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"content": "\n\u003cp>West Berkeley’s \u003ca href=\"https://stainedglassgarden.com/\">Stained Glass Garden\u003c/a> is an active community hub built on artistic expression. Fifty years after opening its doors, in many ways, the glassmaking studio and gallery is a mosaic in and of itself.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The venue rents studio space for making fused glass panels and glass lampshades. The organization sells supplies to artists, holds classes for students and, in their gallery, showcases the works of more than 100 local glassmakers. “Many of whom got their start in our classes at some point in time,” says Julie Orchard, Stained Glass Garden owner.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The space is open daily, welcoming seasoned professionals, recent retirees and new visitors influenced by Instagram. “There’s a whole new generation of young folks coming out and creating with glass,” says Orchard, who also hosts many longtime glassmakers. “An hour ago I was with a someone who has been our customer for all 50 years. It’s just a wonderful, unique place.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The range of artists who find peace in glasswork will be present on Sunday, Sept. 20, as \u003ca href=\"https://stainedglassgarden.com/blogs/news/50th\">Stained Glass Garden celebrates its 50th birthday\u003c/a> with a block party.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1706\" height=\"2560\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/IMG_0144-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"A display of items made of stained glass, including a colorful lamp.\" class=\"wp-image-13993958\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/IMG_0144-scaled.jpg 1706w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/IMG_0144-160x240.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/IMG_0144-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/IMG_0144-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/IMG_0144-1365x2048.jpg 1365w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1706px) 100vw, 1706px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Stained glass lamp shades are one of many items artists create at Stained Glass Garden in Berkeley. (Kelly Sullivan)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The event, which includes a community mosaic project and works from students over the past half-century, will take place in Berkeley’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.fourthstreet.com/alllist\">Fourth Street\u003c/a> shopping district. The organization has called the area home long before it turned into the bustling upscale neighborhood it is today, with a Sur la Table, Sephora and Herman Miller outlet all a short walk away.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We were the first store down here,” says Orchard of what was then a small home-studio, founded in 1976 by \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/glassartmosaics/\">Joan McLean\u003c/a>. Orchard first joined Stained Glass Garden in 2004 and soon “fell in love with glass and all of its aspects,” she says.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Now, her glasswork community extends far beyond the shop. “I actually had a student in the delivery room with me when I was having my first child,” Orchard tells me, “and a different student was the pediatrician the next day.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The work itself extends beyond the shop’s walls as well, and can be seen \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DcgqdR_IVQj/\">throughout the region\u003c/a>. One of the company’s instructors was a part of the team that recently restored the glass at San Francisco’s Grace Cathedral. In the Bay Area, “if you look at a stained glass window in somebody’s house,” she says, “it’s probably from Stained Glass Garden.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>When McLean semi-retired in 2008, Orchard took over the store. “She just was a great mentor, and gave me complete freedom to build the store as I saw fit,” Orchard recalls.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>McLean is officially stepping away this year, making this weekend’s event a bit of a retirement party, as well as an opportunity to see Stained Glass Garden’s next chapter, says Orchard.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Eventually, the torch could get passed down in more ways than one.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“My 11-year-old daughter,” Orchard says, “just designed, cut, ground and soldered her very first stained glass panel just about two weeks ago.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003chr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" />\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Stained Glass Garden’s 50th anniversary party is Sunday Sept. 20 from 2 p.m. until 5 p.m. at Stained Glass Garden (1800 Fourth Street, Berkeley, CA 94710). \u003ca href=\"https://stainedglassgarden.com/blogs/news/50th\">Check here for more information\u003c/a>. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The event, which includes a community mosaic project and works from students over the past half-century, will take place in Berkeley’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.fourthstreet.com/alllist\">Fourth Street\u003c/a> shopping district. The organization has called the area home long before it turned into the bustling upscale neighborhood it is today, with a Sur la Table, Sephora and Herman Miller outlet all a short walk away.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We were the first store down here,” says Orchard of what was then a small home-studio, founded in 1976 by \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/glassartmosaics/\">Joan McLean\u003c/a>. Orchard first joined Stained Glass Garden in 2004 and soon “fell in love with glass and all of its aspects,” she says.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Now, her glasswork community extends far beyond the shop. “I actually had a student in the delivery room with me when I was having my first child,” Orchard tells me, “and a different student was the pediatrician the next day.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The work itself extends beyond the shop’s walls as well, and can be seen \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DcgqdR_IVQj/\">throughout the region\u003c/a>. One of the company’s instructors was a part of the team that recently restored the glass at San Francisco’s Grace Cathedral. In the Bay Area, “if you look at a stained glass window in somebody’s house,” she says, “it’s probably from Stained Glass Garden.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>When McLean semi-retired in 2008, Orchard took over the store. “She just was a great mentor, and gave me complete freedom to build the store as I saw fit,” Orchard recalls.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>McLean is officially stepping away this year, making this weekend’s event a bit of a retirement party, as well as an opportunity to see Stained Glass Garden’s next chapter, says Orchard.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Eventually, the torch could get passed down in more ways than one.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“My 11-year-old daughter,” Orchard says, “just designed, cut, ground and soldered her very first stained glass panel just about two weeks ago.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Stained Glass Garden’s 50th anniversary party is Sunday Sept. 20 from 2 p.m. until 5 p.m. at Stained Glass Garden (1800 Fourth Street, Berkeley, CA 94710). \u003ca href=\"https://stainedglassgarden.com/blogs/news/50th\">Check here for more information\u003c/a>. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "Founded in 1976, the store and studio rental space celebrates its half-decade of glassmaking with a block party.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>West Berkeley’s \u003ca href=\"https://stainedglassgarden.com/\">Stained Glass Garden\u003c/a> is an active community hub built on artistic expression. Fifty years after opening its doors, in many ways, the glassmaking studio and gallery is a mosaic in and of itself.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The venue rents studio space for making fused glass panels and glass lampshades. The organization sells supplies to artists, holds classes for students and, in their gallery, showcases the works of more than 100 local glassmakers. “Many of whom got their start in our classes at some point in time,” says Julie Orchard, Stained Glass Garden owner.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The space is open daily, welcoming seasoned professionals, recent retirees and new visitors influenced by Instagram. “There’s a whole new generation of young folks coming out and creating with glass,” says Orchard, who also hosts many longtime glassmakers. “An hour ago I was with a someone who has been our customer for all 50 years. It’s just a wonderful, unique place.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The range of artists who find peace in glasswork will be present on Sunday, Sept. 20, as \u003ca href=\"https://stainedglassgarden.com/blogs/news/50th\">Stained Glass Garden celebrates its 50th birthday\u003c/a> with a block party.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1706\" height=\"2560\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/IMG_0144-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"A display of items made of stained glass, including a colorful lamp.\" class=\"wp-image-13993958\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/IMG_0144-scaled.jpg 1706w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/IMG_0144-160x240.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/IMG_0144-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/IMG_0144-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/IMG_0144-1365x2048.jpg 1365w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1706px) 100vw, 1706px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Stained glass lamp shades are one of many items artists create at Stained Glass Garden in Berkeley. (Kelly Sullivan)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The event, which includes a community mosaic project and works from students over the past half-century, will take place in Berkeley’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.fourthstreet.com/alllist\">Fourth Street\u003c/a> shopping district. The organization has called the area home long before it turned into the bustling upscale neighborhood it is today, with a Sur la Table, Sephora and Herman Miller outlet all a short walk away.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We were the first store down here,” says Orchard of what was then a small home-studio, founded in 1976 by \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/glassartmosaics/\">Joan McLean\u003c/a>. Orchard first joined Stained Glass Garden in 2004 and soon “fell in love with glass and all of its aspects,” she says.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Now, her glasswork community extends far beyond the shop. “I actually had a student in the delivery room with me when I was having my first child,” Orchard tells me, “and a different student was the pediatrician the next day.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The work itself extends beyond the shop’s walls as well, and can be seen \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DcgqdR_IVQj/\">throughout the region\u003c/a>. One of the company’s instructors was a part of the team that recently restored the glass at San Francisco’s Grace Cathedral. In the Bay Area, “if you look at a stained glass window in somebody’s house,” she says, “it’s probably from Stained Glass Garden.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>When McLean semi-retired in 2008, Orchard took over the store. “She just was a great mentor, and gave me complete freedom to build the store as I saw fit,” Orchard recalls.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>McLean is officially stepping away this year, making this weekend’s event a bit of a retirement party, as well as an opportunity to see Stained Glass Garden’s next chapter, says Orchard.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Eventually, the torch could get passed down in more ways than one.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“My 11-year-old daughter,” Orchard says, “just designed, cut, ground and soldered her very first stained glass panel just about two weeks ago.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003chr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" />\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Stained Glass Garden’s 50th anniversary party is Sunday Sept. 20 from 2 p.m. until 5 p.m. at Stained Glass Garden (1800 Fourth Street, Berkeley, CA 94710). \u003ca href=\"https://stainedglassgarden.com/blogs/news/50th\">Check here for more information\u003c/a>. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "tone-capone-dies-producer-bay-area-i-got-5-on-it-hip-hop",
"title": "Tone Capone, Producer of ‘I Got 5 On It,’ Dies at 59",
"publishDate": 1789368726,
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"headTitle": "Tone Capone, Producer of ‘I Got 5 On It,’ Dies at 59 | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>Tone Capone, a prolific producer who brought the mobb music style of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/bayareahiphop\">Bay Area hip-hop\u003c/a> to the world with the smash hit “I Got 5 On It,” died on Saturday. He was 59.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Capone’s death was reported online Sunday by close family. A cause of death was not immediately revealed. Capone had been living in the Las Vegas area since 2021.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Along with the Luniz’ “I Got 5 on It,” Capone produced many regional hip-hop classics that remain in regular rotation. Those include 3xKrazy’s “Keep It on the Real,” Mac Dre’s “Fire” and “Not My Job,” Celly Cel’s “It’s Goin’ Down,” Devin the Dude’s “Sticky Green” and E-40’s “Ring It.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Across his career, Capone produced or worked with a who’s-who of Bay Area rap, including the Jacka, Dru Down, The Click, Conscious Daughters, Mac Mall, Messy Marv, Andre Nickatina, Spice 1, San Quinn and dozens of others. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1481\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/Screenshot-2026-09-13-at-9.41.23-PM.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13993850\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/Screenshot-2026-09-13-at-9.41.23-PM.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/Screenshot-2026-09-13-at-9.41.23-PM-160x118.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/Screenshot-2026-09-13-at-9.41.23-PM-768x569.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/Screenshot-2026-09-13-at-9.41.23-PM-1536x1137.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">(L–R) Tone Capone, Scarface and Willie Hen pose for a photo backstage at Yoshi’s, in Oakland, in January 2020. (Tone Capone / Instagram)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As a beatmaker steeped in the funk and soul of the 1970s, Capone’s rap production emphasized the the first downbeat of each measure, accompanied by exaggerated bass tones and live instruments. Along with his charting hits, his sound found receptive ears in Houston, Texas, where he worked with rapper Scarface, Devin the Dude and others. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Capone was born Anthony Douglas Gilmour in Berkeley, and was raised in North Oakland, near Bushrod Park. His family home was filled with the music of the era: Earth Wind & Fire, the Crusaders, Parliament, Kool & the Gang, Curtis Mayfield, Donald Byrd.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While attending Berkeley High School, he learned how to DJ using a friend’s turntables. Before long, he began DJing at events — parties at fraternity houses, or at the Lake Merritt boathouse — with friend Nick Peace, who would become \u003ca href=\"https://genius.com/artists/Nick-peace\">a notable hip-hop producer himself\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1402\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/Screenshot-2026-09-13-at-9.38.09-PM.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13993848\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/Screenshot-2026-09-13-at-9.38.09-PM.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/Screenshot-2026-09-13-at-9.38.09-PM-160x112.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/Screenshot-2026-09-13-at-9.38.09-PM-768x538.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/Screenshot-2026-09-13-at-9.38.09-PM-1536x1077.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">(L–R) Tone Capone and friend Nick Peace DJing at a dance party, circa 1982. (Tone Capone / Instagram)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In the mid-1980s, after high school, Capone began making beats with four-track cassette recorders, drum machines, turntables and tape decks. Shortly after buying his first Technics 1200 turntable, he committed himself to making music instead of hustling.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While Bay Area rap had been famously independent, some of Capone’s earliest work was commissioned by major labels for the Oakland group \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13983670/oakland-is-proud-mural-repainted-graffiti-artist-del-phresh\">Capital Tax\u003c/a> and R&B trio SWV.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In 1993, fate intervened. Capone reconnected with a friend from Berkeley High, Mike Marshall, who’d had a hit song with “Rumors,” by his group Timex Social Club. The two were at Capone’s house one day when members of the Luniz happened to visit, bringing song ideas.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>One of the songs, in a rough sketch, was “I Got 5 On It.” On the spot, Marshall wrote the melody for the hook, Capone created a beat based on the Club Nouveau song “Why You Treat Me So Bad,” and before long, the track was laid down in the studio.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps://youtu.be/CiZ3XtGtmQs?si=pV2D1f8zt16jFZ93\n\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Released in 1995, “I Got 5 On It” was an immediate hit in the Bay Area, and reached the Top Ten on the Billboard Hot 100. Gradually, the song grew to enjoy global recognition, aided by \u003ca href=\"https://youtu.be/CiZ3XtGtmQs?si=pV2D1f8zt16jFZ93\">a remix\u003c/a> featuring Dru Down, Spice-1, E-40, Shock G, and Richie Rich. In 2019, a \u003ca href=\"https://youtu.be/WFGmO1e_sAU?si=2M_wpvyD9gAozhRC\">slow, brooding remake\u003c/a> of Capone’s beat was utilized by director Jordan Peele in the horror film \u003cem>Us\u003c/em>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>After chart success, Capone kept working. Through working with Oakland rapper \u003ca href=\"http://www.kqed.org/bayareahiphop/timeline#seagram-appears-on-the-jenny-jones-show\">Seagram\u003c/a>, signed to Houston’s Rap-a-Lot Records, Capone met the producer Mike Dean, who suggested he join upcoming sessions for the rapper Scarface.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The resulting album, 1997’s \u003cem>The Untouchable\u003c/em>, went platinum, with Capone’s production work throughout. Tracks included the Rick James flip “Mary Jane,” and “\u003ca href=\"https://youtu.be/SjZqtyADPBM?si=3U9-KSXNITDBUJTp\">Smile\u003c/a>,” a major hit featuring one of the last verses recorded by Tupac Shakur. (In his memoir \u003cem>Diary of a Madman\u003c/em>, Scarface named Capone on a list of the all-time greatest producers, alongside Dr. Dre, Pharrell and Timbaland.)\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Capone also connected with Mac Dre in the late 1990s, going on to produce the Ohio Players-inspired single “\u003ca href=\"https://youtu.be/nyJriMM5K28?si=IzqyyMwhR7wNgNOA\">Fire\u003c/a>,” the street classic “\u003ca href=\"https://youtu.be/5SObi_VrtU8?si=6J7oyui290bCS27g\">Not My Job\u003c/a>,” the track “\u003ca href=\"https://youtu.be/dIKvs-8g6Ow?si=Snuv5tqj4_o483K8\">Genie of the Lamp\u003c/a>” and others before Mac Dre’s death in 2004. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In the 21st century, Capone stayed active among a cohort of artists, pushing himself to try new tempos and musical styles. Before his death, he had recently \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozoj6lbP8FI\">worked with the Punjabi rapper Kanwar\u003c/a>. He also took a day job, working at a hospital, before retiring.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>At press time, no services have been announced.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Tone Capone, a prolific producer who brought the mobb music style of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/bayareahiphop\">Bay Area hip-hop\u003c/a> to the world with the smash hit “I Got 5 On It,” died on Saturday. He was 59.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Capone’s death was reported online Sunday by close family. A cause of death was not immediately revealed. Capone had been living in the Las Vegas area since 2021.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Along with the Luniz’ “I Got 5 on It,” Capone produced many regional hip-hop classics that remain in regular rotation. Those include 3xKrazy’s “Keep It on the Real,” Mac Dre’s “Fire” and “Not My Job,” Celly Cel’s “It’s Goin’ Down,” Devin the Dude’s “Sticky Green” and E-40’s “Ring It.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Across his career, Capone produced or worked with a who’s-who of Bay Area rap, including the Jacka, Dru Down, The Click, Conscious Daughters, Mac Mall, Messy Marv, Andre Nickatina, Spice 1, San Quinn and dozens of others. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>As a beatmaker steeped in the funk and soul of the 1970s, Capone’s rap production emphasized the the first downbeat of each measure, accompanied by exaggerated bass tones and live instruments. Along with his charting hits, his sound found receptive ears in Houston, Texas, where he worked with rapper Scarface, Devin the Dude and others. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Capone was born Anthony Douglas Gilmour in Berkeley, and was raised in North Oakland, near Bushrod Park. His family home was filled with the music of the era: Earth Wind & Fire, the Crusaders, Parliament, Kool & the Gang, Curtis Mayfield, Donald Byrd.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>While attending Berkeley High School, he learned how to DJ using a friend’s turntables. Before long, he began DJing at events — parties at fraternity houses, or at the Lake Merritt boathouse — with friend Nick Peace, who would become \u003ca href=\"https://genius.com/artists/Nick-peace\">a notable hip-hop producer himself\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>While attending Berkeley High School, he learned how to DJ using a friend’s turntables. Before long, he began DJing at events — parties at fraternity houses, or at the Lake Merritt boathouse — with friend Nick Peace, who would become \u003ca href=\"https://genius.com/artists/Nick-peace\">a notable hip-hop producer himself\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/Screenshot-2026-09-13-at-9.38.09-PM.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13993848\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/Screenshot-2026-09-13-at-9.38.09-PM.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/Screenshot-2026-09-13-at-9.38.09-PM-160x112.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/Screenshot-2026-09-13-at-9.38.09-PM-768x538.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/Screenshot-2026-09-13-at-9.38.09-PM-1536x1077.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">(L–R) Tone Capone and friend Nick Peace DJing at a dance party, circa 1982. \u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Tone Capone / Instagram)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/Screenshot-2026-09-13-at-9.38.09-PM.