Simi Valley Cultural Arts Center to Present FINDING OUR VOICES: A NIGHT OF THE ARTS in November

The Simi Valley Cultural Arts Center will partner with the County of Ventura, Moorpark Community College and the Ventura County Arts Council to celebrate Ventura County's 150th Anniversary with a community event and night of the arts at the Simi Valley Cultural Arts Center on November 1st from 6 pm to 8 pm. This special evening's theme is Finding Our Voices: A Night of the Arts and will feature an opening reception and art exhibit by students of the Moorpark College Photography Department, an artist panel discussion, live music from Simi Valley's own classic rock and jazz band, Liquid Indigo, and poetry readings from three of Ventura County Arts Council's Youth Poet Laureate and Ambassadors program.

Finding Our Voices: A Night of the Arts will showcase photographic artworks by current and recently graduated students of the Moorpark Community College's Photography Department. Students are using the medium of photography to find their voice as they navigate private and public life in this exploration of self, time, and place. This exhibit features the thoughtful artwork of twenty three artists including Brooke Andraus, Felipe Araneda, Gabrielle Biasi, Kat DeGuzman, Gerardo Delgado, Blake Fagan, Richard Gonzalez, Karissa Haff, Cameron Han, Ryan Interrrante, Jesus Isabeles, Mary Maki, Victoria McLaughlin, Joseph Mercado, Joseph Moche, Rolla Parks, Chistopher Pineda, Olivia Ricketts, Ruth Salazar, Madeleine Salvay, Becky Savell, Cristina Serrano, and Kaela Watso. The artist panel discussion will feature several of the artists in this exhibit. The discussion will be moderated by Moorpark College Photography Professor Karin Johansson.

Simi Valley Cultural Arts Center will partner with the Ventura County Arts Council to feature live poetry readings featuring three local youth poets including Anya Shah,  the 2023-24 Ventura County Youth Poet Laureate ; Lili Lang, a Youth Poet Ambassador;   and Sofia Noriega, a recent Ventura County Poetry Out Loud champion and a Youth Poet Laureate ambassador. The Ventura County Youth Poet Laureate program aims to identify young writers and leaders who are committed to civic and community engagement, poetry and performance, and human relations, diversity and social justice across Ventura County.

Finding Our Voices: A Night of the Arts will begin at 6 pm in SVCAC's Upper Gallery with the art exhibit and light refreshments. Live music, poetry readings and the Artists Panel discussion will follow in SVCAC's Mainstage Theater beginning at 6:30 pm. Admission to this event is free of charge and open to the public. Light refreshments will be available during the Opening Reception and the public is invited to come and meet the featured artists who will be in attendance at this event.

Free admission to the Simi Valley Cultural Arts Center's Galleries and SVCAC sponsored Community Exhibits is made possible through the combined generosity of the City of Simi Valley, the Simi Valley Cultural Arts Center Foundation, local business partners, and donors.