What is Arts, Culture, & Creativity Month?
In 2019, CA for the Arts successfully campaigned for the state to recognize and celebrate the arts by declaring April as Arts, Culture, & Creativity Month (ACCM) through a concurrent resolution passed in the California Senate. In 2021, an additional resolution was declared to recognize artists as second responders.
CA for the Arts directs this annual month-long spotlight on the arts to raise visibility and awareness about the value of our sector, to empower arts advocates to take action, and to spur greater investments in our industry and workforce.
This year marks the 8th annual ACCM. Centered on the theme of Boundless Culture & Creativity and the sub-theme of Building Joy, Action + Power, the month-long initiative encompasses media campaigns, community programming, and statewide advocacy to celebrate the indispensable role of arts and culture in California life.
Our goal is to activate the state and make it easy and educational for you to participate in ACCM. In the months ahead we will release FREE toolkits and resources to generate a social media campaign, get your local government to proclaim April as Arts, Culture, & Creativity Month, learn how to conduct a visit with your legislator and leverage local media to support getting your community talking about the value of the arts.
Press Releases
ACCM Resources
Organizers Toolkit
#JoyActionPower is a campaign within #ACCM2026—an opportunity to come together and champion the transformative power of creativity. This toolkit will guide you through the many ways you can take part in the campaign.
Proclamation Toolkit
Proclamations are an opportunity to celebrate and showcase the contributions that the arts make to your local community and bring visibility to the value of arts, culture and creative industries to elected officials and to the public, and to show our unity in the creative sector.
Captain's Toolkit
This toolkit contains all the steps and resources you need to organize and lead Advocacy Meetings with your State Lawmakers in April 2026!
Amplify ACCM Media Toolkit
This toolkit provides organizations, artists, and advocates with resources to promote a unified statewide message for investing in California's creative workforce and recognizing artists' vital role.
ACCM Logos
Download our logos to add to your ACCM 2026 events and promotional materials!
Guide to Successful Advocacy
Everything You Need for Do-It-Yourself Lawmaker Meetings
#JoyActionPower Logos
Participate #JoyActionPower ACCM 2026 campaign by downloading our logos and adding them to your marketing and event materials!
Share Your April #JoyActionPower Event!
New This year! Submit your event or exhibition to our statewide calendar of events so others can discover it. Promote it across your channels and tag #JoyActionPower to help the movement grow.
Confirm Your Proclamation
After you get your Arts, Culture, & Creativity Month (ACCM) 2026 proclamation passed - share your success with us!
CA Arts & Culture Summit 2026
CA for the Arts is excited to announce its flagship ACCM event: the 4th Annual CA Arts & Culture Summit. The Summit will take place on Sunday, April 19 & Monday, April 20, 2026, in Sacramento, at both the Memorial Auditorium and the SAFE Credit Union Convention Center. The theme for 2026 is "Boundless Creativity & Culture: The Essence of Freedom."
Learn More
Arts Advocacy Day 2026
Join us on Tuesday, April 21, 2026 at Capitol Park, Sacramento for Arts Advocacy Day, a vital moment to raise your voice and take action. Arts Advocacy Day kicks off with energizing rally featuring dynamic speakers and performances. Then we march to the Capitol together to sit down to talk policy with state lawmakers.
Learn More
Arts Champion Awards
Every year, we present the Arts Champion award where we recognize state arts and culture policy leaders. Past Legislative Arts Star Award recipients include:
2025
Senator Lola Smallwood-Cuevas
Assemblymember Mike Gipson
Rick Stein
2024
Senator Anthony Portantino
Assemblymember Wendy Carrillo
Mayor Darrell Steinberg
2023
Speaker Emeritus, Anthony Rendon
Senator Toni Atkins
Assemblymember Tasha Boerner Horvath
2022
Governor Gavin Newsom
Assemblywoman Sharon Quirk-Silva
2019
Assemblymember Richard Bloom
Senator Scott Wilk
2018
Senator Ben Allen
Senator Jim Nielsen
2017
Assemblymember Ian Calderon
In the Archives
2025
ACCM 2025's programming and activations were shaped by the theme "Health, Healing, Hope," exploring the vital intersection of arts with community wellness and recovery while also emphasizing that Art Work is Real Work – building on our successful advocacy for artists as essential workers in our communities.
2024
ACCM 2024's theme was "Art Work is Real Work." Artists play an essential role in our economy and our health with critical contributions across a variety of social impact areas but often are without the services and conditions they need to thrive due to the ongoing undervaluing of their work.
2023
CFTA is honoring the fifth year of ACCM by building a program for April 2023 that will continue to expand upon our successful program that engages arts advocates across the state and raises awareness of the impact of the arts within communities of all sizes through free events, resources, and advocacy opportunities offered all month long.
Thank You to
Our Sponsors
Find Out How You Can Become a Sponsor
This package outlines all the ways you or your organization can help support this statewide celebration of arts, culture, and community. With flexible sponsorship opportunities to match every level of giving, there’s a place for everyone to contribute and make an impact in the arts. For more information, please contact NeFesha Yisra'el, Director of Programs, at nefesha@caforthearts.org.