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13993848\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">(L–R) Tone Capone and friend Nick Peace DJing at a dance party, circa 1982. \u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Tone Capone / Instagram)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In the mid-1980s, after high school, Capone began making beats with four-track cassette recorders, drum machines, turntables and tape decks. Shortly after buying his first Technics 1200 turntable, he committed himself to making music instead of hustling.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>While Bay Area rap had been famously independent, some of Capone’s earliest work was commissioned by major labels for the Oakland group \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13983670/oakland-is-proud-mural-repainted-graffiti-artist-del-phresh\">Capital Tax\u003c/a> and R&B trio SWV.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>While Bay Area rap had been famously independent, some of Capone’s earliest work was commissioned by major labels for the Oakland group \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13983670/oakland-is-proud-mural-repainted-graffiti-artist-del-phresh\">Capital Tax\u003c/a> and R&B trio SWV.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In 1993, fate intervened. Capone reconnected with a friend from Berkeley High, Mike Marshall, who’d had a hit song with “Rumors,” by his group Timex Social Club. The two were at Capone’s house one day when members of the Luniz happened to visit, bringing song ideas.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In 1993, fate intervened. Capone reconnected with a friend from Berkeley High, Mike Marshall, who’d had a hit song with “Rumors,” by his group Timex Social Club. The two were at Capone’s house one day when members of the Luniz happened to visit, bringing song ideas.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>One of the songs, in a rough sketch, was “I Got 5 On It.” On the spot, Marshall wrote the melody for the hook, Capone created a beat based on the Club Nouveau song “Why You Treat Me So Bad,” and before long, the track was laid down in the studio.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps://youtu.be/CiZ3XtGtmQs?si=pV2D1f8zt16jFZ93\n\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Released in 1995, “I Got 5 On It” was an immediate hit in the Bay Area, and reached the Top Ten on the Billboard Hot 100. Gradually, the song grew to enjoy global recognition, aided by \u003ca href=\"https://youtu.be/CiZ3XtGtmQs?si=pV2D1f8zt16jFZ93\">a remix\u003c/a> featuring Dru Down, Spice-1, E-40, Shock G, and Richie Rich. In 2019, a \u003ca href=\"https://youtu.be/WFGmO1e_sAU?si=2M_wpvyD9gAozhRC\">slow, brooding remake\u003c/a> of Capone’s beat was utilized by director Jordan Peele in the horror film \u003cem>Us\u003c/em>. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Released in 1995, “I Got 5 On It” was an immediate hit in the Bay Area, and reached the Top Ten on the Billboard Hot 100. Gradually, the song grew to enjoy global recognition, aided by \u003ca href=\"https://youtu.be/CiZ3XtGtmQs?si=pV2D1f8zt16jFZ93\">a remix\u003c/a> featuring Dru Down, Spice-1, E-40, Shock G, and Richie Rich. In 2019, a \u003ca href=\"https://youtu.be/WFGmO1e_sAU?si=2M_wpvyD9gAozhRC\">slow, brooding remake\u003c/a> of Capone’s beat was utilized by director Jordan Peele in the horror film \u003cem>Us\u003c/em>. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>After chart success, Capone kept working. Through working with Oakland rapper \u003ca href=\"http://www.kqed.org/bayareahiphop/timeline#seagram-appears-on-the-jenny-jones-show\">Seagram\u003c/a>, signed to Houston’s Rap-a-Lot Records, Capone met the producer Mike Dean, who suggested he join upcoming sessions for the rapper Scarface.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>After chart success, Capone kept working. Through working with Oakland rapper \u003ca href=\"http://www.kqed.org/bayareahiphop/timeline#seagram-appears-on-the-jenny-jones-show\">Seagram\u003c/a>, signed to Houston’s Rap-a-Lot Records, Capone met the producer Mike Dean, who suggested he join upcoming sessions for the rapper Scarface.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The resulting album, 1997’s \u003cem>The Untouchable\u003c/em>, went platinum, with Capone’s production work throughout. Tracks included the Rick James flip “Mary Jane,” and “\u003ca href=\"https://youtu.be/SjZqtyADPBM?si=3U9-KSXNITDBUJTp\">Smile\u003c/a>,” a major hit featuring one of the last verses recorded by Tupac Shakur. (In his memoir \u003cem>Diary of a Madman\u003c/em>, Scarface named Capone on a list of the all-time greatest producers, alongside Dr. Dre, Pharrell and Timbaland.)\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The resulting album, 1997’s \u003cem>The Untouchable\u003c/em>, went platinum, with Capone’s production work throughout. Tracks included the Rick James flip “Mary Jane,” and “\u003ca href=\"https://youtu.be/SjZqtyADPBM?si=3U9-KSXNITDBUJTp\">Smile\u003c/a>,” a major hit featuring one of the last verses recorded by Tupac Shakur. (In his memoir \u003cem>Diary of a Madman\u003c/em>, Scarface named Capone on a list of the all-time greatest producers, alongside Dr. Dre, Pharrell and Timbaland.)\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Capone also connected with Mac Dre in the late 1990s, going on to produce the Ohio Players-inspired single “\u003ca href=\"https://youtu.be/nyJriMM5K28?si=IzqyyMwhR7wNgNOA\">Fire\u003c/a>,” the street classic “\u003ca href=\"https://youtu.be/5SObi_VrtU8?si=6J7oyui290bCS27g\">Not My Job\u003c/a>,” the track “\u003ca href=\"https://youtu.be/dIKvs-8g6Ow?si=Snuv5tqj4_o483K8\">Genie of the Lamp\u003c/a>” and others before Mac Dre’s death in 2004. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Capone also connected with Mac Dre in the late 1990s, going on to produce the Ohio Players-inspired single “\u003ca href=\"https://youtu.be/nyJriMM5K28?si=IzqyyMwhR7wNgNOA\">Fire\u003c/a>,” the street classic “\u003ca href=\"https://youtu.be/5SObi_VrtU8?si=6J7oyui290bCS27g\">Not My Job\u003c/a>,” the track “\u003ca href=\"https://youtu.be/dIKvs-8g6Ow?si=Snuv5tqj4_o483K8\">Genie of the Lamp\u003c/a>” and others before Mac Dre’s death in 2004. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In the 21st century, Capone stayed active among a cohort of artists, pushing himself to try new tempos and musical styles. Before his death, he had recently \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozoj6lbP8FI\">worked with the Punjabi rapper Kanwar\u003c/a>. He also took a day job, working at a hospital, before retiring.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In the 21st century, Capone stayed active among a cohort of artists, pushing himself to try new tempos and musical styles. Before his death, he had recently \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozoj6lbP8FI\">worked with the Punjabi rapper Kanwar\u003c/a>. He also took a day job, working at a hospital, before retiring.\u003c/p>\n"
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"excerpt": "In addition to the Luniz’ global smash, Capone produced hits for Scarface, Mac Dre, E-40 and many others.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>Tone Capone, a prolific producer who brought the mobb music style of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/bayareahiphop\">Bay Area hip-hop\u003c/a> to the world with the smash hit “I Got 5 On It,” died on Saturday. He was 59.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Capone’s death was reported online Sunday by close family. A cause of death was not immediately revealed. Capone had been living in the Las Vegas area since 2021.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Along with the Luniz’ “I Got 5 on It,” Capone produced many regional hip-hop classics that remain in regular rotation. Those include 3xKrazy’s “Keep It on the Real,” Mac Dre’s “Fire” and “Not My Job,” Celly Cel’s “It’s Goin’ Down,” Devin the Dude’s “Sticky Green” and E-40’s “Ring It.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Across his career, Capone produced or worked with a who’s-who of Bay Area rap, including the Jacka, Dru Down, The Click, Conscious Daughters, Mac Mall, Messy Marv, Andre Nickatina, Spice 1, San Quinn and dozens of others. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1481\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/Screenshot-2026-09-13-at-9.41.23-PM.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13993850\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/Screenshot-2026-09-13-at-9.41.23-PM.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/Screenshot-2026-09-13-at-9.41.23-PM-160x118.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/Screenshot-2026-09-13-at-9.41.23-PM-768x569.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/Screenshot-2026-09-13-at-9.41.23-PM-1536x1137.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">(L–R) Tone Capone, Scarface and Willie Hen pose for a photo backstage at Yoshi’s, in Oakland, in January 2020. (Tone Capone / Instagram)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As a beatmaker steeped in the funk and soul of the 1970s, Capone’s rap production emphasized the the first downbeat of each measure, accompanied by exaggerated bass tones and live instruments. Along with his charting hits, his sound found receptive ears in Houston, Texas, where he worked with rapper Scarface, Devin the Dude and others. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Capone was born Anthony Douglas Gilmour in Berkeley, and was raised in North Oakland, near Bushrod Park. His family home was filled with the music of the era: Earth Wind & Fire, the Crusaders, Parliament, Kool & the Gang, Curtis Mayfield, Donald Byrd.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While attending Berkeley High School, he learned how to DJ using a friend’s turntables. Before long, he began DJing at events — parties at fraternity houses, or at the Lake Merritt boathouse — with friend Nick Peace, who would become \u003ca href=\"https://genius.com/artists/Nick-peace\">a notable hip-hop producer himself\u003c/a>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1402\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/Screenshot-2026-09-13-at-9.38.09-PM.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13993848\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/Screenshot-2026-09-13-at-9.38.09-PM.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/Screenshot-2026-09-13-at-9.38.09-PM-160x112.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/Screenshot-2026-09-13-at-9.38.09-PM-768x538.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/Screenshot-2026-09-13-at-9.38.09-PM-1536x1077.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">(L–R) Tone Capone and friend Nick Peace DJing at a dance party, circa 1982. (Tone Capone / Instagram)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In the mid-1980s, after high school, Capone began making beats with four-track cassette recorders, drum machines, turntables and tape decks. Shortly after buying his first Technics 1200 turntable, he committed himself to making music instead of hustling.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While Bay Area rap had been famously independent, some of Capone’s earliest work was commissioned by major labels for the Oakland group \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13983670/oakland-is-proud-mural-repainted-graffiti-artist-del-phresh\">Capital Tax\u003c/a> and R&B trio SWV.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In 1993, fate intervened. Capone reconnected with a friend from Berkeley High, Mike Marshall, who’d had a hit song with “Rumors,” by his group Timex Social Club. The two were at Capone’s house one day when members of the Luniz happened to visit, bringing song ideas.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>One of the songs, in a rough sketch, was “I Got 5 On It.” On the spot, Marshall wrote the melody for the hook, Capone created a beat based on the Club Nouveau song “Why You Treat Me So Bad,” and before long, the track was laid down in the studio.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/CiZ3XtGtmQs'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/CiZ3XtGtmQs'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Released in 1995, “I Got 5 On It” was an immediate hit in the Bay Area, and reached the Top Ten on the Billboard Hot 100. Gradually, the song grew to enjoy global recognition, aided by \u003ca href=\"https://youtu.be/CiZ3XtGtmQs?si=pV2D1f8zt16jFZ93\">a remix\u003c/a> featuring Dru Down, Spice-1, E-40, Shock G, and Richie Rich. In 2019, a \u003ca href=\"https://youtu.be/WFGmO1e_sAU?si=2M_wpvyD9gAozhRC\">slow, brooding remake\u003c/a> of Capone’s beat was utilized by director Jordan Peele in the horror film \u003cem>Us\u003c/em>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>After chart success, Capone kept working. Through working with Oakland rapper \u003ca href=\"http://www.kqed.org/bayareahiphop/timeline#seagram-appears-on-the-jenny-jones-show\">Seagram\u003c/a>, signed to Houston’s Rap-a-Lot Records, Capone met the producer Mike Dean, who suggested he join upcoming sessions for the rapper Scarface.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The resulting album, 1997’s \u003cem>The Untouchable\u003c/em>, went platinum, with Capone’s production work throughout. Tracks included the Rick James flip “Mary Jane,” and “\u003ca href=\"https://youtu.be/SjZqtyADPBM?si=3U9-KSXNITDBUJTp\">Smile\u003c/a>,” a major hit featuring one of the last verses recorded by Tupac Shakur. (In his memoir \u003cem>Diary of a Madman\u003c/em>, Scarface named Capone on a list of the all-time greatest producers, alongside Dr. Dre, Pharrell and Timbaland.)\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Capone also connected with Mac Dre in the late 1990s, going on to produce the Ohio Players-inspired single “\u003ca href=\"https://youtu.be/nyJriMM5K28?si=IzqyyMwhR7wNgNOA\">Fire\u003c/a>,” the street classic “\u003ca href=\"https://youtu.be/5SObi_VrtU8?si=6J7oyui290bCS27g\">Not My Job\u003c/a>,” the track “\u003ca href=\"https://youtu.be/dIKvs-8g6Ow?si=Snuv5tqj4_o483K8\">Genie of the Lamp\u003c/a>” and others before Mac Dre’s death in 2004. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In the 21st century, Capone stayed active among a cohort of artists, pushing himself to try new tempos and musical styles. Before his death, he had recently \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozoj6lbP8FI\">worked with the Punjabi rapper Kanwar\u003c/a>. He also took a day job, working at a hospital, before retiring.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>At press time, no services have been announced.\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "the-cook-berkeley-rep-theater-review",
"title": "In ‘The Cook’ at Berkeley Rep, Revolution Is in the Air — and the Kitchen",
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"headTitle": "In ‘The Cook’ at Berkeley Rep, Revolution Is in the Air — and the Kitchen | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>Of all the scents that permeate Gladys’ kitchen in Havana on the cusp of 1959, it’s the aroma of revolution that lies thickest.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In Eduardo Machado’s spellbinding play \u003cem>The Cook\u003c/em>, now running through Oct. 11 at Berkeley Repertory Theatre, tension hangs among the pots and pans. Since age 13, Gladys (Yesenia Iglesias) has spent her days preparing meals for Cuba’s upper crust. In \u003cem>The Cook\u003c/em>, that means working for a wealthy family which includes mistress Adria (Gisela Chípe). \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>At the action’s onset, Adria’s priority is to ensure everyone sets their watch back an hour to keep 1958 just a hint longer. The fleeing of Cuban president Fulgencio Batista means that the start of 1959 will see Fidel Castro taking over Havana, forcing the rich family to vacate their home and start life anew in Miami.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2287\" height=\"1521\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_1409.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13993796\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_1409.jpg 2287w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_1409-2000x1330.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_1409-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_1409-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_1409-1536x1022.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_1409-2048x1362.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2287px) 100vw, 2287px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Yesenia Iglesias and Daniel Duque-Estrada in Eduardo Machado’s ‘The Cook’ at Berkeley Repertory Theatre. (Ben Krantz Studio)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Yet before her Florida life begins with a million other Cuban exiles, Adria wants to be sure Gladys will care for the house until she returns, a promise Gladys accepts without reservation. Later, over the course of three powerful scenes that take place in the early 1970s and late 1990s, we see Gladys shed her servant’s uniform for the period clothing stemming from Adria’s bougie closet, sharply designed by Toni-Leslie James.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>On a typically magnificent set from scenic designer Tanya Orellana, director David Mendizabal’s tight and focused direction utilizes plenty of tension. Machado’s writing, while bold, can also feel thinly staccato and uneven, undercutting some of the bigger payoffs the play requires. Still, there’s a quiet power in his words, which never feel overwhelming despite the volume of exposition and Cuban history that Machado includes. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Much of the tension is set up beautifully at the onset, with three dark-skinned Cubans tasked with preparing food for a massive celebration (the ways that light and dark-skinned Cubans engage and interact fuels the narrative further). Helping in the kitchen is Elena (Georgina Morillo, who plays Gladys’s daughter Rosa in Act Two), barrelling through to express grunty consternation, and Julio (Ashton Muñiz), a dutiful helper hiding a secret about his sexuality that threatens “re-education” at one of Cuba’s forced labor camps — the government’s preferred way of building a more masculine society.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1428\" height=\"2147\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_0666.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13993795\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_0666.jpg 1428w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_0666-160x241.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_0666-768x1155.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_0666-1022x1536.jpg 1022w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_0666-1362x2048.jpg 1362w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1428px) 100vw, 1428px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Gisela Chípe in Eduardo Machado’s ‘The Cook’ at Berkeley Repertory Theatre. (Ben Krantz Studio)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Gladys’ husband Carlos (Daniel Duque-Estrada) falls toward the gleeful side of revolution, and as the 1970s roll around, it is clear why. Carlos, a lowly chauffeur, is promoted to Minister of Transportation, and he makes it extremely clear he is now a Communist bureaucrat. The transition puts him among the elites, untouchable to many, albeit extremely touchable to his mistress, who bears a love child.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A highlight of \u003cem>The Cook\u003c/em> is how each character leans into any power they possess, a necessity of consolidation inside Communist Cuba, where the United States’ bruising blockade comes into direct conflict with Russia’s sizable funding of the island. While Carlos can save the lives of Gladys’ family members, he chooses not to, being much more willing to put his thumb on the scale of Marxism to get what he needs and defend Castro’s revolution to the hilt. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>That revolution was never intended for Julio’s participation, which leads to a scorching scene towards the end of the first act. There is sad poetry in Julio’s belief that he be allowed to live and love as he desires, while flying too close to the sun by dating an 18-year-old son of a diplomat. The utter cruelty of Carlos and the stoic resolve of Gladys, in the hands of Duque-Estrada and Iglesias, especially in a critical moment like this, is majestic. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2084\" height=\"1387\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_1783.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13993794\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_1783.jpg 2084w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_1783-2000x1331.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_1783-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_1783-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_1783-1536x1022.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_1783-2048x1363.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2084px) 100vw, 2084px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Gisela Chípe and Yesenia Iglesias in Eduardo Machado’s ‘The Cook’ at Berkeley Repertory Theatre. (Ben Krantz Studio)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>That majesty leads to some powerful payoffs in the play’s final frame. While the action of the entire play remains in the expansive kitchen, the quarters have now transitioned into a paladar, a home restaurant which the Cuban government caps to 12 seats, with only family members eligible for employment. Chípe as Adria’s daughter Lourdes, chronicling her mother’s history with a simple camera, witnesses the decay of a once regal home. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Despite Gladys’ loyalty, 40 years of living outside Castro’s Cuba has turned Lourdes’s mother into an enraged expat, and Lourdes uses a racial epithet to express the consternation built from the unspoken tension that existed many years ago. In both roles, Chípe is a marvel, with a searing vapidity that leads to some of the play’s funnier moments, while later employing a strategy that advocates for her mother’s legacy of bitterness. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But the play belongs to Iglesias in the title role, who smartly stays away from clichés while playing each iteration of Gladys across a 40-year span. As the affirmation of the house and its proprietorship have shifted, Iglesias’s journey from dutiful to dominant is a wonderful showcase of range. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2223\" height=\"1479\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_1614.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13993793\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_1614.jpg 2223w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_1614-2000x1331.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_1614-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_1614-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_1614-1536x1022.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_1614-2048x1363.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2223px) 100vw, 2223px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Yesenia Iglesias and Georgina Morillo in Eduardo Machado’s ‘The Cook’ at Berkeley Repertory Theatre. (Ben Krantz Studio)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>The Cook\u003c/em> speaks of a different kind of dictator, one who rules her kitchen with loving dominance while serving hearty portions of moros y cristianos. Although a certain type of Cuban life was denied those closest to this simple cook, her eyes rest on what she believes is a more certain future — an uncompromising belief that Rosa will see food she crafts on the world’s finest plates, far beyond the surrounding waters within Gladys’s Cuban heart. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003chr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" />\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>‘The Cook’ runs through Oct. 11 at Berkeley Rep’s Peet’s Theatre in Berkeley. \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.berkeleyrep.org/\">\u003cem>Tickets and more information here\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_1409.