Artists and art-enthusiasts from around the Tri-City Area are already working hard to create a packed Arts, Culture and Creativity Month (ACCM) in April. A resolution from the California Senate designated a month for supporting the arts back in 2019, and Fremont acknowledged ACCM via a city proclamation in 2022. However, due to COVID, the Fremont edition of ACCM, Fremont Creates, didn’t really get started until 2023. Organized by local arts leaders, the event series got enough traction and raised enough funds to expand in 2024, including a free Grand Finale at Fremont’s Downtown Event Center.
On Jan. 21, 2025, the Fremont Creates team held an informational meeting at Artist Walk Common in Centerville, highlighting the goals for 2025. The five members of the steering committee are: Susan Longini, Julie Gilson, Phyllis Wood, Lisa Stambaugh and Janine Pitta. Other members of local arts groups attended, including Tetiana Teganskaya of Imaginook Studio and Al Minard of Fremont Cultural Arts Council.
This April, the Arts Mosaic in Mission San Jose (Apr. 26) and Fremont Open Studios (Apr. 12, 13 and 26) will join the event lineup. In fact, Stambaugh encourages arts organizations to try to schedule their events to coincide with ACCM so that they can join the Fremont Creates calendar and get added publicity.
However, she emphasized the benefits are to the community as well. “Benefits to people everywhere in the community include exposure to diverse forms of art, broader understanding of cultures…It encourages Fremont residents to participate in local events.”
Stambaugh continued, “It strengthens community bonds and hopefully builds a sense of identity, facilitates networking…provides platforms to showcase work, gain recognition and exchange ideas, and opens doors to new opportunities.” Overall ACCM improves quality of life and gives an escape from “the daily grind.”
Judy Lam and Carlos Hernandez represented Bay Philharmonic’s Youth Orchestra, who will perform at the Grand Finale on Apr. 27. This year, they are open to combining the concert with other art forms, such as visual art and dance.
Muirgheal Forro, who manages social media for the group, emphasized that rather than putting their funds into promoted posts from Meta, they’ll instead post a series of raffles the community can participate in via social media, encouraging followers to circulate updates organically and putting the money directly back into the community with the lucky winners. Social media blitz days for Fremont Creates will be announced Jan. 28.
The end-of-the-month finale is taking shape, and spots are still open for participating artists. Production company Prime Time Entertainment will provide AV equipment. Activities will be hosted across four venues: The Statement Room and Liberty Room for talks and screenings, the Capitol Room for a kid-oriented makerspace, and the Plaza with a performance stage and space for 10 tents.
Fremont Creates is still looking for arts events to add to the calendar, organizations that would be interested in hosting tents at the Grand Finale, and volunteers (high school students can earn up to four hours at the finale).
Fremont Creates
fremontcreates.com
