We got an "Arts in California Parks" Grant!!

10.2025 | PRESS RELEASE |

Meiners Oaks Parks Receives Grant to Bring Art into California’s Parks

Ojai, Calif. — Meiners Oaks Parks today received $42,000 in grant funding to join Arts in California Parks,  a partnership between California State Parks, the California Arts Council and Parks California to support artists, culture bearers, California Native American tribes and local groups in creating art and cultural experiences in outdoor spaces.

Arts in California Parks has awarded more than $5.4 million since its launch in 2024 in community grants to enable local nonprofit, community and tribal organizations to bring music, dance, storytelling, visual art and cultural programs into parks, transforming them into vibrant spaces that foster creativity, honor cultural heritage and strengthen community connections. This year, Meiners Oaks Parks joins 29 organizations across California that were awarded grants ranging from $28,000 to $150,000. These funds, totaling more than $2.4 million, will help expand access to the arts in nature and help parks remain welcoming, inspiring and inclusive for all Californians. 

“Together we can make a positive and lasting contribution in our community.  We will convert abandoned commercial property into a vibrant community park and with help from the Art in the Park program we will blend art and nature into a nurturing environment available for all.  We are thrilled to join the Arts in California Parks network,” said Paula Power, President, Meiners Oaks Parks 501(c)3. “At Meiners Oaks Parks, we understand the importance of helping more Californians connect with nature, with one another and with the shared stories that make our state so special.”

“At Parks California, we believe that access isn’t just about getting to a park — it’s about feeling a sense of belonging once you’re there,” said Kindley Walsh Lawlor, CEO and president, Parks California. “Arts in California Parks helps make that possible by connecting people, stories and cultures to the landscapes that define our sense of place. These projects reflect our shared vision of public lands as places where creativity thrives, communities gather and every Californian can see themselves represented.”

Throughout the year, Meiners Oaks Parks will:

·      Partner with Studio Tutto to bring art to the park

·      Invite local schools to participate in the Mural Project, which will design and create a 500ft mural to be painted by Ojai Valley school children

·      Host a sculpture competition for art to be included in the park design

Learn more about the funded projects at ArtsInCaliforniaParks.org/Projects-Map.

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California State Parks, California Arts Council and Parks California’s Arts in California Parks bring creativity and community connection to local parks

Arts in California Parks aligns with statewide initiatives including Governor Gavin Newsom’s Outdoor Access for All, the California Natural Resources Agency’s Outdoors for All and California State Parks’ Reexamining Our Past Initiative. The program supports artists, culture bearers, California Native American tribes and communities in creating art, installations and cultural programming in state and local parks as catalysts for sustainable community connection, health and well-being. Initiated by a one-time general fund allocation that extends through 2027, the program is a partnership between California State Parks, the California Arts Council and Parks California.

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The California Department of Parks and Recreation, popularly known as State Parks, and the programs supported by its Office of Historic Preservation and divisions of Boating and Waterways and Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation provides for the health, inspiration and education of the people of California by helping to preserve the state’s extraordinary biological diversity, protecting its most valued natural and cultural resources, and creating opportunities for high-quality outdoor recreation. Learn more at parks.ca.gov.