Local Musician, Nonprofit Executive Recognized as Legacy Artist

BY BREEANA GREENBERG

Arts Orange County selected Dana Point resident Anthony Small as a California Arts Council Legacy Artist Fellowship recipient for his work to further art and culture through several community projects, the organization announced on Tuesday, July 25.

Like a lifetime achievement award, the Legacy Artist Fellowship recognizes artists who have had a lasting and significant impact on their community through their creative output, Arts OC President and CEO Richard Stein explained.

In addition to co-founding the music education nonprofit Music Preserves Foundation, Small writes as a guest columnist for the Dana Point Times, is executive-producing the upcoming documentary Los Lobos—Native Sons, served on Dana Point’s Arts and Culture Commission and was most recently selected to serve as an Ambassador of Music for the Dana Point Sister Cities.

When applying for the fellowship, Small noted that he saw the gestalt of his impact on furthering art and storytelling rather than the individual projects themselves.

“These various projects that I’ve been a part of and grown in our community, oftentimes some people saw them as disparate projects, but I always saw them each as pulling very hard in the same direction for art and community and amplifying diversity and storytelling,” Small said.

Each project is “extremely fulfilling,” Small added. “I feel like that’s why I’m here; that’s what I was put here to do.”

Small and Music Preserves Co-Founder

Patti Compton bring the history of American music to classrooms throughout the Capistrano Unified School District through their music education nonprofit.

Small added that he feels fulfilled when he “sees the kids’ eyes light up in the classroom when we share those stories of the various genres of music and hopefully inspiring the kids.”

“The best part is broadening the horizons and inspiring kids of all ages; by that, I mean our community and the adults in our community as well,” Small said.

Through his column “Dana Point ROCKS” in the Dana Point Times, Small noted he’s able to “amplify diverse artists and businesses.”

“Telling those types of stories again just pulls in the same direction,” Small said. “The opportunity to work on the Los Lobos documentary these last few years, being on the Arts and Culture Commission and having been given that opportunity by the city and City Council, I think launched me into these chapters of my life.”

Small added that he’d like to thank “my kids for believing in their old dad and his dreams, and my wife, Bonnie, not only for her support but for her example of service to others and the community.”

Stein said the Fellows grant is “a competitive process involving peer panels.”

According to a media release, 779 artists applied within the Southern California region of Imperial, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and San Diego Counties. Of the 779 artists who applied, 58 artists were awarded fellowships.

Arts OC is the state partner for Orange County, working with the California Arts Council to provide services and programs locally.

In addition to the fellowship program, the California Arts Council provides “operating support for arts organizations to provide project grants that address specific needs,” Stein explained. “For example, arts programs for veterans, arts programs for youths, arts programs for the incarcerated for reentry and arts programs targeting underserved areas.”

Small is among eight legacy fellows selected who will receive a $50,000 grant.

“The other thing to know about the program is it’s unusual in that it is not a typical grant program where you apply with a project,” Stein said.

“This was simply a Fellowship Award on the basis of your achievements as an artist, whether you’re an early career emerging artist category or whether you’re an established artist who’s been at it for a number of years or if you’re more in the category of lifetime achievement legacy artists who have been doing it for many years,” Stein continued.

The grant funds are unrestricted, allowing artists to use the funds as they see fit.

“If they have a project in mind with it, that’s great,” Stein said. “If they don’t, but just want to continue working on the projects that they’re already doing or pursuing their creative output or engaging with the community in the way that they do, that’s all perfectly fine.”

Small added that he looks to continue to make an impact through his artistic practices, Music Preserves Foundation and the Los Lobos documentary.

“All of those things are about broadening the horizons of all people, not just students and sharing multicultural stories, music and other art that isn’t always presented to the community,” Small said.

Editor’s Note: Anthony Small is a PFM contributor who writes the Dana Point ROCKS column for the Dana Point Times.

Community Meetings

SATURDAY, AUG. 5

Challenging Cancer

10-11:30 a.m. The Challenging Cancer group is conducting weekly meetings through Zoom video conferences. The meetings are open to caregivers, people who have a compromised immune system, and people dealing with cancer. To join, email donnavigil2@gmail.com or linda_crdv@yahoo.com. heritagesc.org.