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13993796\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_1409.jpg 2287w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_1409-2000x1330.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_1409-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_1409-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_1409-1536x1022.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_1409-2048x1362.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Yesenia Iglesias and Daniel Duque-Estrada in Eduardo Machado’s ‘The Cook’ at Berkeley Repertory Theatre.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Ben Krantz Studio)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_1409.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13993796\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Yesenia Iglesias and Daniel Duque-Estrada in Eduardo Machado’s ‘The Cook’ at Berkeley Repertory Theatre.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Ben Krantz Studio)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Yet before her Florida life begins with a million other Cuban exiles, Adria wants to be sure Gladys will care for the house until she returns, a promise Gladys accepts without reservation. Later, over the course of three powerful scenes that take place in the early 1970s and late 1990s, we see Gladys shed her servant’s uniform for the period clothing stemming from Adria’s bougie closet, sharply designed by Toni-Leslie James.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Yet before her Florida life begins with a million other Cuban exiles, Adria wants to be sure Gladys will care for the house until she returns, a promise Gladys accepts without reservation. Later, over the course of three powerful scenes that take place in the early 1970s and late 1990s, we see Gladys shed her servant’s uniform for the period clothing stemming from Adria’s bougie closet, sharply designed by Toni-Leslie James.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>On a typically magnificent set from scenic designer Tanya Orellana, director David Mendizabal’s tight and focused direction utilizes plenty of tension. Machado’s writing, while bold, can also feel thinly staccato and uneven, undercutting some of the bigger payoffs the play requires. Still, there’s a quiet power in his words, which never feel overwhelming despite the volume of exposition and Cuban history that Machado includes. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>On a typically magnificent set from scenic designer Tanya Orellana, director David Mendizabal’s tight and focused direction utilizes plenty of tension. Machado’s writing, while bold, can also feel thinly staccato and uneven, undercutting some of the bigger payoffs the play requires. Still, there’s a quiet power in his words, which never feel overwhelming despite the volume of exposition and Cuban history that Machado includes. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Much of the tension is set up beautifully at the onset, with three dark-skinned Cubans tasked with preparing food for a massive celebration (the ways that light and dark-skinned Cubans engage and interact fuels the narrative further). Helping in the kitchen is Elena (Georgina Morillo, who plays Gladys’s daughter Rosa in Act Two), barrelling through to express grunty consternation, and Julio (Ashton Muñiz), a dutiful helper hiding a secret about his sexuality that threatens “re-education” at one of Cuba’s forced labor camps — the government’s preferred way of building a more masculine society.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Much of the tension is set up beautifully at the onset, with three dark-skinned Cubans tasked with preparing food for a massive celebration (the ways that light and dark-skinned Cubans engage and interact fuels the narrative further). Helping in the kitchen is Elena (Georgina Morillo, who plays Gladys’s daughter Rosa in Act Two), barrelling through to express grunty consternation, and Julio (Ashton Muñiz), a dutiful helper hiding a secret about his sexuality that threatens “re-education” at one of Cuba’s forced labor camps — the government’s preferred way of building a more masculine society.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_0666.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13993795\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_0666.jpg 1428w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_0666-160x241.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_0666-768x1155.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_0666-1022x1536.jpg 1022w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_0666-1362x2048.jpg 1362w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Gisela Chípe in Eduardo Machado’s ‘The Cook’ at Berkeley Repertory Theatre.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Ben Krantz Studio)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Gladys’ husband Carlos (Daniel Duque-Estrada) falls toward the gleeful side of revolution, and as the 1970s roll around, it is clear why. Carlos, a lowly chauffeur, is promoted to Minister of Transportation, and he makes it extremely clear he is now a Communist bureaucrat. The transition puts him among the elites, untouchable to many, albeit extremely touchable to his mistress, who bears a love child.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Gladys’ husband Carlos (Daniel Duque-Estrada) falls toward the gleeful side of revolution, and as the 1970s roll around, it is clear why. Carlos, a lowly chauffeur, is promoted to Minister of Transportation, and he makes it extremely clear he is now a Communist bureaucrat. The transition puts him among the elites, untouchable to many, albeit extremely touchable to his mistress, who bears a love child.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>A highlight of \u003cem>The Cook\u003c/em> is how each character leans into any power they possess, a necessity of consolidation inside Communist Cuba, where the United States’ bruising blockade comes into direct conflict with Russia’s sizable funding of the island. While Carlos can save the lives of Gladys’ family members, he chooses not to, being much more willing to put his thumb on the scale of Marxism to get what he needs and defend Castro’s revolution to the hilt. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>A highlight of \u003cem>The Cook\u003c/em> is how each character leans into any power they possess, a necessity of consolidation inside Communist Cuba, where the United States’ bruising blockade comes into direct conflict with Russia’s sizable funding of the island. While Carlos can save the lives of Gladys’ family members, he chooses not to, being much more willing to put his thumb on the scale of Marxism to get what he needs and defend Castro’s revolution to the hilt. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>That revolution was never intended for Julio’s participation, which leads to a scorching scene towards the end of the first act. There is sad poetry in Julio’s belief that he be allowed to live and love as he desires, while flying too close to the sun by dating an 18-year-old son of a diplomat. The utter cruelty of Carlos and the stoic resolve of Gladys, in the hands of Duque-Estrada and Iglesias, especially in a critical moment like this, is majestic. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>That revolution was never intended for Julio’s participation, which leads to a scorching scene towards the end of the first act. There is sad poetry in Julio’s belief that he be allowed to live and love as he desires, while flying too close to the sun by dating an 18-year-old son of a diplomat. The utter cruelty of Carlos and the stoic resolve of Gladys, in the hands of Duque-Estrada and Iglesias, especially in a critical moment like this, is majestic. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>That majesty leads to some powerful payoffs in the play’s final frame. While the action of the entire play remains in the expansive kitchen, the quarters have now transitioned into a paladar, a home restaurant which the Cuban government caps to 12 seats, with only family members eligible for employment. Chípe as Adria’s daughter Lourdes, chronicling her mother’s history with a simple camera, witnesses the decay of a once regal home. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>That majesty leads to some powerful payoffs in the play’s final frame. While the action of the entire play remains in the expansive kitchen, the quarters have now transitioned into a paladar, a home restaurant which the Cuban government caps to 12 seats, with only family members eligible for employment. Chípe as Adria’s daughter Lourdes, chronicling her mother’s history with a simple camera, witnesses the decay of a once regal home. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Despite Gladys’ loyalty, 40 years of living outside Castro’s Cuba has turned Lourdes’s mother into an enraged expat, and Lourdes uses a racial epithet to express the consternation built from the unspoken tension that existed many years ago. In both roles, Chípe is a marvel, with a searing vapidity that leads to some of the play’s funnier moments, while later employing a strategy that advocates for her mother’s legacy of bitterness. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Despite Gladys’ loyalty, 40 years of living outside Castro’s Cuba has turned Lourdes’s mother into an enraged expat, and Lourdes uses a racial epithet to express the consternation built from the unspoken tension that existed many years ago. In both roles, Chípe is a marvel, with a searing vapidity that leads to some of the play’s funnier moments, while later employing a strategy that advocates for her mother’s legacy of bitterness. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But the play belongs to Iglesias in the title role, who smartly stays away from clichés while playing each iteration of Gladys across a 40-year span. As the affirmation of the house and its proprietorship have shifted, Iglesias’s journey from dutiful to dominant is a wonderful showcase of range. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>But the play belongs to Iglesias in the title role, who smartly stays away from clichés while playing each iteration of Gladys across a 40-year span. As the affirmation of the house and its proprietorship have shifted, Iglesias’s journey from dutiful to dominant is a wonderful showcase of range. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>The Cook\u003c/em> speaks of a different kind of dictator, one who rules her kitchen with loving dominance while serving hearty portions of moros y cristianos. Although a certain type of Cuban life was denied those closest to this simple cook, her eyes rest on what she believes is a more certain future — an uncompromising belief that Rosa will see food she crafts on the world’s finest plates, far beyond the surrounding waters within Gladys’s Cuban heart. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>The Cook\u003c/em> speaks of a different kind of dictator, one who rules her kitchen with loving dominance while serving hearty portions of moros y cristianos. Although a certain type of Cuban life was denied those closest to this simple cook, her eyes rest on what she believes is a more certain future — an uncompromising belief that Rosa will see food she crafts on the world’s finest plates, far beyond the surrounding waters within Gladys’s Cuban heart. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>‘The Cook’ runs through Oct. 11 at Berkeley Rep’s Peet’s Theatre in Berkeley. \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.berkeleyrep.org/\">\u003cem>Tickets and more information here\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "Eduardo Machado’s spellbinding play of political drama and family scandal spans four decades in Cuba.",
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"title": "In ‘The Cook’ at Berkeley Rep, Revolution Is in the Air — and the Kitchen | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>Of all the scents that permeate Gladys’ kitchen in Havana on the cusp of 1959, it’s the aroma of revolution that lies thickest.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In Eduardo Machado’s spellbinding play \u003cem>The Cook\u003c/em>, now running through Oct. 11 at Berkeley Repertory Theatre, tension hangs among the pots and pans. Since age 13, Gladys (Yesenia Iglesias) has spent her days preparing meals for Cuba’s upper crust. In \u003cem>The Cook\u003c/em>, that means working for a wealthy family which includes mistress Adria (Gisela Chípe). \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>At the action’s onset, Adria’s priority is to ensure everyone sets their watch back an hour to keep 1958 just a hint longer. The fleeing of Cuban president Fulgencio Batista means that the start of 1959 will see Fidel Castro taking over Havana, forcing the rich family to vacate their home and start life anew in Miami.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2287\" height=\"1521\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_1409.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13993796\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_1409.jpg 2287w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_1409-2000x1330.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_1409-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_1409-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_1409-1536x1022.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_1409-2048x1362.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2287px) 100vw, 2287px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Yesenia Iglesias and Daniel Duque-Estrada in Eduardo Machado’s ‘The Cook’ at Berkeley Repertory Theatre. (Ben Krantz Studio)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Yet before her Florida life begins with a million other Cuban exiles, Adria wants to be sure Gladys will care for the house until she returns, a promise Gladys accepts without reservation. Later, over the course of three powerful scenes that take place in the early 1970s and late 1990s, we see Gladys shed her servant’s uniform for the period clothing stemming from Adria’s bougie closet, sharply designed by Toni-Leslie James.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>On a typically magnificent set from scenic designer Tanya Orellana, director David Mendizabal’s tight and focused direction utilizes plenty of tension. Machado’s writing, while bold, can also feel thinly staccato and uneven, undercutting some of the bigger payoffs the play requires. Still, there’s a quiet power in his words, which never feel overwhelming despite the volume of exposition and Cuban history that Machado includes. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Much of the tension is set up beautifully at the onset, with three dark-skinned Cubans tasked with preparing food for a massive celebration (the ways that light and dark-skinned Cubans engage and interact fuels the narrative further). Helping in the kitchen is Elena (Georgina Morillo, who plays Gladys’s daughter Rosa in Act Two), barrelling through to express grunty consternation, and Julio (Ashton Muñiz), a dutiful helper hiding a secret about his sexuality that threatens “re-education” at one of Cuba’s forced labor camps — the government’s preferred way of building a more masculine society.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1428\" height=\"2147\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_0666.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13993795\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_0666.jpg 1428w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_0666-160x241.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_0666-768x1155.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_0666-1022x1536.jpg 1022w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_0666-1362x2048.jpg 1362w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1428px) 100vw, 1428px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Gisela Chípe in Eduardo Machado’s ‘The Cook’ at Berkeley Repertory Theatre. (Ben Krantz Studio)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Gladys’ husband Carlos (Daniel Duque-Estrada) falls toward the gleeful side of revolution, and as the 1970s roll around, it is clear why. Carlos, a lowly chauffeur, is promoted to Minister of Transportation, and he makes it extremely clear he is now a Communist bureaucrat. The transition puts him among the elites, untouchable to many, albeit extremely touchable to his mistress, who bears a love child.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A highlight of \u003cem>The Cook\u003c/em> is how each character leans into any power they possess, a necessity of consolidation inside Communist Cuba, where the United States’ bruising blockade comes into direct conflict with Russia’s sizable funding of the island. While Carlos can save the lives of Gladys’ family members, he chooses not to, being much more willing to put his thumb on the scale of Marxism to get what he needs and defend Castro’s revolution to the hilt. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>That revolution was never intended for Julio’s participation, which leads to a scorching scene towards the end of the first act. There is sad poetry in Julio’s belief that he be allowed to live and love as he desires, while flying too close to the sun by dating an 18-year-old son of a diplomat. The utter cruelty of Carlos and the stoic resolve of Gladys, in the hands of Duque-Estrada and Iglesias, especially in a critical moment like this, is majestic. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2084\" height=\"1387\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_1783.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13993794\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_1783.jpg 2084w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_1783-2000x1331.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_1783-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_1783-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_1783-1536x1022.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_1783-2048x1363.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2084px) 100vw, 2084px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Gisela Chípe and Yesenia Iglesias in Eduardo Machado’s ‘The Cook’ at Berkeley Repertory Theatre. (Ben Krantz Studio)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>That majesty leads to some powerful payoffs in the play’s final frame. While the action of the entire play remains in the expansive kitchen, the quarters have now transitioned into a paladar, a home restaurant which the Cuban government caps to 12 seats, with only family members eligible for employment. Chípe as Adria’s daughter Lourdes, chronicling her mother’s history with a simple camera, witnesses the decay of a once regal home. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Despite Gladys’ loyalty, 40 years of living outside Castro’s Cuba has turned Lourdes’s mother into an enraged expat, and Lourdes uses a racial epithet to express the consternation built from the unspoken tension that existed many years ago. In both roles, Chípe is a marvel, with a searing vapidity that leads to some of the play’s funnier moments, while later employing a strategy that advocates for her mother’s legacy of bitterness. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But the play belongs to Iglesias in the title role, who smartly stays away from clichés while playing each iteration of Gladys across a 40-year span. As the affirmation of the house and its proprietorship have shifted, Iglesias’s journey from dutiful to dominant is a wonderful showcase of range. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2223\" height=\"1479\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_1614.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13993793\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_1614.jpg 2223w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_1614-2000x1331.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_1614-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_1614-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_1614-1536x1022.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_1614-2048x1363.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2223px) 100vw, 2223px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Yesenia Iglesias and Georgina Morillo in Eduardo Machado’s ‘The Cook’ at Berkeley Repertory Theatre. (Ben Krantz Studio)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>The Cook\u003c/em> speaks of a different kind of dictator, one who rules her kitchen with loving dominance while serving hearty portions of moros y cristianos. Although a certain type of Cuban life was denied those closest to this simple cook, her eyes rest on what she believes is a more certain future — an uncompromising belief that Rosa will see food she crafts on the world’s finest plates, far beyond the surrounding waters within Gladys’s Cuban heart. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003chr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" />\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>‘The Cook’ runs through Oct. 11 at Berkeley Rep’s Peet’s Theatre in Berkeley. \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.berkeleyrep.org/\">\u003cem>Tickets and more information here\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "best-matcha-bay-area-oakland-berkeley-sf-san-jose",
"title": "11 Vibrant Bay Area Matcha Cafes to Keep You Well Caffeinated",
"publishDate": 1787932800,
