The work.
The Work of Sierra Nevada Memorial Hospital Foundation
Learn all about how you can help us increase access to health care in Western Nevada County
47,000 Square Miles: California's Creative North
In May 2022, Nevada County Arts Council was selected as the Administering Organization for a 19-county service region under the California Creative Corps, a program of the California Arts Council. With funds from the Governor’s Task Force on Business and Jobs Recovery, The Creative Corps was the first state organized program of its kind in the nation, responsible for distributing $60 million in grant awards across 58 counties. County arts agencies across California’s 19 county Upstate Region—State-Local Partners with the California Arts Council—announced grant awards in late June, 2023. 32 partner agencies and 48 lead creative partners, with a total of 460 paid artists, culture bearers and cultural workers, supported initiatives serving our least represented peoples, and most vulnerable communities and environments over 47,000 square miles. 88% of our grantees were in receipt of state funds for the first time. 47,000 Square Miles—California's Creative North, showcases the work of just nine of our eighty grantees, whose role was to create awareness for issues critical to society, and to highlight their work as invaluable members of the workforce following the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Standing Dead - Full Documentary
Overstocked. Overgrown. Overdue. Our forests are sending a message. What we see as beauty… may also be a warning. Standing Dead is a powerful look at the forces building behind the next catastrophic wildfire—and the communities already living with the consequences. From Butte and Plumas Counties to the forests of Nevada County, the risks are real—but so is the opportunity to act. Because entire towns don’t burn by accident. And the future isn’t written yet. There is still time to change the outcome. Start by watching. Then be part of what comes next. Support our mission of a wildfire ready Nevada County at www.wildfirereadync.org. Wildfire Ready Coalition of Nevada County Resilient in the Face of Fire. Built to Withstand the Blaze.
Atmosphere Design + Build - Our Approach
Atmosphere Design Build is an integrated architecture and construction firm rooted in the landscapes of Northern California. We create site-responsive homes that are shaped by the climate, the land, and that are specifically designed for the lives of the people who inhabit them. We practice architecture as a relational act – developing meaningful relationships with our clients through the process of designing and building homes for them. The story of a place and the aspirations of our clients guide the work, supported by our expertise in site-specific architecture and building science. Our approach is conceptually rigorous and materially grounded, allowing ideas to be expressed through assemblies and construction details. We believe clarity emerges when form, structure, and energy performance are developed together rather than in isolation. We value restraint over excess, durability over novelty, and buildings that age with dignity rather than demand attention. Performance is not an aesthetic; it is a responsibility—to our clients, to the craft of building, and to the land itself.
Learn All About Why Our Community Supports Sierra Nevada Memorial Hospital Foundation
We’re grateful for every voice, every story, and every reason. Thank you to those who support Sierra Nevada Memorial Hospital Foundation and help make compassionate care possible.
Upstate Creative Corps | Systems Thinking
California Arts Council’s Creative Corps program invited artists into the workforce to share with clarity awareness for some of society’s most critical issues. In this short film, Upstate California Creative Corps grantees and Nevada County Arts Council staff consider how our collective work has supported the way communities understand greater themes of connectivity, broader perspectives, and better decision-making. Are we looking at the bigger picture, rather than just the problem itself? Community by community, issue by issue, artists and communities working together look at how the role of an individual connects to others, and how our choices impact larger systems.
Upstate Creative Corps | Art and Division
California Arts Council’s Creative Corps program invited artists into the workforce to share with clarity awareness for some of society’s most critical issues. In this short film, Upstate California Creative Corps grantees speak to their work against division in in a hyper-polarized world. With poignancy, grantees speak to their inclusive work in community where positive critique, healing, and practical problem solving might thrive.
RAYS of Change
RAYS of Change tells the story of the youth-led alternative to suspension program RAYS (Restorative Accountable Youth Solutions).Filmed in Nevada County, CA, the film follows the early days of the RAYS program and highlights the impact it has on students involved , either as clients or student team members. It captures the power of a peer-led program and the importance of taking a restorative approach to discipline. For more information: http://nevco.org/rays We appreciate your donation to help support the free streaming of this documentary. https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=XDF9236UQT6NC PPITRODKF5TYXTZE
Napa Valley Zinfandel Stories
The Napa Valley: Nestled northeast of the San Francisco Bay, to most of the world, this region represents the epicenter of American winemaking. The Zinfandel Stories series was created as a part of a CDFA grant given to Zinfandel Advocates and Producers, and non-profit advocating Zinfandel wine and grapes in California.
Growing Together
Growing Together gets personal with three women personally impacted by nonprofit Sierra Harvest's stated mission: to educate, inspire, and connect families to fresh, local, seasonal food. Meet a busy mom of seven who felt that bringing fresh food to her kids was out of her reach, a schoolteacher who doesn't like vegetables, and a small farmer who almost threw in the towel. 2019 Wild & Scenic Film Festival Selection
Bright Futures today … and tomorrow
Bright Futures for Youth has become THE place to be where we are now serving one in 12 youth in Nevada County. From after-school programs and summer camps, Bright Futures gives kids a safe place to make friends, learn new things, get help with their homework and so much more.
Mendocino County Zinfandel Stories
Picturesque and wild, Mendocino County is a sight to behold. Sheltered from daytime ocean breezes by the coastal range, this region offers terrific conditions for Zinfandel. The Zinfandel Stories series was created as a part of a CDFA grant given to Zinfandel Advocates and Producers, and non-profit advocating Zinfandel wine and grapes in California.
BriarPatch Vignettes: Lars Ortegren
BriarPatch Vignettes: Jan Bedayn
BriarPatch Food Co-op opens its second store in Auburn August 10, 2023!