TUESDAY, AUG. 8

Because I Love You (BILY)

6:30-8:30 p.m. The organization Because I Love You (BILY), which helps parents navigate through whatever parenting challenges they may be facing (e.g., failure to launch, substance misuse, disrespect), conducts its weekly meetings on Tuesdays via Zoom video conference and in person/ Zoom the first Tuesday of each month at the Outlets at San Clemente’s Conference Room. For detailed instructions on how to participate, email bilysanclemente@gmail.com.

OC Parks Summer Concert, Film Series to Hit Dana Point

BY BREEANA GREENBERG

Orange County Parks’ Summer Concert and Sunset Cinema series is continuing into late summer with live performances and movies in parks across the county, with Dana Point hosting the last of the seasonal events.

Starting in mid-August, Bluff Park at Salt Creek Beach will host the last two OC Parks concerts of the summer from 5-8 p.m. On Aug. 17, Dylan Galvin will open for Queen Nation at the free event. Tina Tara will open for Flashback Heart Attack on Aug. 24, also at Bluff Park.

OC Parks will screen Uncharted on Sept. 1, and Mamma Mia! on Sept. 8 at Bluff Park from 6-10 p.m. for the county’s Sunset Cinema series.

The concert and cinema series features food trucks and vendors, as well as a beer and wine garden for attendees 21 and older. All OC Parks Summer Concert and Sunset Cinema events are free to the public and include free parking.

More information on the OC Parks Summer Concert and Sunset Cinema Series can be found at ocparks.com.

Bluff Park is located at Salt Creek Beach, 33333 S. Pacific Coast Highway, Dana Point.

Supervisor Foley Announces Members of Harbor Advisory Committee

BY BREEANA GREENBERG

The newly created Harbor Advisory Committee that aims to give constituents regular reports on the harbor revitalization’s construction progress and improve transparency over the project has been empaneled, Orange County Fifth District Board Supervisor Katrina Foley announced on July 28.

Community figures such as Mayor Mike Frost and Ocean Institute President and CEO Wendy Marshall will sit on the committee alongside local boaters and members of the general public, as well as owners of harbor businesses including Jon’s Fish Market and Westwind Sailing.

The committee, which Foley announced plans to create during the Dana Point Civic Association’s monthly Coffee Chat in March, will meet regularly to act as a “third party objective overseer of the project,” Foley said.

“What I heard a lot from the community over the last year was there was a feeling of, there’s a lot of misperceptions, one; two, there was a feeling of distrust of the process and a feeling that there was no oversight in the project,” Foley said.

Foley noted that when she first initiated the committee, her goal was to have a group of individuals who can look over contracts, income and revenue, and work on addressing community concerns to see if there are any initiatives that could be brought forth or suggested to the Dana Point Harbor Partners.

“I want (the committee) to respond to the community concerns, and I think this will allow us more oversight, more transparency, and hopefully we can gain some better trust from the greater community about the project, which I think is ultimately a really fabulous project,” Foley said.

The Harbor Advisory Committee will not only oversee the $400 million harbor revitalization but also the county-run portion of the harbor including Baby Beach and the OC Sailing and Events Center.

“They can be my eyes and ears and can help make recommendations that will benefit the harbor as a whole, and that’s not just as it relates to the Dana Point Harbor Partners’ piece of the harbor, but for me, we have the county piece also,” Foley said.“So, I want their insights, I want their recommendations, and I want their oversight so that we can improve the quality of the entire harbor.”

The Harbor Advisory Committee includes a representative from the City of Dana Point, a representative of the Ocean Institute, two business representatives, two boaters and two members of the public.

In total, Foley’s office received 33 applications for the boater and public representative positions. Those interested in being on the committee submitted a short application including their resumes and a letter of interest, Foley explained.

“So, we had people identify whether or not they were a boater, or whether they had a small business or a larger business in the harbor, whether they had some interest as a public member,” Foley said.

“We also will include, of course, a representative from OC Parks, from the real estate office at the county, and then the Dana Point Harbor Partners,” Foley continued.