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"headTitle": "11 Vibrant Bay Area Matcha Cafes to Keep You Well Caffeinated | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Be sure to check out our full \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/fall-guide-2026\">2026 Fall Arts Guide\u003c/a> to live music, movies, art, theater, festivals and more in the Bay Area.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>These days, every young person in the Bay Area seems to be walking around with some variation of the same green drink: matcha. Traditionally made by whisking finely ground green tea leaves with hot water, the beverage has been used for ceremonial practices in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/japanese-food\">Japan\u003c/a> for thousands of years. Over the past decade, however, the vibrant drink has taken America by storm. The United States now imports \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kd2PpIvUKwo\">over 2,000 tons\u003c/a> of matcha per year, turning the tea powder into drinks, ice cream treats and even skin care products. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Here in the Bay, it feels like a new matcha cafe or matcha-forward coffee shop opens almost every day. Each place offers its own take on the drink, whether it be a latte with your choice of milk, an obsessively sweet concoction of cookie butters and banana puddings, or a simple americano.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Matcha, like life, is all about balance. I spent the past several weeks trying many of the Bay Area’s hundreds of matcha cafes. Here are some of my favorites. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>EAST BAY: \u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/082126-FALLARTSGUIDEMATCHAINTHEBAY-15-MC-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"Hand holding a cup of iced coffee topped with a layer of pale green matcha cream.\" class=\"wp-image-13993215\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/082126-FALLARTSGUIDEMATCHAINTHEBAY-15-MC-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/082126-FALLARTSGUIDEMATCHAINTHEBAY-15-MC-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/082126-FALLARTSGUIDEMATCHAINTHEBAY-15-MC-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/082126-FALLARTSGUIDEMATCHAINTHEBAY-15-MC-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The matcha americano with cream top at Yume Mori on August 21, 2026, in Berkeley. (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/yumemori.matcha/\">Yume Mori \u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>2319 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Jazz plays inside this minimalist cafe located in a line of popular matcha cafes near UC Berkeley. The spot is hard to miss because there is always a crowd of people waiting outside — tweens holding mom’s spot in line while she searches for a parking space.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Yume Mori is one of the few shops where customers get to choose a specific regional variety of matcha for your drink, each one boasting a different flavor profile. The cafe also serves matcha soft serve, matcha crepes and house specialties like clear matcha (made with coconut water and topped with matcha cream) and genmaicha lattes (made with green tea blended with roasted rice). The matcha here has a vibrant color and taste, but if you don’t care for those intense nutty and astringent flavors, there are also sweeter options like tiramisu, yuzu miso and cold brew options. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/mindcoffee.ca/\">Mind Coffee\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>1816 Euclid Ave., Berkeley\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Away from the traffic of the busier parts of Berkeley sits Mind Coffee, a popular study spot for students on the north side of campus. Mind has a large selection of coffee, teas and pastries, and the matcha drinks, in particular, are some of the most creative in the Bay. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Einspänners are especially popular here. These froth-topped drinks, named after a type of horse-drawn carriage, originated in Vienna, Austria. But they’d been a fixture in Korean dramas for years by the time they made their way to the States. Einspänners are traditionally a coffee drink, but Mind features less common versions like an Earl Grey matcha Einspänner latte (which tastes a bit like a sweet, syrupy bowl of cereal) and an iced matcha sakura Einspänner with pink milk, which transports you into a forest of cherry blossom trees.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHA-NG-9-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"Matcha latte and strawberry matcha latte on a sun-dappled wooden table.\" class=\"wp-image-13993222\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHA-NG-9-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHA-NG-9-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHA-NG-9-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHA-NG-9-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A matcha latte and strawberry matcha latte from Kitsch Coffee in Oakland on Aug. 20, 2026. (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/kitschcoffeeoakland/\">Kitsch Coffee\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>590 2nd St., Oakland\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Kitsch Coffee shares space with a vintage furniture and home goods store in Jack London Square. The big open space is always full with people working behind laptops, chatting with friends or sifting through racks of vintage clothes. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Kitsch is a coffee shop, but the place takes matcha seriously. Matcha here is bright green and can be amped up with housemade syrups with flavors like ginger and lavender. The carrot cake matcha even comes with a cream cheese foam to mimic the frosting on a slice of cake. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/fortheloveofmatchacafe/\">For the Love of Matcha\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Grand Lake Farmers Market (Grand Avenue and Lake Park Avenue, Oakland)\u003cbr>Temescal Farmers Market (5300 Claremont Ave., Oakland)\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This weekly pop-up at the Grand Lake and Temescal farmers markets closes once it sells out, so it’s best to arrive early. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The menu rotates based on the season. For summer, they have sweet corn, fig, vanilla and the forever favorite strawberry matcha latte. The farmers market stand is popular, so oftentimes you’ll find many of the flavors crossed out in permanent marker. The Matchacano is my go-to drink, but you can always up the flavor with their seasonal syrups and cream tops. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHA-NG-30-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"Hand holding matcha soft serve ice cream on a sugar cone.\" class=\"wp-image-13993225\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHA-NG-30-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHA-NG-30-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHA-NG-30-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHA-NG-30-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A customer holds a matcha-and-vanilla swirl soft serve ice cream cone from Urban Matcha in Castro Valley on Aug. 20, 2026 (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/urbanmatcha.castrovalley/\">Urban Matcha \u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>3311 Castro Valley Blvd., Castro Valley\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A hidden gem in suburban Castro Valley, Urban Matcha provides a matcha oasis in a somewhat unlikely part of the Bay. At 7 p.m. on a recent Tuesday evening, the cafe was full of chatty teens, people finding a calm place to get work done and families ending their night with their favorite sweet treats. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Part of a chain that extends from California to Las Vegas, the cafe is especially notable for its matcha-flavored desserts. This is the kind of place where every other customer walks out with their hands full of matcha parfaits loaded with agar jelly, corn flakes, matcha gelato, red bean paste, mochi balls and a big scoop of matcha soft serve. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>SAN FRANCISCO: \u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/constance.tea/\">Constance Tea\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>3512 Balboa St., San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Located on Balboa Street, in the Outer Richmond, Constance Tea is the only place in San Francisco where tea leaves are stone-milled into matcha in house. This new shop isn’t the place to find the drinks that satisfy your sweet tooth. Instead, Constance focuses on the basics: a small selection of hōjicha (roasted green tea), Einspänners and traditional matcha drinks made with matcha sourced from various regions in Japan, showcasing different flavor profiles. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>During a recent visit, my matcha americano was a vivid green, perfectly balanced between earthiness and a nutty aftertaste, with a cream top that provided just the right amount of milkiness to complement the grassy taste of the tea. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHAINTHEBAY-11-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"Two customers side by side holding creamy matcha drinks.\" class=\"wp-image-13993221\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHAINTHEBAY-11-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHAINTHEBAY-11-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHAINTHEBAY-11-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHAINTHEBAY-11-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Customers hold their matcha drinks at Ceré Tea on Valencia Street in San Francisco on Aug. 20, 2026. The tea shop specializes in matcha and hōjicha drinks. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/cereteaxyz/\">Ceré Tea \u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>1186 Valencia St., San Francisco (and other locations)\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This popular matcha spot in the Mission, with locations throughout the Bay Area, has all the makings for a viral cafe, with its full-body selfie mirror and minimalist design. The menu puts matcha and hōjicha at the forefront, featuring drinks infused with yuzu, ube, guava and more. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The matcha leans toward the brighter and more bitter side, but you can always sweeten the deal with a banana or crème brûlée cream top. Trendy offerings like Einspänners and cheese cream toppings are also available. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/matchacafemaiko/\">Matcha Café Maiko \u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>1581 Webster St., San Francisco (and other locations)\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This wildly popular Honolulu-based chain has become a Bay Area mall staple. It’s a quick, convenient and portable way to take your matcha to go. Big chains often don’t maintain their quality, but Maiko is always consistent, offering a convenient option to grab your matcha on the go. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Perfect for a matcha beginner, the shop is known for its wide variety of matcha desserts:soft serves, shaved ices, parfaits, frappes and floats. The matcha here strikes just the right balance of sweetness and rich matcha flavor, providing the best caffeine boost after a day at the mall.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>SOUTH BAY AND PENINSULA: \u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260827-MATCHAINTHEBAY-10-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"A matcha drink with white swirls of crème brûlée–flavored cream.\" class=\"wp-image-13993424\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260827-MATCHAINTHEBAY-10-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260827-MATCHAINTHEBAY-10-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260827-MATCHAINTHEBAY-10-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260827-MATCHAINTHEBAY-10-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The crème brûlée matcha swirl at Izumi Matcha in San Mateo on Aug. 27, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/izumi.matcha/\">Izumi Matcha \u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>180 E. 3rd Ave. Unit 100A, San Mateo\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>With three locations in the Peninsula and South Bay, Izumi is one of the only cafes in the US that \u003ca href=\"https://izumimatcha.com/premium-matcha-powder/\">sources its matcha from Marukyu Koyamaen\u003c/a>, a highly regarded producer in Uji, Japan. Inside, the walls are lined with tins of the Marukyu matcha powder, along with tea kettles, matcha serving bowls and matcha whisks. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The broad menu of teas and desserts really highlight the quality of the matcha itself. The matcha latte options include trendy flavors like a crème brûlée swirl that adds an element of creaminess as a counterpoint to the bright matcha flavor. In addition to the drinks, the shop also offers a diverse selection of matcha- and tea-flavored ice creams — everything from ube to “intense matcha.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/aroma.cct/\">Aroma\u003c/a> \u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>3005 Silver Creek Rd. Ste. 150, San José\u003cstrong> \u003c/strong>\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This East San José tea, coffee and chè shop sells a wide variety of Vietnamese-inspired coffee and tea drinks. Matcha is the powerhouse of the menu, available in 10 different flavors, many of them featuring Southeast Asian ingredients like pandan, guava, banana cream and mango sticky rice. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The matcha at Aroma is strong, but not overpoweringly bitter. The quality of the tea shines through even when paired with thick, sweet, syrupy banana, mango and yuzu puddings.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260827-MATCHAINTHEBAY-04-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"A matcha parfait in a sundae glass, layered with fresh strawberries and ice cream.\" class=\"wp-image-13993421\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260827-MATCHAINTHEBAY-04-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260827-MATCHAINTHEBAY-04-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260827-MATCHAINTHEBAY-04-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260827-MATCHAINTHEBAY-04-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Another view of the matcha strawberry parfait at Matsu Matcha. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/matsumatcha.usa/\">Matsu Matcha\u003c/a> \u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>3030 El Camino Real, Santa Clara\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp> A calm oasis located inside a busy shopping plaza in Santa Clara, Matsu serves bright green matcha in many different formats. The cafe’s extensive menu offers matcha gelato (available in five levels of increasing intensity, plus a seasonal flavor), matcha floats, matcha flights and much more. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The matcha flights are a good option for customers who have trouble deciding. They feature a triple dose of matcha, a matcha latte with matcha cream on top, a seasonal matcha (guava during my recent visit) and a matcha float (available in flavors like grape and dark chocolate). \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Be sure to check out our full \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/fall-guide-2026\">2026 Fall Arts Guide\u003c/a> to live music, movies, art, theater, festivals and more in the Bay Area.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Be sure to check out our full \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/fall-guide-2026\">2026 Fall Arts Guide\u003c/a> to live music, movies, art, theater, festivals and more in the Bay Area.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>These days, every young person in the Bay Area seems to be walking around with some variation of the same green drink: matcha. Traditionally made by whisking finely ground green tea leaves with hot water, the beverage has been used for ceremonial practices in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/japanese-food\">Japan\u003c/a> for thousands of years. Over the past decade, however, the vibrant drink has taken America by storm. The United States now imports \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kd2PpIvUKwo\">over 2,000 tons\u003c/a> of matcha per year, turning the tea powder into drinks, ice cream treats and even skin care products. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>These days, every young person in the Bay Area seems to be walking around with some variation of the same green drink: matcha. Traditionally made by whisking finely ground green tea leaves with hot water, the beverage has been used for ceremonial practices in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/japanese-food\">Japan\u003c/a> for thousands of years. Over the past decade, however, the vibrant drink has taken America by storm. The United States now imports \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kd2PpIvUKwo\">over 2,000 tons\u003c/a> of matcha per year, turning the tea powder into drinks, ice cream treats and even skin care products. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Here in the Bay, it feels like a new matcha cafe or matcha-forward coffee shop opens almost every day. Each place offers its own take on the drink, whether it be a latte with your choice of milk, an obsessively sweet concoction of cookie butters and banana puddings, or a simple americano.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Here in the Bay, it feels like a new matcha cafe or matcha-forward coffee shop opens almost every day. Each place offers its own take on the drink, whether it be a latte with your choice of milk, an obsessively sweet concoction of cookie butters and banana puddings, or a simple americano.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Matcha, like life, is all about balance. I spent the past several weeks trying many of the Bay Area’s hundreds of matcha cafes. Here are some of my favorites. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Matcha, like life, is all about balance. I spent the past several weeks trying many of the Bay Area’s hundreds of matcha cafes. Here are some of my favorites. \u003c/p>\n"
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"attrs": {
"text": "EAST BAY: ",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>EAST BAY: \u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>EAST BAY: \u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n"
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"attrs": {
"id": 13993215,
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"alt": "Hand holding a cup of iced coffee topped with a layer of pale green matcha cream.",
"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/082126-FALLARTSGUIDEMATCHAINTHEBAY-15-MC-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/082126-FALLARTSGUIDEMATCHAINTHEBAY-15-MC-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/082126-FALLARTSGUIDEMATCHAINTHEBAY-15-MC-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/082126-FALLARTSGUIDEMATCHAINTHEBAY-15-MC-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w",
"sizes": "(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/082126-FALLARTSGUIDEMATCHAINTHEBAY-15-MC-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"Hand holding a cup of iced coffee topped with a layer of pale green matcha cream.\" class=\"wp-image-13993215\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/082126-FALLARTSGUIDEMATCHAINTHEBAY-15-MC-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/082126-FALLARTSGUIDEMATCHAINTHEBAY-15-MC-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/082126-FALLARTSGUIDEMATCHAINTHEBAY-15-MC-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/082126-FALLARTSGUIDEMATCHAINTHEBAY-15-MC-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The matcha americano with cream top at Yume Mori on August 21, 2026, in Berkeley.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/082126-FALLARTSGUIDEMATCHAINTHEBAY-15-MC-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"Hand holding a cup of iced coffee topped with a layer of pale green matcha cream.\" class=\"wp-image-13993215\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The matcha americano with cream top at Yume Mori on August 21, 2026, in Berkeley.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"attrs": {
"text": "Yume Mori ",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/yumemori.matcha/\">Yume Mori \u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/yumemori.matcha/\">Yume Mori \u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>2319 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>2319 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Jazz plays inside this minimalist cafe located in a line of popular matcha cafes near UC Berkeley. The spot is hard to miss because there is always a crowd of people waiting outside — tweens holding mom’s spot in line while she searches for a parking space.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Jazz plays inside this minimalist cafe located in a line of popular matcha cafes near UC Berkeley. The spot is hard to miss because there is always a crowd of people waiting outside — tweens holding mom’s spot in line while she searches for a parking space.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Yume Mori is one of the few shops where customers get to choose a specific regional variety of matcha for your drink, each one boasting a different flavor profile. The cafe also serves matcha soft serve, matcha crepes and house specialties like clear matcha (made with coconut water and topped with matcha cream) and genmaicha lattes (made with green tea blended with roasted rice). The matcha here has a vibrant color and taste, but if you don’t care for those intense nutty and astringent flavors, there are also sweeter options like tiramisu, yuzu miso and cold brew options. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Yume Mori is one of the few shops where customers get to choose a specific regional variety of matcha for your drink, each one boasting a different flavor profile. The cafe also serves matcha soft serve, matcha crepes and house specialties like clear matcha (made with coconut water and topped with matcha cream) and genmaicha lattes (made with green tea blended with roasted rice). The matcha here has a vibrant color and taste, but if you don’t care for those intense nutty and astringent flavors, there are also sweeter options like tiramisu, yuzu miso and cold brew options. \u003c/p>\n"
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"attrs": {
"text": "Mind Coffee",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/mindcoffee.ca/\">Mind Coffee\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/mindcoffee.ca/\">Mind Coffee\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>1816 Euclid Ave., Berkeley\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>1816 Euclid Ave., Berkeley\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Away from the traffic of the busier parts of Berkeley sits Mind Coffee, a popular study spot for students on the north side of campus. Mind has a large selection of coffee, teas and pastries, and the matcha drinks, in particular, are some of the most creative in the Bay. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Away from the traffic of the busier parts of Berkeley sits Mind Coffee, a popular study spot for students on the north side of campus. Mind has a large selection of coffee, teas and pastries, and the matcha drinks, in particular, are some of the most creative in the Bay. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The Einspänners are especially popular here. These froth-topped drinks, named after a type of horse-drawn carriage, originated in Vienna, Austria. But they’d been a fixture in Korean dramas for years by the time they made their way to the States. Einspänners are traditionally a coffee drink, but Mind features less common versions like an Earl Grey matcha Einspänner latte (which tastes a bit like a sweet, syrupy bowl of cereal) and an iced matcha sakura Einspänner with pink milk, which transports you into a forest of cherry blossom trees.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The Einspänners are especially popular here. These froth-topped drinks, named after a type of horse-drawn carriage, originated in Vienna, Austria. But they’d been a fixture in Korean dramas for years by the time they made their way to the States. Einspänners are traditionally a coffee drink, but Mind features less common versions like an Earl Grey matcha Einspänner latte (which tastes a bit like a sweet, syrupy bowl of cereal) and an iced matcha sakura Einspänner with pink milk, which transports you into a forest of cherry blossom trees.\u003c/p>\n"
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"attrs": {
"id": 13993222,
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"alt": "Matcha latte and strawberry matcha latte on a sun-dappled wooden table.",
"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHA-NG-9-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHA-NG-9-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHA-NG-9-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHA-NG-9-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHA-NG-9-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"Matcha latte and strawberry matcha latte on a sun-dappled wooden table.\" class=\"wp-image-13993222\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHA-NG-9-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHA-NG-9-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHA-NG-9-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHA-NG-9-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A matcha latte and strawberry matcha latte from Kitsch Coffee in Oakland on Aug. 20, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHA-NG-9-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"Matcha latte and strawberry matcha latte on a sun-dappled wooden table.\" class=\"wp-image-13993222\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A matcha latte and strawberry matcha latte from Kitsch Coffee in Oakland on Aug. 20, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/kitschcoffeeoakland/\">Kitsch Coffee\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/kitschcoffeeoakland/\">Kitsch Coffee\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>590 2nd St., Oakland\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>590 2nd St., Oakland\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Kitsch Coffee shares space with a vintage furniture and home goods store in Jack London Square. The big open space is always full with people working behind laptops, chatting with friends or sifting through racks of vintage clothes. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Kitsch Coffee shares space with a vintage furniture and home goods store in Jack London Square. The big open space is always full with people working behind laptops, chatting with friends or sifting through racks of vintage clothes. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Kitsch is a coffee shop, but the place takes matcha seriously. Matcha here is bright green and can be amped up with housemade syrups with flavors like ginger and lavender. The carrot cake matcha even comes with a cream cheese foam to mimic the frosting on a slice of cake. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Kitsch is a coffee shop, but the place takes matcha seriously. Matcha here is bright green and can be amped up with housemade syrups with flavors like ginger and lavender. The carrot cake matcha even comes with a cream cheese foam to mimic the frosting on a slice of cake. \u003c/p>\n"
