Upcoming Exhibitions
Movement: A Moment in Time
Nationwide Photography Exhibition
Friday, January 17 – Saturday, February 22, 2025
Reception: First Friday, February 7, 5:00-7:30pm
Movement, with its ever-changing nature, offers a beautiful canvas for you to explore and share your unique perspectives. Movement is something we all experience, but it is different for each of us. By exploring this theme, photographers will have the opportunity to show the rhythm and energy of life as you see it. We hope that this exhibition, juried by local photographer Devi Pride, will inspire thought, curiosity, and creativity.
Shipping Drop Off: January 7th and 8th, 1-4pm
In-Person Drop Off: January 9th and 10th, 1-4pm
Pick Up: February 22, 4-6pm & February 24, 1-3pm
Fullness & Emptiness
Susie Wilson, Soo Choi, and Heejin Lee
Friday, March 7 – Saturday, April 12, 2025
Reception: First Friday, March 7, 5:00-7:30pm
Fullness & Emptiness is the rhythm of life; a heartbeat is the sound of it, the tides are the creation of it, human experience is the living of it, and art is the translation of it. Our worlds do the dance between the two and our feelings and emotions go with that rhythm. It is the Yin and yang of being human.
This exhibition features the artwork of Susie Wilson, Soo Choi, and Heejin Lee, three incredible local artists including our very own Santa Cruz Art League Exhibitions Curator.
High School Show
67th Annual Countywide Exhibition
Thursday, April 17 – Saturday, May 10, 2025
Reception: Saturday, April 19, 2:00-4:00pm
Since 1955, the Santa Cruz Art League’s High School Show has provided one of the only professional gallery exhibitions for high school-age artists in the county. Students from public, private, charter, home, and at-risk schools are invited to benefit from the Art League’s state-of-the-art space, giving the community a preview of the next generation of local artists. This exhibition aims to encourage young artists to new heights and support the growing creative community!
Drop Off: April 15th and 16th, 2-5PM
Pick Up: May 10th, 4-6pm & May 12th, 2-5pm
Next / Now
Intergenerational Perspectives
Friday, May 16 – Saturday, May 24, 2025
Reception: Saturday, May 24, 2:00-4:00pm
SCAL is proud to host a wide variety of exhibitions spanning many mediums, themes, and age groups. Next / Now is an intergenerational exhibition that exemplifies this theme, showcasing the art of those working in the arts now, and the next generation to come. With a common theme throughout, this exhibition shows the differing perspectives between generations of artists, as well as the similarities between us all.
Drop Off: May 13th, 1-4pm
Pick Up: May 24th, 4-6pm
Curate This!
UCSC Student Exhibition
Friday, May 30 – Saturday, June 7, 2025
Reception: First Friday, June 6, 5:00-7:30pm
SCAL is proud to host a wide variety of exhibitions spanning many mediums, themes, and age groups. We are especially happy to be providing a space for upcoming artists through our several exhibitions aimed at showcasing the work of young adults and teens. We are thrilled to work with UCSC on several exhibitions and give college-aged artists a chance to be featured in a professional gallery.
Drop Off: May 27th, 1-4pm
Pick Up: June 7th, 4-6pm
Metamorphosis
SCAL Teacher & Student Show
Friday, June 13 – Saturday, June 28, 2025
Demonstrations: Saturday, June 21 and Sunday, June 22
This two-week exhibition is a special focus on the education that SCAL is proud to foster. Our exceptional teaching staff and their talented students will be joining together in an exhibition to showcase what they’ve learned from one another. Perhaps you’ll be inspired to work with one of our teachers yourself!
Drop Off: June 9th and 10th, 1-4pm
Pick Up: June 28th, 4-6pm and June 30th, 1-3pm
California Landscape Show
94th Annual Statewide Exhibition
Wednesday, July 16 – Saturday, August 23, 2025
Reception: First Friday, August 1, 5:00-7:30pm
The historic California Landscape Exhibition is a tradition almost as old as the Santa Cruz Art league itself. Featuring artists from all over the state, this exhibition celebrates the beauty, diversity, and majesty of California. We are thrilled to be hosting this incredible exhibition and can’t wait to share it with the public for the 94th year running.
Shipping Drop Off: July 7th and 8th
In-Person Drop Off: July 9th and 10th
Pick Up: August 23rd, 4-6pm and August 25th, 1-4pm
SC Watercolor Society Show
Friday, August 29 – Saturday, September 13, 2025
Reception: First Friday, September 5, 5:00-7:30pm
In the early 1970s, a group of plein air artists formed the nucleus of what became the Santa Cruz Watercolor Society when they began to create a bulletin that published where they planned to meet. The organization has grown and networked and now includes opportunities for all watercolorists whether or not their interest is focused on plein air painting. Come see the current cohort’s work at our exclusive two week exhibition
Drop Off: August 26th
Pick Up: September 13th, 4-6pm and September 15th, 1-3pm
Open Studios Preview Show
Friday, September 26 – Sunday, October 19, 2025
Reception: Sunday, September 28th, 3:00-6:00pm
The Annual Open Studios Art Tour is a county-wide tradition, hosted and sponsored by the Santa Cruz Arts Council. The Santa Cruz Art League is thrilled to be once again hosting the associated preview show, where Open Studios artists are invited to display an exemplary piece as a preview of their studio tour. Come see their work to get a head start on planning your tour, and pick up your artist postcards and studio guidebooks while you’re at it!
Drop Off: September 17th and 18th
Pick Up: October 20th
Community Altars
Multicultural Celebration of Life
Wednesday, October 29 – Saturday, November 1, 2025
Closing Party: Saturday, November 1, 4:00-6:00pm
Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) is a holiday widely observed in Mexico and by people of Mexican heritage, wherein communities gather to pay respects and remember friends and family members who have passed on. Here at SCAL we honor this tradition by creating an ofrenda, or altar, and displaying works by artists in our community who have passed this year. We hope you will join us in honoring their memory. This year we will also be incorporating other traditions to honor the dead from around the world.
Drop Off: October 21st and 22nd
Pick Up: November 1st
Luck of the Draw
Wednesday, October 29 – Saturday, November 8, 2025
Event: Saturday, November 8th, 2:00-5:00pm
Luck of the Draw is our annual fundraiser, where you can win an original piece of artwork for your very own! Talented members of our community donate their incredible art, and our ticket-holders are entered into a lottery to choose what piece to take home! Everyone who buys a tickets will leave with a piece of artwork valued at more than two times the ticket price.
Drop Off: October 21st and 23rd
Pick Up: Pieces go home with ticket-holders on the day of the event!
Step into Santa Cruz
2025 Members’ Exhibition
Friday, November 21 – Friday, December 19, 2025
Reception: First Friday, December 12, 5:00-7:30pm
We extend our heartfelt thanks to each and every one of our dedicated members whose support has been instrumental in keeping our organization alive.
As we draw the curtains on 2025, we take great pleasure in showcasing the exceptional talents of our diverse group of artists. Embrace the beauty of artistic expression in all its forms, as we welcome a myriad of mediums that is truly representative of our artistic community.
Drop Off: November 12th through November 14th, 1-4pm
Pick Up: December 19th, 4-6pm and December 20th, 1-4pm