‘Experimental and fresh art scene’ in Santa Cruz

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In Santa Cruz, art is as core to the culture as the famous surf breaks. Whether it’s a downtown gallery showcasing local contemporary artists, a working collective in a huge historic building or the many brilliant murals that adorn the city’s walls, Santa Cruz is redefining what it means to be an arts destination while maintaining the distinct vibe befitting a bohemian beach town.

“I like to say edgy and unconventional,” said Terri Steinmann, board president and interim administrative manager of the Santa Cruz Art League, which was founded in 1919.

For nearly 40 years, the art center was the steward of a life-size wax replication of Leonardo da Vinci’s “Last Supper” that became an international tourist attraction.

“We do pride ourselves on being unique but we also balance that with excellence,” Steinmann said. “We have a lot of young and emerging artists contributing to a more experimental and fresh art scene.”

Downtown Santa Cruz’s four-year-old M.K. Contemporary Art represents 40 local artists. Owner Melissa Kreisa, herself a painter, gambled on a move from Capitola during the pandemic, opening a bright, spacious retail gallery near the Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History.

“People kept saying to me no one’s ever been able to bring art lovers downtown. Santa Cruz has an amazing arts community, but the buyers weren’t coming until recently,” she said. “I feel like we’re just gaining momentum. For a business owner, it couldn’t be better.”

About a mile from downtown, hundreds of...