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{
"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "For the Love of Matcha",
"level": 2
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/fortheloveofmatchacafe/\">For the Love of Matcha\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/fortheloveofmatchacafe/\">For the Love of Matcha\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Grand Lake Farmers Market (Grand Avenue and Lake Park Avenue, Oakland)\u003cbr>Temescal Farmers Market (5300 Claremont Ave., Oakland)\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Grand Lake Farmers Market (Grand Avenue and Lake Park Avenue, Oakland)\u003cbr>Temescal Farmers Market (5300 Claremont Ave., Oakland)\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>This weekly pop-up at the Grand Lake and Temescal farmers markets closes once it sells out, so it’s best to arrive early. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>This weekly pop-up at the Grand Lake and Temescal farmers markets closes once it sells out, so it’s best to arrive early. \u003c/p>\n"
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{
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The menu rotates based on the season. For summer, they have sweet corn, fig, vanilla and the forever favorite strawberry matcha latte. The farmers market stand is popular, so oftentimes you’ll find many of the flavors crossed out in permanent marker. The Matchacano is my go-to drink, but you can always up the flavor with their seasonal syrups and cream tops. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The menu rotates based on the season. For summer, they have sweet corn, fig, vanilla and the forever favorite strawberry matcha latte. The farmers market stand is popular, so oftentimes you’ll find many of the flavors crossed out in permanent marker. The Matchacano is my go-to drink, but you can always up the flavor with their seasonal syrups and cream tops. \u003c/p>\n"
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{
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"attrs": {
"id": 13993225,
"sizeSlug": "full",
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"alt": "Hand holding matcha soft serve ice cream on a sugar cone.",
"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHA-NG-30-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHA-NG-30-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHA-NG-30-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHA-NG-30-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w",
"sizes": "(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHA-NG-30-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"Hand holding matcha soft serve ice cream on a sugar cone.\" class=\"wp-image-13993225\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHA-NG-30-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHA-NG-30-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHA-NG-30-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHA-NG-30-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A customer holds a matcha-and-vanilla swirl soft serve ice cream cone from Urban Matcha in Castro Valley on Aug. 20, 2026\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHA-NG-30-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"Hand holding matcha soft serve ice cream on a sugar cone.\" class=\"wp-image-13993225\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A customer holds a matcha-and-vanilla swirl soft serve ice cream cone from Urban Matcha in Castro Valley on Aug. 20, 2026\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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{
"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "Urban Matcha ",
"level": 2
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/urbanmatcha.castrovalley/\">Urban Matcha \u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/urbanmatcha.castrovalley/\">Urban Matcha \u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>3311 Castro Valley Blvd., Castro Valley\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>3311 Castro Valley Blvd., Castro Valley\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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{
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>A hidden gem in suburban Castro Valley, Urban Matcha provides a matcha oasis in a somewhat unlikely part of the Bay. At 7 p.m. on a recent Tuesday evening, the cafe was full of chatty teens, people finding a calm place to get work done and families ending their night with their favorite sweet treats. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>A hidden gem in suburban Castro Valley, Urban Matcha provides a matcha oasis in a somewhat unlikely part of the Bay. At 7 p.m. on a recent Tuesday evening, the cafe was full of chatty teens, people finding a calm place to get work done and families ending their night with their favorite sweet treats. \u003c/p>\n"
],
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{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Part of a chain that extends from California to Las Vegas, the cafe is especially notable for its matcha-flavored desserts. This is the kind of place where every other customer walks out with their hands full of matcha parfaits loaded with agar jelly, corn flakes, matcha gelato, red bean paste, mochi balls and a big scoop of matcha soft serve. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Part of a chain that extends from California to Las Vegas, the cafe is especially notable for its matcha-flavored desserts. This is the kind of place where every other customer walks out with their hands full of matcha parfaits loaded with agar jelly, corn flakes, matcha gelato, red bean paste, mochi balls and a big scoop of matcha soft serve. \u003c/p>\n"
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},
{
"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "SAN FRANCISCO: ",
"level": 2
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>SAN FRANCISCO: \u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>SAN FRANCISCO: \u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n"
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},
{
"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "Constance Tea",
"level": 2
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/constance.tea/\">Constance Tea\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/constance.tea/\">Constance Tea\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n"
],
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},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>3512 Balboa St., San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>3512 Balboa St., San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
"dropCap": false
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Located on Balboa Street, in the Outer Richmond, Constance Tea is the only place in San Francisco where tea leaves are stone-milled into matcha in house. This new shop isn’t the place to find the drinks that satisfy your sweet tooth. Instead, Constance focuses on the basics: a small selection of hōjicha (roasted green tea), Einspänners and traditional matcha drinks made with matcha sourced from various regions in Japan, showcasing different flavor profiles. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Located on Balboa Street, in the Outer Richmond, Constance Tea is the only place in San Francisco where tea leaves are stone-milled into matcha in house. This new shop isn’t the place to find the drinks that satisfy your sweet tooth. Instead, Constance focuses on the basics: a small selection of hōjicha (roasted green tea), Einspänners and traditional matcha drinks made with matcha sourced from various regions in Japan, showcasing different flavor profiles. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>During a recent visit, my matcha americano was a vivid green, perfectly balanced between earthiness and a nutty aftertaste, with a cream top that provided just the right amount of milkiness to complement the grassy taste of the tea. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>During a recent visit, my matcha americano was a vivid green, perfectly balanced between earthiness and a nutty aftertaste, with a cream top that provided just the right amount of milkiness to complement the grassy taste of the tea. \u003c/p>\n"
],
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},
{
"blockName": "core/image",
"attrs": {
"id": 13993221,
"sizeSlug": "full",
"linkDestination": "none",
"alt": "Two customers side by side holding creamy matcha drinks.",
"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHAINTHEBAY-11-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHAINTHEBAY-11-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHAINTHEBAY-11-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHAINTHEBAY-11-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w",
"sizes": "(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHAINTHEBAY-11-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"Two customers side by side holding creamy matcha drinks.\" class=\"wp-image-13993221\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHAINTHEBAY-11-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHAINTHEBAY-11-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHAINTHEBAY-11-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHAINTHEBAY-11-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Customers hold their matcha drinks at Ceré Tea on Valencia Street in San Francisco on Aug. 20, 2026. The tea shop specializes in matcha and hōjicha drinks.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHAINTHEBAY-11-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"Two customers side by side holding creamy matcha drinks.\" class=\"wp-image-13993221\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Customers hold their matcha drinks at Ceré Tea on Valencia Street in San Francisco on Aug. 20, 2026. The tea shop specializes in matcha and hōjicha drinks.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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},
{
"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "Ceré Tea ",
"level": 2
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/cereteaxyz/\">Ceré Tea \u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/cereteaxyz/\">Ceré Tea \u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n"
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{
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>1186 Valencia St., San Francisco (and other locations)\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>1186 Valencia St., San Francisco (and other locations)\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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},
{
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>This popular matcha spot in the Mission, with locations throughout the Bay Area, has all the makings for a viral cafe, with its full-body selfie mirror and minimalist design. The menu puts matcha and hōjicha at the forefront, featuring drinks infused with yuzu, ube, guava and more. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>This popular matcha spot in the Mission, with locations throughout the Bay Area, has all the makings for a viral cafe, with its full-body selfie mirror and minimalist design. The menu puts matcha and hōjicha at the forefront, featuring drinks infused with yuzu, ube, guava and more. \u003c/p>\n"
],
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},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The matcha leans toward the brighter and more bitter side, but you can always sweeten the deal with a banana or crème brûlée cream top. Trendy offerings like Einspänners and cheese cream toppings are also available. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The matcha leans toward the brighter and more bitter side, but you can always sweeten the deal with a banana or crème brûlée cream top. Trendy offerings like Einspänners and cheese cream toppings are also available. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "Matcha Café Maiko ",
"level": 2
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/matchacafemaiko/\">Matcha Café Maiko \u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/matchacafemaiko/\">Matcha Café Maiko \u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n"
],
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},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>1581 Webster St., San Francisco (and other locations)\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>1581 Webster St., San Francisco (and other locations)\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
],
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},
{
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>This wildly popular Honolulu-based chain has become a Bay Area mall staple. It’s a quick, convenient and portable way to take your matcha to go. Big chains often don’t maintain their quality, but Maiko is always consistent, offering a convenient option to grab your matcha on the go. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>This wildly popular Honolulu-based chain has become a Bay Area mall staple. It’s a quick, convenient and portable way to take your matcha to go. Big chains often don’t maintain their quality, but Maiko is always consistent, offering a convenient option to grab your matcha on the go. \u003c/p>\n"
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},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Perfect for a matcha beginner, the shop is known for its wide variety of matcha desserts:soft serves, shaved ices, parfaits, frappes and floats. The matcha here strikes just the right balance of sweetness and rich matcha flavor, providing the best caffeine boost after a day at the mall.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Perfect for a matcha beginner, the shop is known for its wide variety of matcha desserts:soft serves, shaved ices, parfaits, frappes and floats. The matcha here strikes just the right balance of sweetness and rich matcha flavor, providing the best caffeine boost after a day at the mall.\u003c/p>\n"
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},
{
"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "SOUTH BAY AND PENINSULA: ",
"level": 2
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>SOUTH BAY AND PENINSULA: \u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>SOUTH BAY AND PENINSULA: \u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n"
],
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},
{
"blockName": "core/image",
"attrs": {
"id": 13993424,
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"alt": "A matcha drink with white swirls of crème brûlée–flavored cream.",
"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260827-MATCHAINTHEBAY-10-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260827-MATCHAINTHEBAY-10-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260827-MATCHAINTHEBAY-10-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260827-MATCHAINTHEBAY-10-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w",
"sizes": "(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260827-MATCHAINTHEBAY-10-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"A matcha drink with white swirls of crème brûlée–flavored cream.\" class=\"wp-image-13993424\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260827-MATCHAINTHEBAY-10-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260827-MATCHAINTHEBAY-10-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260827-MATCHAINTHEBAY-10-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260827-MATCHAINTHEBAY-10-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The crème brûlée matcha swirl at Izumi Matcha in San Mateo on Aug. 27, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260827-MATCHAINTHEBAY-10-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"A matcha drink with white swirls of crème brûlée–flavored cream.\" class=\"wp-image-13993424\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The crème brûlée matcha swirl at Izumi Matcha in San Mateo on Aug. 27, 2026.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"attrs": {
"text": "Izumi Matcha ",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/izumi.matcha/\">Izumi Matcha \u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/izumi.matcha/\">Izumi Matcha \u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n"
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"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": {
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>180 E. 3rd Ave. Unit 100A, San Mateo\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>With three locations in the Peninsula and South Bay, Izumi is one of the only cafes in the US that \u003ca href=\"https://izumimatcha.com/premium-matcha-powder/\">sources its matcha from Marukyu Koyamaen\u003c/a>, a highly regarded producer in Uji, Japan. Inside, the walls are lined with tins of the Marukyu matcha powder, along with tea kettles, matcha serving bowls and matcha whisks. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>With three locations in the Peninsula and South Bay, Izumi is one of the only cafes in the US that \u003ca href=\"https://izumimatcha.com/premium-matcha-powder/\">sources its matcha from Marukyu Koyamaen\u003c/a>, a highly regarded producer in Uji, Japan. Inside, the walls are lined with tins of the Marukyu matcha powder, along with tea kettles, matcha serving bowls and matcha whisks. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The broad menu of teas and desserts really highlight the quality of the matcha itself. The matcha latte options include trendy flavors like a crème brûlée swirl that adds an element of creaminess as a counterpoint to the bright matcha flavor. In addition to the drinks, the shop also offers a diverse selection of matcha- and tea-flavored ice creams — everything from ube to “intense matcha.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The broad menu of teas and desserts really highlight the quality of the matcha itself. The matcha latte options include trendy flavors like a crème brûlée swirl that adds an element of creaminess as a counterpoint to the bright matcha flavor. In addition to the drinks, the shop also offers a diverse selection of matcha- and tea-flavored ice creams — everything from ube to “intense matcha.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"attrs": {
"text": "Aroma",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/aroma.cct/\">Aroma\u003c/a> \u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/aroma.cct/\">Aroma\u003c/a> \u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>3005 Silver Creek Rd. Ste. 150, San José\u003cstrong> \u003c/strong>\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>3005 Silver Creek Rd. Ste. 150, San José\u003cstrong> \u003c/strong>\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>This East San José tea, coffee and chè shop sells a wide variety of Vietnamese-inspired coffee and tea drinks. Matcha is the powerhouse of the menu, available in 10 different flavors, many of them featuring Southeast Asian ingredients like pandan, guava, banana cream and mango sticky rice. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>This East San José tea, coffee and chè shop sells a wide variety of Vietnamese-inspired coffee and tea drinks. Matcha is the powerhouse of the menu, available in 10 different flavors, many of them featuring Southeast Asian ingredients like pandan, guava, banana cream and mango sticky rice. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The matcha at Aroma is strong, but not overpoweringly bitter. The quality of the tea shines through even when paired with thick, sweet, syrupy banana, mango and yuzu puddings.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The matcha at Aroma is strong, but not overpoweringly bitter. The quality of the tea shines through even when paired with thick, sweet, syrupy banana, mango and yuzu puddings.\u003c/p>\n"
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"alt": "A matcha parfait in a sundae glass, layered with fresh strawberries and ice cream.",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260827-MATCHAINTHEBAY-04-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"A matcha parfait in a sundae glass, layered with fresh strawberries and ice cream.\" class=\"wp-image-13993421\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260827-MATCHAINTHEBAY-04-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260827-MATCHAINTHEBAY-04-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260827-MATCHAINTHEBAY-04-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260827-MATCHAINTHEBAY-04-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Another view of the matcha strawberry parfait at Matsu Matcha.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260827-MATCHAINTHEBAY-04-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"A matcha parfait in a sundae glass, layered with fresh strawberries and ice cream.\" class=\"wp-image-13993421\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Another view of the matcha strawberry parfait at Matsu Matcha.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"text": "Matsu Matcha ",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/matsumatcha.usa/\">Matsu Matcha\u003c/a> \u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/matsumatcha.usa/\">Matsu Matcha\u003c/a> \u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>3030 El Camino Real, Santa Clara\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp> A calm oasis located inside a busy shopping plaza in Santa Clara, Matsu serves bright green matcha in many different formats. The cafe’s extensive menu offers matcha gelato (available in five levels of increasing intensity, plus a seasonal flavor), matcha floats, matcha flights and much more. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp> A calm oasis located inside a busy shopping plaza in Santa Clara, Matsu serves bright green matcha in many different formats. The cafe’s extensive menu offers matcha gelato (available in five levels of increasing intensity, plus a seasonal flavor), matcha floats, matcha flights and much more. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The matcha flights are a good option for customers who have trouble deciding. They feature a triple dose of matcha, a matcha latte with matcha cream on top, a seasonal matcha (guava during my recent visit) and a matcha float (available in flavors like grape and dark chocolate). \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The matcha flights are a good option for customers who have trouble deciding. They feature a triple dose of matcha, a matcha latte with matcha cream on top, a seasonal matcha (guava during my recent visit) and a matcha float (available in flavors like grape and dark chocolate). \u003c/p>\n"
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"excerpt": "A guide to the best matcha lattes, Einspänners and soft serve in the Bay.",
