About Us

About Our Organization

Our Mission

Davis Arts Center helps the Sacramento region’s youth cultivate the visual artist within, fostering creativity, curiosity, resiliency, and empathy for others.

Our Vision

We believe that all children in California will have access to an arts education that develops essential life skills. Through artistic practice, students will develop a strong work ethic and a respect for materials, process and subject. Students will be part of a creative community that celebrates the power and reward of close examination of our world, a willingness to engage in self-discovery, flexibility in the face of challenges, and a sense of joy in achievement.

Our Values

We do this by valuing Risk Taking, Pride, Connection and Joy!

Risk Taking: The best way to see if something works is to try it. Encouraging experimentation and discovery.

Pride: Confronting challenges brings confidence and fulfillment.

Connection: Inspiring the exchange of ideas, respect for each other and building of community that comes from working together.

Joy: The meaningful inspirations and excitement of creating something.

Our History

Davis Arts Center has been a leader in arts education in our community since our founding in 1960. Our first three decades, we were located in several buildings in downtown Davis providing arts classes, places to show work and a community around the arts in Davis. In 1987, we moved from the downtown location to 1919 F Street, when our purpose built arts center was inaugurated.  Hundreds of artists have taught classes and shown work at our location.

In 2014, the organization changed its name to Davis Arts Center to reflect its multi-disciplinary, multi-generational focus. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Davis Arts Center continued to offer arts as a means of growth and connection by introducing at-home arts kits and teacher training to virtual classrooms across the greater Sacramento area. Today, Davis Arts Center has resumed in-person classes and camps and continues to build its curricula and partnership with schools.

Our reputation as a leader in arts education is expanding as we serve hundreds of teachers and thousands of students in Northern California with state-standards aligned elementary school visual arts curriculum.