BriarPatch Vignettes: Equal Exchange
BriarPatch Vignettes: Kayle Martin
San Francisco Bay Area Zinfandel Stories
While not many would call the San Francisco Bay wine country, no other place holds more of a symbolic and influential connection to Zinfandel. The Zinfandel Stories series was created as a part of a CDFA grant granted to Zinfandel Advocates and Producers, and non-profit advocating Zinfandel wine and grapes in California.
Nevada County is in the Last Mile for Ending Veteran Homelessness
Nevada County, California, is in the last mile of reaching functional zero for veteran homelessness. The county is reducing veteran homelessness, connecting and coordinating the problem solvers across the community and using data to address the specific needs of each veteran, so no one is left behind. Watch their progress in action and learn more about the Built for Zero movement to end homelessness at HomelessnessIsSolvable.org ------- Directed and edited by Kit Kohler of Riparian Studios Director of Photography: Val Camp #Homelessness #Homeless #EndingHomelessness #EndHomelessness #SolveHomelessness #SolvingHomelessness #CommunitySolutions #BuiltForZero #FunctionalZero #California #CaliforniaHomelessness #Veterans #Veteran #VeteranHomelessness #NevadaCounty #SocialChange #SocialGood #SocialImpact #Nonprofit #GivingBack #DoGood
CA Association of Resource Conservation Districts; A Focus on Nevada County
This film explores the evolution of cannabis cultivation in Nevada County, California. It details the transition from an era of unregulated, environmentally destructive grows to a sustainable, permitted, and regulated agricultural framework following the passage of Proposition 64. Through interviews with local officials and farmers, such as Chris Hennis of Rock Creek Ranch, the video highlights how collaborative efforts between growers, the Sheriff’s Department, and Code Compliance have prioritized land stewardship, water conservation, and high-quality standards. The film underscores the economic and environmental benefits of bringing the industry into the light, advocating for regulation as a tool for community betterment.
Better Together: Affordable Housing in Nevada County
Since 2017, eight developments have been in planning, active construction, or completed, totaling 301 new units of affordable housing throughout the county: 157 units for Western Nevada County and 144 units for Eastern County. A total of 175 units are now complete and are in the process of leasing or have residents already moved in. By January 2022, 69 additional units will be completed. Affordable housing is a priority for Nevada County. To learn more about The Nevada County Plan to Address Homelessness that includes strategies to increase affordable housing, please visit BetterTogetherNevadaCounty.org or https://www.mynevadacounty.com/2413/Better-Together. Residents are encouraged to learn about available resources and ways to support the community with volunteer opportunities and special programs for qualified landlords. For those ready to lend a hand and be part of the solution, search Connecting Point’s Volunteer Hub for a variety of local volunteer opportunities addressing homelessness: https://volunteerhub.connectingpoint.org/bettertogether If you currently face housing insecurity, call Connecting Point 211 to hear about housing services or referrals to emergency shelter, food, healthcare, transportation, legal assistance and more. Dial 2-1-1 (or 1-833-342-5211).
Nevada County Firewise Communities: We are the Solution
In Nevada County, wildfire preparedness isn't just a catchphrase to us. It's a way of life. It's what's required for us to live and thrive in the rugged Sierra foothills. And, it's why we have more Firewise Communities than any other county in the nation. Because, for us, preparedness takes everyone, working together. Find your place in the solution. Visit ReadyNevadaCounty.org/WeAreTheSolution
Know Your Zone
Nevada County, CA, listen to the experts: Know Your Zone and write it down. Authorities will use Zone Names in emergency alerts, media releases, and social media to notify residents which areas are under an evacuation warning or order. It does not replace CodeRED or Nixle but supplements them. Not every incident will require the use of Zonehaven, just as every incident does not call for an evacuation. In the event of an evacuation incident, knowing your zone could save time when minutes count. Know Your Zone in 3 Easy Steps: 1. Visit community.zonehaven.com 2. Enter your address into the search bar 3. Find your zone in the pop-up window and write it down Help spread the word, share this video, talk to friends and family about their preparedness plan, and stay #ReadyNevadaCounty!
Ready Nevada County: Ready, Set, Go!
This is a short film version of the Ready, Set, Go! Guide created to assist in educating more people on the specific steps to wildfire and emergency preparedness in Nevada County. Residents are encouraged to watch, share, and discuss with loved ones as a companion to the detailed Ready, Set, Go! Handbook. Look for the 2021 version in the mail, May 2021. Created by Riparian Studio’s Kit Kohler and Val Camp, produced by County of Nevada, FREED, and Nevada County Sheriff's Office. Learn more at http://ReadyNevadaCounty.org. Thumbnail photo provided courtesy of The Union.
Acting Up | At work with our local LGBTQ youth
In this short video, our applied Theatre for Change teaching artist, Daniela Fernández, works with local LGBTQ youth during the summer months, and explains why it feels so important that young people can voice issues that are important to them through body work and improvisation. Issues such as social justice and local and global challenges are shared, as well as common struggles such as how to deal with everyday micro-aggressions directed at them as Queer youth, and learning through empathy. Each year we develop lessons that integrate character education themes with California Arts Standards, through which our teaching artists offer weekly sessions, focused on transformational learning in with local community partner institutions. Nevada County’s most vulnerable youth, those who have experienced unparalleled disadvantage, gain in resilience, confidence and communication skills both in and outside the classroom.
BASS Cancer Center
Executive Producer: Shanin Martin Directed & Edited by: Kit Kohler Director of Photography: Val Camp
Colin Construction Company | Leading Projects to Exceed Patient Care Goals
Executive Producer: Shanin Martin Directed & Edited by: Kit Kohler Director of Photography: Val Camp