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"title": "The Best Matcha Cafes in the Bay Area | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Be sure to check out our full \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/fall-guide-2026\">2026 Fall Arts Guide\u003c/a> to live music, movies, art, theater, festivals and more in the Bay Area.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>These days, every young person in the Bay Area seems to be walking around with some variation of the same green drink: matcha. Traditionally made by whisking finely ground green tea leaves with hot water, the beverage has been used for ceremonial practices in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/japanese-food\">Japan\u003c/a> for thousands of years. Over the past decade, however, the vibrant drink has taken America by storm. The United States now imports \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kd2PpIvUKwo\">over 2,000 tons\u003c/a> of matcha per year, turning the tea powder into drinks, ice cream treats and even skin care products. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Here in the Bay, it feels like a new matcha cafe or matcha-forward coffee shop opens almost every day. Each place offers its own take on the drink, whether it be a latte with your choice of milk, an obsessively sweet concoction of cookie butters and banana puddings, or a simple americano.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Matcha, like life, is all about balance. I spent the past several weeks trying many of the Bay Area’s hundreds of matcha cafes. Here are some of my favorites. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>EAST BAY: \u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/082126-FALLARTSGUIDEMATCHAINTHEBAY-15-MC-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"Hand holding a cup of iced coffee topped with a layer of pale green matcha cream.\" class=\"wp-image-13993215\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/082126-FALLARTSGUIDEMATCHAINTHEBAY-15-MC-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/082126-FALLARTSGUIDEMATCHAINTHEBAY-15-MC-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/082126-FALLARTSGUIDEMATCHAINTHEBAY-15-MC-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/082126-FALLARTSGUIDEMATCHAINTHEBAY-15-MC-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The matcha americano with cream top at Yume Mori on August 21, 2026, in Berkeley. (Miles Cull/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/yumemori.matcha/\">Yume Mori \u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>2319 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Jazz plays inside this minimalist cafe located in a line of popular matcha cafes near UC Berkeley. The spot is hard to miss because there is always a crowd of people waiting outside — tweens holding mom’s spot in line while she searches for a parking space.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Yume Mori is one of the few shops where customers get to choose a specific regional variety of matcha for your drink, each one boasting a different flavor profile. The cafe also serves matcha soft serve, matcha crepes and house specialties like clear matcha (made with coconut water and topped with matcha cream) and genmaicha lattes (made with green tea blended with roasted rice). The matcha here has a vibrant color and taste, but if you don’t care for those intense nutty and astringent flavors, there are also sweeter options like tiramisu, yuzu miso and cold brew options. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/mindcoffee.ca/\">Mind Coffee\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>1816 Euclid Ave., Berkeley\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Away from the traffic of the busier parts of Berkeley sits Mind Coffee, a popular study spot for students on the north side of campus. Mind has a large selection of coffee, teas and pastries, and the matcha drinks, in particular, are some of the most creative in the Bay. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The Einspänners are especially popular here. These froth-topped drinks, named after a type of horse-drawn carriage, originated in Vienna, Austria. But they’d been a fixture in Korean dramas for years by the time they made their way to the States. Einspänners are traditionally a coffee drink, but Mind features less common versions like an Earl Grey matcha Einspänner latte (which tastes a bit like a sweet, syrupy bowl of cereal) and an iced matcha sakura Einspänner with pink milk, which transports you into a forest of cherry blossom trees.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHA-NG-9-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"Matcha latte and strawberry matcha latte on a sun-dappled wooden table.\" class=\"wp-image-13993222\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHA-NG-9-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHA-NG-9-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHA-NG-9-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHA-NG-9-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A matcha latte and strawberry matcha latte from Kitsch Coffee in Oakland on Aug. 20, 2026. (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/kitschcoffeeoakland/\">Kitsch Coffee\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>590 2nd St., Oakland\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Kitsch Coffee shares space with a vintage furniture and home goods store in Jack London Square. The big open space is always full with people working behind laptops, chatting with friends or sifting through racks of vintage clothes. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Kitsch is a coffee shop, but the place takes matcha seriously. Matcha here is bright green and can be amped up with housemade syrups with flavors like ginger and lavender. The carrot cake matcha even comes with a cream cheese foam to mimic the frosting on a slice of cake. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/fortheloveofmatchacafe/\">For the Love of Matcha\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Grand Lake Farmers Market (Grand Avenue and Lake Park Avenue, Oakland)\u003cbr>Temescal Farmers Market (5300 Claremont Ave., Oakland)\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This weekly pop-up at the Grand Lake and Temescal farmers markets closes once it sells out, so it’s best to arrive early. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The menu rotates based on the season. For summer, they have sweet corn, fig, vanilla and the forever favorite strawberry matcha latte. The farmers market stand is popular, so oftentimes you’ll find many of the flavors crossed out in permanent marker. The Matchacano is my go-to drink, but you can always up the flavor with their seasonal syrups and cream tops. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHA-NG-30-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"Hand holding matcha soft serve ice cream on a sugar cone.\" class=\"wp-image-13993225\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHA-NG-30-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHA-NG-30-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHA-NG-30-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHA-NG-30-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A customer holds a matcha-and-vanilla swirl soft serve ice cream cone from Urban Matcha in Castro Valley on Aug. 20, 2026 (Nina Glick/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/urbanmatcha.castrovalley/\">Urban Matcha \u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>3311 Castro Valley Blvd., Castro Valley\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A hidden gem in suburban Castro Valley, Urban Matcha provides a matcha oasis in a somewhat unlikely part of the Bay. At 7 p.m. on a recent Tuesday evening, the cafe was full of chatty teens, people finding a calm place to get work done and families ending their night with their favorite sweet treats. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Part of a chain that extends from California to Las Vegas, the cafe is especially notable for its matcha-flavored desserts. This is the kind of place where every other customer walks out with their hands full of matcha parfaits loaded with agar jelly, corn flakes, matcha gelato, red bean paste, mochi balls and a big scoop of matcha soft serve. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>SAN FRANCISCO: \u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/constance.tea/\">Constance Tea\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>3512 Balboa St., San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Located on Balboa Street, in the Outer Richmond, Constance Tea is the only place in San Francisco where tea leaves are stone-milled into matcha in house. This new shop isn’t the place to find the drinks that satisfy your sweet tooth. Instead, Constance focuses on the basics: a small selection of hōjicha (roasted green tea), Einspänners and traditional matcha drinks made with matcha sourced from various regions in Japan, showcasing different flavor profiles. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>During a recent visit, my matcha americano was a vivid green, perfectly balanced between earthiness and a nutty aftertaste, with a cream top that provided just the right amount of milkiness to complement the grassy taste of the tea. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHAINTHEBAY-11-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"Two customers side by side holding creamy matcha drinks.\" class=\"wp-image-13993221\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHAINTHEBAY-11-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHAINTHEBAY-11-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHAINTHEBAY-11-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260820-MATCHAINTHEBAY-11-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Customers hold their matcha drinks at Ceré Tea on Valencia Street in San Francisco on Aug. 20, 2026. The tea shop specializes in matcha and hōjicha drinks. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/cereteaxyz/\">Ceré Tea \u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>1186 Valencia St., San Francisco (and other locations)\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This popular matcha spot in the Mission, with locations throughout the Bay Area, has all the makings for a viral cafe, with its full-body selfie mirror and minimalist design. The menu puts matcha and hōjicha at the forefront, featuring drinks infused with yuzu, ube, guava and more. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The matcha leans toward the brighter and more bitter side, but you can always sweeten the deal with a banana or crème brûlée cream top. Trendy offerings like Einspänners and cheese cream toppings are also available. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/matchacafemaiko/\">Matcha Café Maiko \u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>1581 Webster St., San Francisco (and other locations)\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This wildly popular Honolulu-based chain has become a Bay Area mall staple. It’s a quick, convenient and portable way to take your matcha to go. Big chains often don’t maintain their quality, but Maiko is always consistent, offering a convenient option to grab your matcha on the go. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Perfect for a matcha beginner, the shop is known for its wide variety of matcha desserts:soft serves, shaved ices, parfaits, frappes and floats. The matcha here strikes just the right balance of sweetness and rich matcha flavor, providing the best caffeine boost after a day at the mall.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>SOUTH BAY AND PENINSULA: \u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260827-MATCHAINTHEBAY-10-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"A matcha drink with white swirls of crème brûlée–flavored cream.\" class=\"wp-image-13993424\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260827-MATCHAINTHEBAY-10-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260827-MATCHAINTHEBAY-10-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260827-MATCHAINTHEBAY-10-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260827-MATCHAINTHEBAY-10-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The crème brûlée matcha swirl at Izumi Matcha in San Mateo on Aug. 27, 2026. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/izumi.matcha/\">Izumi Matcha \u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>180 E. 3rd Ave. Unit 100A, San Mateo\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>With three locations in the Peninsula and South Bay, Izumi is one of the only cafes in the US that \u003ca href=\"https://izumimatcha.com/premium-matcha-powder/\">sources its matcha from Marukyu Koyamaen\u003c/a>, a highly regarded producer in Uji, Japan. Inside, the walls are lined with tins of the Marukyu matcha powder, along with tea kettles, matcha serving bowls and matcha whisks. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The broad menu of teas and desserts really highlight the quality of the matcha itself. The matcha latte options include trendy flavors like a crème brûlée swirl that adds an element of creaminess as a counterpoint to the bright matcha flavor. In addition to the drinks, the shop also offers a diverse selection of matcha- and tea-flavored ice creams — everything from ube to “intense matcha.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/aroma.cct/\">Aroma\u003c/a> \u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>3005 Silver Creek Rd. Ste. 150, San José\u003cstrong> \u003c/strong>\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This East San José tea, coffee and chè shop sells a wide variety of Vietnamese-inspired coffee and tea drinks. Matcha is the powerhouse of the menu, available in 10 different flavors, many of them featuring Southeast Asian ingredients like pandan, guava, banana cream and mango sticky rice. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The matcha at Aroma is strong, but not overpoweringly bitter. The quality of the tea shines through even when paired with thick, sweet, syrupy banana, mango and yuzu puddings.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260827-MATCHAINTHEBAY-04-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"A matcha parfait in a sundae glass, layered with fresh strawberries and ice cream.\" class=\"wp-image-13993421\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260827-MATCHAINTHEBAY-04-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260827-MATCHAINTHEBAY-04-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260827-MATCHAINTHEBAY-04-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/260827-MATCHAINTHEBAY-04-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Another view of the matcha strawberry parfait at Matsu Matcha. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/matsumatcha.usa/\">Matsu Matcha\u003c/a> \u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>3030 El Camino Real, Santa Clara\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp> A calm oasis located inside a busy shopping plaza in Santa Clara, Matsu serves bright green matcha in many different formats. The cafe’s extensive menu offers matcha gelato (available in five levels of increasing intensity, plus a seasonal flavor), matcha floats, matcha flights and much more. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The matcha flights are a good option for customers who have trouble deciding. They feature a triple dose of matcha, a matcha latte with matcha cream on top, a seasonal matcha (guava during my recent visit) and a matcha float (available in flavors like grape and dark chocolate). \u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "bay-area-alternative-art-spaces-attic-202019-occasions-small-works",
"title": "How Bay Area Artists Foster Belonging in Unexpected Spaces",
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"content": "\u003cp>The San Francisco skyline glitters across the Bay — a miraculous angle I’ve never seen it from until I step onto the deck of artist \u003ca href=\"https://yimingclara.com/\">Yiming Clara\u003c/a>’s Berkeley apartment\u003cem>. \u003c/em>Bustling in and out of the apartment, which doubles as the exhibition space \u003ca href=\"https://yimingclara.com/202019-occasions\">202019: Occasions\u003c/a>, are artists, friends, writers and students from across the water or down the street.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>To cut through the Bay Area’s high cost of living, artists have learned to carve out exhibition spaces where they can. Apartment or studio galleries, unconventional displays, or fully plein-air roving projects all thread into the DNA of the region’s art scene. Dimitri Grachis’ \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfchronicle.com/entertainment/arts-exhibits/article/dimitri-grachis-artist-and-gallerist-who-showed-21177614.php\">Spatsa Gallery\u003c/a> (in a one-car garage off Fillmore, 1957–1961), Alberta Mayo’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/93138/treasures_from_the_mooseum_the_manitoba_museum_of_finds_art\">Manitoba Museum of Finds Art\u003c/a> (in the waiting area of the director’s offices at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, 1975–1978), and Margaret Tedesco’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13982690/margaret-tedesco-obituary-artist-curator-spirit-san-francisco\">2nd floor projects\u003c/a> (in her apartment, 2007–2017) all come to mind, but the list of past and present alternative spaces seems like it could be endless. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Conventional commercial galleries are crucial to an arts ecosystem. They support artist’s careers and bolster aesthetic and intellectual continuity. But breaking these conventions — especially by moving away from brightly lit white-cube spaces — sustains a regional historical discourse, enables critical exploration and keeps the organism of an arts community alive. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Despite a recent wave of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13985413/california-college-of-the-arts-sfai-mills-art-school-closures\">institution and gallery closures\u003c/a>, grassroots organizing that centers the Bay Area’s artist community itself persists. In this scene, ad-hoc viewing rooms, irregular hours and a near counter-commercial air enable artists’ growth and experimentation. Three spaces operating today, Yiming Clara’s 202019: Occasions, Gui Veloso’s \u003ca href=\"https://theattic.one/\">The Attic\u003c/a>, and Andrew Berg’s \u003ca href=\"https://smallworksprojects.com/pages/gallery\">Small Works Projects Gallery\u003c/a> follow suit, using their urban backdrops as stages to broaden and connect with their communities in a region in flux.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1998\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260705-BAY-AREA-ALTERNATIVE-ART-SPACES-MD-07_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13991423\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260705-BAY-AREA-ALTERNATIVE-ART-SPACES-MD-07_qed.jpg 1998w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260705-BAY-AREA-ALTERNATIVE-ART-SPACES-MD-07_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260705-BAY-AREA-ALTERNATIVE-ART-SPACES-MD-07_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260705-BAY-AREA-ALTERNATIVE-ART-SPACES-MD-07_qed-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1998px) 100vw, 1998px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">‘Dance,’ by Yiming Clara, on display at the 202019: Occasions art space in Berkeley on July 5, 2026. (Martin do Nascimento for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>A meeting of the minds\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For Yiming Clara, the call to create her own exhibition space was twofold: an “under-saturation,” as she puts it, of conceptually driven alternative spaces available to her locally; and her growing interest in rethinking the role of the artist. She opened 202019: Occasions in December 2025 with \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://yimingclara.com/202019-1\">The Chair\u003c/a>\u003c/em>, a group exhibition that predominantly featured text.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It began with an idea that doesn’t really fit anywhere,” she says, describing how she was deeply inspired by, and wanted to exhibit, the note-annotation practice of her mentor \u003ca href=\"https://africa.berkeley.edu/people/alejandra-perez-rotondo\">Alejandra Perez Rotondo\u003c/a>. Although Perez Rotondo may not have seen her own work as artwork, to Yiming Clara, it was very familiar as an artist’s inquiry. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1998\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260705-BAY-AREA-ALTERNATIVE-ART-SPACES-MD-02_qed.jpg\" alt=\"young Asian woman sits in chair in apartment\" class=\"wp-image-13991421\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260705-BAY-AREA-ALTERNATIVE-ART-SPACES-MD-02_qed.jpg 1998w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260705-BAY-AREA-ALTERNATIVE-ART-SPACES-MD-02_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260705-BAY-AREA-ALTERNATIVE-ART-SPACES-MD-02_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260705-BAY-AREA-ALTERNATIVE-ART-SPACES-MD-02_qed-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1998px) 100vw, 1998px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Yiming Clara sits in one of the chairs from the ‘The Chair’ installation at the 202019: Occasions art space that she founded in Berkeley, on July 5, 2026. (Martin do Nascimento for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Yiming Clara’s most recent exhibition, Eliot D’Silva’s \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://yimingclara.com/202019-2-2\">Realty Principle\u003c/a>, \u003c/em>played directly with the domestic nature of the gallery by staging an “open house,” complete with a four-channel sound installation, that examined the mythologies of real-estate speculation. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This was the second of a three-part “sonic salon” series titled \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://yimingclara.com/202019-2-1-1\">Speakers Never Learn\u003c/a>\u003c/em>. The series launched in January 2026 with a reading co-organized with Hyungtae Kim. That first event was dedicated to the late artist Theresa Hak Kyung Cha, and timed to coincide with \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13986355/theresa-hak-kyung-cha-multiple-offerings-bampfa-review\">her retrospective\u003c/a> at the Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The reading ran from sunrise until 11 a.m. in Yiming Clara’s living space and centered on friendship. Like the collaborations Cha undertook during her own time in Berkeley, the event was a celebration of participatory exhibition-making.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Playing with how an exhibition space can upend traditional expectations of authorship, interactivity and even viewing hours has also given Yiming Clara a greater understanding of her own role as a developing artist. Growing up as the daughter of architects, she has long been interested in how spaces create the conditions for all kinds of social, spiritual or relational possibilities. One question central to her project is: what are the conditions that determine someone is an artist? She wonders if 202019: Occasions can act as research for artistic development, allowing for all types of people, and a multiplicity of approaches and work, to inhabit the role of artist.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/South_View_2000b.jpg\" alt=\"wide abstract painting hung on patched wall under low ceiling\" class=\"wp-image-13992020\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/South_View_2000b.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/South_View_2000b-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/South_View_2000b-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/South_View_2000b-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A work by Nancy Nguyen in ‘A 1,000,000 Laughs’ in The Attic. (Courtesy Gui Veloso)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>Using what we already have\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Sharing Yiming Clara’s impulse to explore how unexpected spaces can generate artistic community, Gui Veloso noticed that the attic of his workplace was sitting empty. (Veloso heads communications and community partnerships for \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13969665/500-capp-street-new-collective-leadership-san-francisco-arts-nonprofit\">500 Capp Street\u003c/a>, the home of the late artist David Ireland.) Ireland himself added the attic to the house; it’s where his children and grandchildren would camp out when visiting.