenges facing the scene.

– Dakota Morlan, managing editor

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UC Davis Grads Built a Marketplace for the Student Gig Economy

University students offer all kinds of services to fellow students: photography, hair styling, nail art, DJing. All they needed was a platform to make the search easier. So in 2025, Buzzit founder Parinita Gupta created one.

Comstock’s Wins 4 First-Place Prizes in California Journalism Awards, Plus Second Place In General Excellence

As in years past, Comstock’s was well represented among the 2025 winners, earning four first-place, five second-place, three third-place, two fourth-place and two fifth-place awards, including best reporting on food, agriculture, fine arts and profiles.

Some recommendations from our editors

Judy: I had a weekend getaway to L.A. to visit my daughter. We spent a day at Huntington Beach, aka Surf City, and it earned its reputation. The waves were huge and a riptide was in effect, prompting lifeguards to use bullhorns to get swimmers out of the water. If you’ve seen the viral video of the 16-year-old lifeguard rescuing a boy in churning waves, you know how dangerous it can be.

On the lighter side, I always appreciate when I fly into Burbank and Southwest Airlines boards and exits passengers from both the front and rear of the plane. So much more efficient.

Jennifer: This week I rediscovered an album I enjoyed listening to in high school: “Parle-moi” (Talk to me) by Chloe Sainte-Marie. It’s unusually lyrically complex for early-2000s folk-pop, and for a reason — the songs are poems by iconic Canadian writers Gaston Miron and Patrice Desbiens set to music. The earthy, simple arrangements let the words shine. Plus, it also makes great background music for a dinner party.

Odds and ends

Our August issue explores Sacramento as a travel destination, “haunted” real estate and more. Read it now on your computer, phone or tablet.

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