MMA’s Inaugural Block Party

An Arts Festival for Everyone

This April, the Museum turned itself inside out for the Inaugural Block Party, extending past our doors and spilling into the street to meet our community and invite them in—in many cases for the first time. The festival provided an unprecedented opportunity to show the Monterey community what we’re all about and the direction we are heading. With the Block Party, we set out to create an extension of our Museum and its core values: cultivating belonging and connection through art. We asked our participating artists, artisans, vendors, performers, and community organizations to offer a hands-on participatory activity for visitors of all ages, experiences, abilities, and interests to allow for deeper connections and expressions of creativity. At the end of the day, the Block Party welcomed more than 3500 visitors. We made new relationships with other organizations and visitors and got to know our neighbors better. The overwhelming success of the Block Party is also a reflection of the vibrant arts community that expands across Monterey County. We can’t wait to return next year, bigger and better than ever. Until then, we’ll be offering more ways to interact with art and each other through free First Fridays, Free Family Fun Days, and some exciting new public programming initiatives in the fall.