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While some artists have made use of the space — David Wilson exhibited a sound work in the attic in 2021, and Virginia Overton installed work there in 2017 — it’s rough, not easy to access, and tucked away amid Ireland’s more dramatic interventions in the house. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It was mostly used for storage after. I would sometimes just come up here and enjoy the silence,” Veloso says as we climb the ladder tucked past the house’s second-story office. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>After Veloso helped launch 500 Capp’s \u003cem>Accordion Shop\u003c/em>, which sells small works from a rotating cast of artists, he asked if he might be able to host occasional exhibitions of his own in the unused attic. The foundation is already an unconventional space: an artist-altered house that hosts residencies, houses David Ireland’s archive, and mounts regular exhibitions. But The Attic is a further departure — it is not tied to 500 Capp Street programming and is not officially affiliated with the institution.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-3 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1500\" height=\"2000\" data-id=\"13992023\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/East_View_2000b.jpg\" alt=\"attic space with hanging textile and skinny sculpture\" class=\"wp-image-13992023\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/East_View_2000b.jpg 1500w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/East_View_2000b-160x213.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/East_View_2000b-768x1024.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/East_View_2000b-1152x1536.jpg 1152w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A view of ‘A 1,000,000 Laughs’ in The Attic, with work by Patrick Carroll in the foreground and Natasha Loewy behind. (Courtesy Gui Veloso)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1500\" height=\"2000\" data-id=\"13992024\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/Tape_Piece_CloseUp_2000b.jpg\" alt=\"overhead view of tape player and nine cassettes\" class=\"wp-image-13992024\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/Tape_Piece_CloseUp_2000b.jpg 1500w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/Tape_Piece_CloseUp_2000b-160x213.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/Tape_Piece_CloseUp_2000b-768x1024.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/Tape_Piece_CloseUp_2000b-1152x1536.jpg 1152w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Natasha Loewy’s ‘Recording of A 1,000,000 Laughs by Peggy Ingalls,’ 2025-ongoing. (Courtesy Gui Veloso)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://theattic.one/a-1,000,000-laughs\">A 1,000,000 Laughs\u003c/a> \u003c/em>is Veloso’s first program, a group show on view through Sept. 7, 2026. At the April 5 opening, he served coffee and breakfast. People crouched in and out of the unpainted, low-ceilinged room, pressing play on a tape player in the corner that featured Natasha Loewy reading from Peggy Ingalls’ book — “HA” printed one million times. In a forthcoming work for The Attic, artist \u003ca href=\"https://berilor.com/\">Beril Or\u003c/a> will conduct a 24-hour sleeping performance.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In the Bay Area, the constant economic flux of living and working creates a demand for practicality, often forcing art spaces into a more conservative approach under the auspices of survival. Spaces like The Attic provide safe havens for artists’ growth, experimentation, vulnerability and discovery, without the need for monthly revenue to cover overhead. The added proximity to a slice of Bay Area art history — being situated within an institution — enables Attic artists to see themselves as a part of the greater fabric of the region. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Knowing how hard it can be to live as an artist in this city, this creative project, and the connections it facilitates, is a bridge, Veloso says, “between laughter and whatever comes next.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/20260702_BayAreaAltArtSpaces_GC-1_qed.jpg\" alt=\"salon-style wall hung with colorful artwork above staircase to gallery\" class=\"wp-image-13991424\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/20260702_BayAreaAltArtSpaces_GC-1_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/20260702_BayAreaAltArtSpaces_GC-1_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/20260702_BayAreaAltArtSpaces_GC-1_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/20260702_BayAreaAltArtSpaces_GC-1_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Art hangs on a wall at the San Francisco frame shop Small Works on July 2, 2026; the stairs lead up to the gallery space. (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>Extended spaces\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Veloso isn’t alone in carving exhibition space out of a place of work. Andrew Berg opened his bespoke frame shop \u003ca href=\"https://smallworksprojects.com/pages/frames\">Small Works\u003c/a> in 2012, and moved into his current Potrero Hill location in 2017. When he first began working in the new space, he thought to use the upstairs mezzanine, complete with a balcony, as the shop’s office. But the space proved too hot to work in for long periods of time. Berg listed it online; anyone interested in transforming it could use the space for three months for their own exhibitions. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A group of artists who go by Glue Projects (\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/idontkissartell/\">Annie Artell\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/Alex_Uranga\">Alex Uranga\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/luciedoodles/\">Lucie Scanlon\u003c/a>) answered the call, helping seal off the balcony that looked over the shop, painting and prepping walls and lights for exhibitions, and then programming there, as promised. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Since May 2024 Berg has run the mezzanine as Small Works Projects Gallery, hosting over a dozen exhibitions (including one raucous Summer Open that packed as many artworks into the space as it could hold). He will open his next show, with artist \u003ca href=\"http://charlieecallahan.com/\">Charlie Callahan\u003c/a>, on Aug. 15.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A playful, social, “sense of discovery,” drives the space, Berg says. He loves seeing how artists do their own thing, and interpret Small Works — full of passageways, staircases, holes to peer through, racks of frames and other artwork. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1260\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/20260702_BayAreaAltArtSpaces_GC-3_qed.jpg\" alt=\"man carries art in front of storage racks\" class=\"wp-image-13991426\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/20260702_BayAreaAltArtSpaces_GC-3_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/20260702_BayAreaAltArtSpaces_GC-3_qed-160x101.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/20260702_BayAreaAltArtSpaces_GC-3_qed-768x484.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/20260702_BayAreaAltArtSpaces_GC-3_qed-1536x968.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Andrew Berg moves art around Small Works on July 2, 2026. (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Exhibitions expand far beyond their designated area. In December 2025, the roving programming series \u003cem>The Search \u003c/em>held a fashion and arts show atop the very tables Small Works uses for framing. In 2024, the Vallejo residency program Winslow House organized \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://winslowhouseproject.substack.com/p/tree-work-ahead\">TREE WORK\u003c/a>,\u003c/em> where artist \u003ca href=\"https://www.oliviaronan.com/\">Olivia Ronan\u003c/a> led a performance that progressed from the building’s tree-laden front area through the entirety of the shop. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Small Works throws dance parties, hosts dinners, holds open calls. It’s clear that, to Berg, the “person is everything.” Friendship is soaked deep into the paint and walls of both the gallery and the frame shop. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>The greater ecosystem\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>202019: Occasions, The Attic and Small Works are just some of the latest in a long history of Bay Area alternative spaces. Integrated directly into the fabric of the city by necessity and design, oddly shaped, built by many voices and rarely abiding by set hours or a routine calendar, these spaces provide their communities of artists with proximity, intimacy and a shared language. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Being physically close to people is part of the equation. When I met with Berg to talk about Small Works, he made me a cup of coffee and we sat on the floor of the empty gallery. When I spoke with Veloso, we crawled out the window of the attic and leaned against the roof of David Ireland’s house, watching the fog roll over the hill and settling around Sutro Tower. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/20260702_BayAreaAltArtSpaces_GC-5_qed.jpg\" alt=\"three people talk over spread-out art\" class=\"wp-image-13991428\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/20260702_BayAreaAltArtSpaces_GC-5_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/20260702_BayAreaAltArtSpaces_GC-5_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/20260702_BayAreaAltArtSpaces_GC-5_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/20260702_BayAreaAltArtSpaces_GC-5_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Sabrina Kay, an employee at Small Works, helps Sophia Hu, center, and Stanley Su, right, pick a frame for their painting at the studio in San Francisco on July 2, 2026. (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Our region is in constant economic and industrial flux. The challenges this brings, in cost and access to space, have built upon artistic practice such that they have begun to feel inseparable, learning and driving social and creative growth as one conjoined architecture. Perhaps they always have been. The organizers of spaces such as these reach towards each other, towards an ecosystem they want to see not just for themselves in isolation, but for all Bay Area artists as a greater whole. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Often, what emerges are thoughtful, playful and rigorous exhibitions that challenge the status quo, producing friendships and a complex ecosystem within the Bay Area arts community — as much as the shows themselves. Art is not separate from the backdrop of our urban realities, it is part and parcel, conspirator and collaborator, always working to close a gap between precarity and belonging.\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The San Francisco skyline glitters across the Bay — a miraculous angle I’ve never seen it from until I step onto the deck of artist \u003ca href=\"https://yimingclara.com/\">Yiming Clara\u003c/a>’s Berkeley apartment\u003cem>. \u003c/em>Bustling in and out of the apartment, which doubles as the exhibition space \u003ca href=\"https://yimingclara.com/202019-occasions\">202019: Occasions\u003c/a>, are artists, friends, writers and students from across the water or down the street.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The San Francisco skyline glitters across the Bay — a miraculous angle I’ve never seen it from until I step onto the deck of artist \u003ca href=\"https://yimingclara.com/\">Yiming Clara\u003c/a>’s Berkeley apartment\u003cem>. \u003c/em>Bustling in and out of the apartment, which doubles as the exhibition space \u003ca href=\"https://yimingclara.com/202019-occasions\">202019: Occasions\u003c/a>, are artists, friends, writers and students from across the water or down the street.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>To cut through the Bay Area’s high cost of living, artists have learned to carve out exhibition spaces where they can. Apartment or studio galleries, unconventional displays, or fully plein-air roving projects all thread into the DNA of the region’s art scene. Dimitri Grachis’ \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfchronicle.com/entertainment/arts-exhibits/article/dimitri-grachis-artist-and-gallerist-who-showed-21177614.php\">Spatsa Gallery\u003c/a> (in a one-car garage off Fillmore, 1957–1961), Alberta Mayo’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/93138/treasures_from_the_mooseum_the_manitoba_museum_of_finds_art\">Manitoba Museum of Finds Art\u003c/a> (in the waiting area of the director’s offices at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, 1975–1978), and Margaret Tedesco’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13982690/margaret-tedesco-obituary-artist-curator-spirit-san-francisco\">2nd floor projects\u003c/a> (in her apartment, 2007–2017) all come to mind, but the list of past and present alternative spaces seems like it could be endless. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>To cut through the Bay Area’s high cost of living, artists have learned to carve out exhibition spaces where they can. Apartment or studio galleries, unconventional displays, or fully plein-air roving projects all thread into the DNA of the region’s art scene. Dimitri Grachis’ \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfchronicle.com/entertainment/arts-exhibits/article/dimitri-grachis-artist-and-gallerist-who-showed-21177614.php\">Spatsa Gallery\u003c/a> (in a one-car garage off Fillmore, 1957–1961), Alberta Mayo’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/93138/treasures_from_the_mooseum_the_manitoba_museum_of_finds_art\">Manitoba Museum of Finds Art\u003c/a> (in the waiting area of the director’s offices at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, 1975–1978), and Margaret Tedesco’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13982690/margaret-tedesco-obituary-artist-curator-spirit-san-francisco\">2nd floor projects\u003c/a> (in her apartment, 2007–2017) all come to mind, but the list of past and present alternative spaces seems like it could be endless. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Conventional commercial galleries are crucial to an arts ecosystem. They support artist’s careers and bolster aesthetic and intellectual continuity. But breaking these conventions — especially by moving away from brightly lit white-cube spaces — sustains a regional historical discourse, enables critical exploration and keeps the organism of an arts community alive. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Conventional commercial galleries are crucial to an arts ecosystem. They support artist’s careers and bolster aesthetic and intellectual continuity. But breaking these conventions — especially by moving away from brightly lit white-cube spaces — sustains a regional historical discourse, enables critical exploration and keeps the organism of an arts community alive. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Despite a recent wave of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13985413/california-college-of-the-arts-sfai-mills-art-school-closures\">institution and gallery closures\u003c/a>, grassroots organizing that centers the Bay Area’s artist community itself persists. In this scene, ad-hoc viewing rooms, irregular hours and a near counter-commercial air enable artists’ growth and experimentation. Three spaces operating today, Yiming Clara’s 202019: Occasions, Gui Veloso’s \u003ca href=\"https://theattic.one/\">The Attic\u003c/a>, and Andrew Berg’s \u003ca href=\"https://smallworksprojects.com/pages/gallery\">Small Works Projects Gallery\u003c/a> follow suit, using their urban backdrops as stages to broaden and connect with their communities in a region in flux.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Despite a recent wave of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13985413/california-college-of-the-arts-sfai-mills-art-school-closures\">institution and gallery closures\u003c/a>, grassroots organizing that centers the Bay Area’s artist community itself persists. In this scene, ad-hoc viewing rooms, irregular hours and a near counter-commercial air enable artists’ growth and experimentation. Three spaces operating today, Yiming Clara’s 202019: Occasions, Gui Veloso’s \u003ca href=\"https://theattic.one/\">The Attic\u003c/a>, and Andrew Berg’s \u003ca href=\"https://smallworksprojects.com/pages/gallery\">Small Works Projects Gallery\u003c/a> follow suit, using their urban backdrops as stages to broaden and connect with their communities in a region in flux.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260705-BAY-AREA-ALTERNATIVE-ART-SPACES-MD-07_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13991423\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260705-BAY-AREA-ALTERNATIVE-ART-SPACES-MD-07_qed.jpg 1998w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260705-BAY-AREA-ALTERNATIVE-ART-SPACES-MD-07_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260705-BAY-AREA-ALTERNATIVE-ART-SPACES-MD-07_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260705-BAY-AREA-ALTERNATIVE-ART-SPACES-MD-07_qed-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">‘Dance,’ by Yiming Clara, on display at the 202019: Occasions art space in Berkeley on July 5, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260705-BAY-AREA-ALTERNATIVE-ART-SPACES-MD-07_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13991423\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">‘Dance,’ by Yiming Clara, on display at the 202019: Occasions art space in Berkeley on July 5, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>A meeting of the minds\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>For Yiming Clara, the call to create her own exhibition space was twofold: an “under-saturation,” as she puts it, of conceptually driven alternative spaces available to her locally; and her growing interest in rethinking the role of the artist. She opened 202019: Occasions in December 2025 with \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://yimingclara.com/202019-1\">The Chair\u003c/a>\u003c/em>, a group exhibition that predominantly featured text.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>For Yiming Clara, the call to create her own exhibition space was twofold: an “under-saturation,” as she puts it, of conceptually driven alternative spaces available to her locally; and her growing interest in rethinking the role of the artist. She opened 202019: Occasions in December 2025 with \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://yimingclara.com/202019-1\">The Chair\u003c/a>\u003c/em>, a group exhibition that predominantly featured text.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It began with an idea that doesn’t really fit anywhere,” she says, describing how she was deeply inspired by, and wanted to exhibit, the note-annotation practice of her mentor \u003ca href=\"https://africa.berkeley.edu/people/alejandra-perez-rotondo\">Alejandra Perez Rotondo\u003c/a>. Although Perez Rotondo may not have seen her own work as artwork, to Yiming Clara, it was very familiar as an artist’s inquiry. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“It began with an idea that doesn’t really fit anywhere,” she says, describing how she was deeply inspired by, and wanted to exhibit, the note-annotation practice of her mentor \u003ca href=\"https://africa.berkeley.edu/people/alejandra-perez-rotondo\">Alejandra Perez Rotondo\u003c/a>. Although Perez Rotondo may not have seen her own work as artwork, to Yiming Clara, it was very familiar as an artist’s inquiry. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260705-BAY-AREA-ALTERNATIVE-ART-SPACES-MD-02_qed.jpg\" alt=\"young Asian woman sits in chair in apartment\" class=\"wp-image-13991421\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260705-BAY-AREA-ALTERNATIVE-ART-SPACES-MD-02_qed.jpg 1998w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260705-BAY-AREA-ALTERNATIVE-ART-SPACES-MD-02_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260705-BAY-AREA-ALTERNATIVE-ART-SPACES-MD-02_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260705-BAY-AREA-ALTERNATIVE-ART-SPACES-MD-02_qed-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Yiming Clara sits in one of the chairs from the ‘The Chair’ installation at the 202019: Occasions art space that she founded in Berkeley, on July 5, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260705-BAY-AREA-ALTERNATIVE-ART-SPACES-MD-02_qed.jpg\" alt=\"young Asian woman sits in chair in apartment\" class=\"wp-image-13991421\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Yiming Clara sits in one of the chairs from the ‘The Chair’ installation at the 202019: Occasions art space that she founded in Berkeley, on July 5, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Yiming Clara’s most recent exhibition, Eliot D’Silva’s \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://yimingclara.com/202019-2-2\">Realty Principle\u003c/a>, \u003c/em>played directly with the domestic nature of the gallery by staging an “open house,” complete with a four-channel sound installation, that examined the mythologies of real-estate speculation. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Yiming Clara’s most recent exhibition, Eliot D’Silva’s \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://yimingclara.com/202019-2-2\">Realty Principle\u003c/a>, \u003c/em>played directly with the domestic nature of the gallery by staging an “open house,” complete with a four-channel sound installation, that examined the mythologies of real-estate speculation. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>This was the second of a three-part “sonic salon” series titled \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://yimingclara.com/202019-2-1-1\">Speakers Never Learn\u003c/a>\u003c/em>. The series launched in January 2026 with a reading co-organized with Hyungtae Kim. That first event was dedicated to the late artist Theresa Hak Kyung Cha, and timed to coincide with \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13986355/theresa-hak-kyung-cha-multiple-offerings-bampfa-review\">her retrospective\u003c/a> at the Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>This was the second of a three-part “sonic salon” series titled \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://yimingclara.com/202019-2-1-1\">Speakers Never Learn\u003c/a>\u003c/em>. The series launched in January 2026 with a reading co-organized with Hyungtae Kim. That first event was dedicated to the late artist Theresa Hak Kyung Cha, and timed to coincide with \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13986355/theresa-hak-kyung-cha-multiple-offerings-bampfa-review\">her retrospective\u003c/a> at the Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The reading ran from sunrise until 11 a.m. in Yiming Clara’s living space and centered on friendship. Like the collaborations Cha undertook during her own time in Berkeley, the event was a celebration of participatory exhibition-making.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The reading ran from sunrise until 11 a.m. in Yiming Clara’s living space and centered on friendship. Like the collaborations Cha undertook during her own time in Berkeley, the event was a celebration of participatory exhibition-making.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Playing with how an exhibition space can upend traditional expectations of authorship, interactivity and even viewing hours has also given Yiming Clara a greater understanding of her own role as a developing artist. Growing up as the daughter of architects, she has long been interested in how spaces create the conditions for all kinds of social, spiritual or relational possibilities. One question central to her project is: what are the conditions that determine someone is an artist? She wonders if 202019: Occasions can act as research for artistic development, allowing for all types of people, and a multiplicity of approaches and work, to inhabit the role of artist.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Playing with how an exhibition space can upend traditional expectations of authorship, interactivity and even viewing hours has also given Yiming Clara a greater understanding of her own role as a developing artist. Growing up as the daughter of architects, she has long been interested in how spaces create the conditions for all kinds of social, spiritual or relational possibilities. One question central to her project is: what are the conditions that determine someone is an artist? She wonders if 202019: Occasions can act as research for artistic development, allowing for all types of people, and a multiplicity of approaches and work, to inhabit the role of artist.\u003c/p>\n"
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"imageCredit": "Courtesy Gui Veloso",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/South_View_2000b.jpg\" alt=\"wide abstract painting hung on patched wall under low ceiling\" class=\"wp-image-13992020\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/South_View_2000b.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/South_View_2000b-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/South_View_2000b-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/South_View_2000b-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A work by Nancy Nguyen in ‘A 1,000,000 Laughs’ in The Attic.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/South_View_2000b.jpg\" alt=\"wide abstract painting hung on patched wall under low ceiling\" class=\"wp-image-13992020\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A work by Nancy Nguyen in ‘A 1,000,000 Laughs’ in The Attic.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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{
"blockName": "core/heading",
"attrs": {
"text": "Using what we already have",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>Using what we already have\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>Using what we already have\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Sharing Yiming Clara’s impulse to explore how unexpected spaces can generate artistic community, Gui Veloso noticed that the attic of his workplace was sitting empty. (Veloso heads communications and community partnerships for \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13969665/500-capp-street-new-collective-leadership-san-francisco-arts-nonprofit\">500 Capp Street\u003c/a>, the home of the late artist David Ireland.) Ireland himself added the attic to the house; it’s where his children and grandchildren would camp out when visiting.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Sharing Yiming Clara’s impulse to explore how unexpected spaces can generate artistic community, Gui Veloso noticed that the attic of his workplace was sitting empty. (Veloso heads communications and community partnerships for \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13969665/500-capp-street-new-collective-leadership-san-francisco-arts-nonprofit\">500 Capp Street\u003c/a>, the home of the late artist David Ireland.) Ireland himself added the attic to the house; it’s where his children and grandchildren would camp out when visiting.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>While some artists have made use of the space — David Wilson exhibited a sound work in the attic in 2021, and Virginia Overton installed work there in 2017 — it’s rough, not easy to access, and tucked away amid Ireland’s more dramatic interventions in the house. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>While some artists have made use of the space — David Wilson exhibited a sound work in the attic in 2021, and Virginia Overton installed work there in 2017 — it’s rough, not easy to access, and tucked away amid Ireland’s more dramatic interventions in the house. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“It was mostly used for storage after. I would sometimes just come up here and enjoy the silence,” Veloso says as we climb the ladder tucked past the house’s second-story office. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“It was mostly used for storage after. I would sometimes just come up here and enjoy the silence,” Veloso says as we climb the ladder tucked past the house’s second-story office. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>After Veloso helped launch 500 Capp’s \u003cem>Accordion Shop\u003c/em>, which sells small works from a rotating cast of artists, he asked if he might be able to host occasional exhibitions of his own in the unused attic. The foundation is already an unconventional space: an artist-altered house that hosts residencies, houses David Ireland’s archive, and mounts regular exhibitions. But The Attic is a further departure — it is not tied to 500 Capp Street programming and is not officially affiliated with the institution.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>After Veloso helped launch 500 Capp’s \u003cem>Accordion Shop\u003c/em>, which sells small works from a rotating cast of artists, he asked if he might be able to host occasional exhibitions of his own in the unused attic. The foundation is already an unconventional space: an artist-altered house that hosts residencies, houses David Ireland’s archive, and mounts regular exhibitions. But The Attic is a further departure — it is not tied to 500 Capp Street programming and is not officially affiliated with the institution.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped\">\n\n\u003c/figure>\n",
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null,
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/East_View_2000b.jpg\" alt=\"attic space with hanging textile and skinny sculpture\" class=\"wp-image-13992023\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A view of ‘A 1,000,000 Laughs’ in The Attic, with work by Patrick Carroll in the foreground and Natasha Loewy behind.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/East_View_2000b.jpg\" alt=\"attic space with hanging textile and skinny sculpture\" class=\"wp-image-13992023\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A view of ‘A 1,000,000 Laughs’ in The Attic, with work by Patrick Carroll in the foreground and Natasha Loewy behind.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/Tape_Piece_CloseUp_2000b.jpg\" alt=\"overhead view of tape player and nine cassettes\" class=\"wp-image-13992024\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Natasha Loewy’s ‘Recording of A 1,000,000 Laughs by Peggy Ingalls,’ 2025-ongoing.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/Tape_Piece_CloseUp_2000b.jpg\" alt=\"overhead view of tape player and nine cassettes\" class=\"wp-image-13992024\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Natasha Loewy’s ‘Recording of A 1,000,000 Laughs by Peggy Ingalls,’ 2025-ongoing.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://theattic.one/a-1,000,000-laughs\">A 1,000,000 Laughs\u003c/a> \u003c/em>is Veloso’s first program, a group show on view through Sept. 7, 2026. At the April 5 opening, he served coffee and breakfast. People crouched in and out of the unpainted, low-ceilinged room, pressing play on a tape player in the corner that featured Natasha Loewy reading from Peggy Ingalls’ book — “HA” printed one million times. In a forthcoming work for The Attic, artist \u003ca href=\"https://berilor.com/\">Beril Or\u003c/a> will conduct a 24-hour sleeping performance.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://theattic.one/a-1,000,000-laughs\">A 1,000,000 Laughs\u003c/a> \u003c/em>is Veloso’s first program, a group show on view through Sept. 7, 2026. At the April 5 opening, he served coffee and breakfast. People crouched in and out of the unpainted, low-ceilinged room, pressing play on a tape player in the corner that featured Natasha Loewy reading from Peggy Ingalls’ book — “HA” printed one million times. In a forthcoming work for The Attic, artist \u003ca href=\"https://berilor.com/\">Beril Or\u003c/a> will conduct a 24-hour sleeping performance.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In the Bay Area, the constant economic flux of living and working creates a demand for practicality, often forcing art spaces into a more conservative approach under the auspices of survival. Spaces like The Attic provide safe havens for artists’ growth, experimentation, vulnerability and discovery, without the need for monthly revenue to cover overhead. The added proximity to a slice of Bay Area art history — being situated within an institution — enables Attic artists to see themselves as a part of the greater fabric of the region. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>In the Bay Area, the constant economic flux of living and working creates a demand for practicality, often forcing art spaces into a more conservative approach under the auspices of survival. Spaces like The Attic provide safe havens for artists’ growth, experimentation, vulnerability and discovery, without the need for monthly revenue to cover overhead. The added proximity to a slice of Bay Area art history — being situated within an institution — enables Attic artists to see themselves as a part of the greater fabric of the region. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Knowing how hard it can be to live as an artist in this city, this creative project, and the connections it facilitates, is a bridge, Veloso says, “between laughter and whatever comes next.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Knowing how hard it can be to live as an artist in this city, this creative project, and the connections it facilitates, is a bridge, Veloso says, “between laughter and whatever comes next.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"attrs": {
"id": 13991424,
"sizeSlug": "full",
"linkDestination": "none",
"imageCredit": "Gina Castro for KQED",
"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/20260702_BayAreaAltArtSpaces_GC-1_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/20260702_BayAreaAltArtSpaces_GC-1_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/20260702_BayAreaAltArtSpaces_GC-1_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/20260702_BayAreaAltArtSpaces_GC-1_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w",
"sizes": "(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/20260702_BayAreaAltArtSpaces_GC-1_qed.jpg\" alt=\"salon-style wall hung with colorful artwork above staircase to gallery\" class=\"wp-image-13991424\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/20260702_BayAreaAltArtSpaces_GC-1_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/20260702_BayAreaAltArtSpaces_GC-1_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/20260702_BayAreaAltArtSpaces_GC-1_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/20260702_BayAreaAltArtSpaces_GC-1_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Art hangs on a wall at the San Francisco frame shop Small Works on July 2, 2026; the stairs lead up to the gallery space.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/20260702_BayAreaAltArtSpaces_GC-1_qed.jpg\" alt=\"salon-style wall hung with colorful artwork above staircase to gallery\" class=\"wp-image-13991424\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Art hangs on a wall at the San Francisco frame shop Small Works on July 2, 2026; the stairs lead up to the gallery space.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"attrs": {
"text": "Extended spaces",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>Extended spaces\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Veloso isn’t alone in carving exhibition space out of a place of work. Andrew Berg opened his bespoke frame shop \u003ca href=\"https://smallworksprojects.com/pages/frames\">Small Works\u003c/a> in 2012, and moved into his current Potrero Hill location in 2017. When he first began working in the new space, he thought to use the upstairs mezzanine, complete with a balcony, as the shop’s office. But the space proved too hot to work in for long periods of time. Berg listed it online; anyone interested in transforming it could use the space for three months for their own exhibitions. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Veloso isn’t alone in carving exhibition space out of a place of work. Andrew Berg opened his bespoke frame shop \u003ca href=\"https://smallworksprojects.com/pages/frames\">Small Works\u003c/a> in 2012, and moved into his current Potrero Hill location in 2017. When he first began working in the new space, he thought to use the upstairs mezzanine, complete with a balcony, as the shop’s office. But the space proved too hot to work in for long periods of time. Berg listed it online; anyone interested in transforming it could use the space for three months for their own exhibitions. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>A group of artists who go by Glue Projects (\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/idontkissartell/\">Annie Artell\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/Alex_Uranga\">Alex Uranga\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/luciedoodles/\">Lucie Scanlon\u003c/a>) answered the call, helping seal off the balcony that looked over the shop, painting and prepping walls and lights for exhibitions, and then programming there, as promised. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>A group of artists who go by Glue Projects (\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/idontkissartell/\">Annie Artell\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/Alex_Uranga\">Alex Uranga\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/luciedoodles/\">Lucie Scanlon\u003c/a>) answered the call, helping seal off the balcony that looked over the shop, painting and prepping walls and lights for exhibitions, and then programming there, as promised. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Since May 2024 Berg has run the mezzanine as Small Works Projects Gallery, hosting over a dozen exhibitions (including one raucous Summer Open that packed as many artworks into the space as it could hold). He will open his next show, with artist \u003ca href=\"http://charlieecallahan.com/\">Charlie Callahan\u003c/a>, on Aug. 15.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Since May 2024 Berg has run the mezzanine as Small Works Projects Gallery, hosting over a dozen exhibitions (including one raucous Summer Open that packed as many artworks into the space as it could hold). He will open his next show, with artist \u003ca href=\"http://charlieecallahan.com/\">Charlie Callahan\u003c/a>, on Aug. 15.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>A playful, social, “sense of discovery,” drives the space, Berg says. He loves seeing how artists do their own thing, and interpret Small Works — full of passageways, staircases, holes to peer through, racks of frames and other artwork. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>A playful, social, “sense of discovery,” drives the space, Berg says. He loves seeing how artists do their own thing, and interpret Small Works — full of passageways, staircases, holes to peer through, racks of frames and other artwork. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/20260702_BayAreaAltArtSpaces_GC-3_qed.jpg\" alt=\"man carries art in front of storage racks\" class=\"wp-image-13991426\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/20260702_BayAreaAltArtSpaces_GC-3_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/20260702_BayAreaAltArtSpaces_GC-3_qed-160x101.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/20260702_BayAreaAltArtSpaces_GC-3_qed-768x484.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/20260702_BayAreaAltArtSpaces_GC-3_qed-1536x968.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Andrew Berg moves art around Small Works on July 2, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/20260702_BayAreaAltArtSpaces_GC-3_qed.jpg\" alt=\"man carries art in front of storage racks\" class=\"wp-image-13991426\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Andrew Berg moves art around Small Works on July 2, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Exhibitions expand far beyond their designated area. In December 2025, the roving programming series \u003cem>The Search \u003c/em>held a fashion and arts show atop the very tables Small Works uses for framing. In 2024, the Vallejo residency program Winslow House organized \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://winslowhouseproject.substack.com/p/tree-work-ahead\">TREE WORK\u003c/a>,\u003c/em> where artist \u003ca href=\"https://www.oliviaronan.com/\">Olivia Ronan\u003c/a> led a performance that progressed from the building’s tree-laden front area through the entirety of the shop. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Exhibitions expand far beyond their designated area. In December 2025, the roving programming series \u003cem>The Search \u003c/em>held a fashion and arts show atop the very tables Small Works uses for framing. In 2024, the Vallejo residency program Winslow House organized \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://winslowhouseproject.substack.com/p/tree-work-ahead\">TREE WORK\u003c/a>,\u003c/em> where artist \u003ca href=\"https://www.oliviaronan.com/\">Olivia Ronan\u003c/a> led a performance that progressed from the building’s tree-laden front area through the entirety of the shop. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Small Works throws dance parties, hosts dinners, holds open calls. It’s clear that, to Berg, the “person is everything.” Friendship is soaked deep into the paint and walls of both the gallery and the frame shop. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Small Works throws dance parties, hosts dinners, holds open calls. It’s clear that, to Berg, the “person is everything.” Friendship is soaked deep into the paint and walls of both the gallery and the frame shop. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>202019: Occasions, The Attic and Small Works are just some of the latest in a long history of Bay Area alternative spaces. Integrated directly into the fabric of the city by necessity and design, oddly shaped, built by many voices and rarely abiding by set hours or a routine calendar, these spaces provide their communities of artists with proximity, intimacy and a shared language. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>202019: Occasions, The Attic and Small Works are just some of the latest in a long history of Bay Area alternative spaces. Integrated directly into the fabric of the city by necessity and design, oddly shaped, built by many voices and rarely abiding by set hours or a routine calendar, these spaces provide their communities of artists with proximity, intimacy and a shared language. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Being physically close to people is part of the equation. When I met with Berg to talk about Small Works, he made me a cup of coffee and we sat on the floor of the empty gallery. When I spoke with Veloso, we crawled out the window of the attic and leaned against the roof of David Ireland’s house, watching the fog roll over the hill and settling around Sutro Tower. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Being physically close to people is part of the equation. When I met with Berg to talk about Small Works, he made me a cup of coffee and we sat on the floor of the empty gallery. When I spoke with Veloso, we crawled out the window of the attic and leaned against the roof of David Ireland’s house, watching the fog roll over the hill and settling around Sutro Tower. \u003c/p>\n"
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/20260702_BayAreaAltArtSpaces_GC-5_qed.jpg\" alt=\"three people talk over spread-out art\" class=\"wp-image-13991428\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Sabrina Kay, an employee at Small Works, helps Sophia Hu, center, and Stanley Su, right, pick a frame for their painting at the studio in San Francisco on July 2, 2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Our region is in constant economic and industrial flux. The challenges this brings, in cost and access to space, have built upon artistic practice such that they have begun to feel inseparable, learning and driving social and creative growth as one conjoined architecture. Perhaps they always have been. The organizers of spaces such as these reach towards each other, towards an ecosystem they want to see not just for themselves in isolation, but for all Bay Area artists as a greater whole. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Our region is in constant economic and industrial flux. The challenges this brings, in cost and access to space, have built upon artistic practice such that they have begun to feel inseparable, learning and driving social and creative growth as one conjoined architecture. Perhaps they always have been. The organizers of spaces such as these reach towards each other, towards an ecosystem they want to see not just for themselves in isolation, but for all Bay Area artists as a greater whole. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Often, what emerges are thoughtful, playful and rigorous exhibitions that challenge the status quo, producing friendships and a complex ecosystem within the Bay Area arts community — as much as the shows themselves. Art is not separate from the backdrop of our urban realities, it is part and parcel, conspirator and collaborator, always working to close a gap between precarity and belonging.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Often, what emerges are thoughtful, playful and rigorous exhibitions that challenge the status quo, producing friendships and a complex ecosystem within the Bay Area arts community — as much as the shows themselves. Art is not separate from the backdrop of our urban realities, it is part and parcel, conspirator and collaborator, always working to close a gap between precarity and belonging.\u003c/p>\n"
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>The San Francisco skyline glitters across the Bay — a miraculous angle I’ve never seen it from until I step onto the deck of artist \u003ca href=\"https://yimingclara.com/\">Yiming Clara\u003c/a>’s Berkeley apartment\u003cem>. \u003c/em>Bustling in and out of the apartment, which doubles as the exhibition space \u003ca href=\"https://yimingclara.com/202019-occasions\">202019: Occasions\u003c/a>, are artists, friends, writers and students from across the water or down the street.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>To cut through the Bay Area’s high cost of living, artists have learned to carve out exhibition spaces where they can. Apartment or studio galleries, unconventional displays, or fully plein-air roving projects all thread into the DNA of the region’s art scene. Dimitri Grachis’ \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfchronicle.com/entertainment/arts-exhibits/article/dimitri-grachis-artist-and-gallerist-who-showed-21177614.php\">Spatsa Gallery\u003c/a> (in a one-car garage off Fillmore, 1957–1961), Alberta Mayo’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/93138/treasures_from_the_mooseum_the_manitoba_museum_of_finds_art\">Manitoba Museum of Finds Art\u003c/a> (in the waiting area of the director’s offices at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, 1975–1978), and Margaret Tedesco’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13982690/margaret-tedesco-obituary-artist-curator-spirit-san-francisco\">2nd floor projects\u003c/a> (in her apartment, 2007–2017) all come to mind, but the list of past and present alternative spaces seems like it could be endless. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Conventional commercial galleries are crucial to an arts ecosystem. They support artist’s careers and bolster aesthetic and intellectual continuity. But breaking these conventions — especially by moving away from brightly lit white-cube spaces — sustains a regional historical discourse, enables critical exploration and keeps the organism of an arts community alive. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Despite a recent wave of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13985413/california-college-of-the-arts-sfai-mills-art-school-closures\">institution and gallery closures\u003c/a>, grassroots organizing that centers the Bay Area’s artist community itself persists. In this scene, ad-hoc viewing rooms, irregular hours and a near counter-commercial air enable artists’ growth and experimentation. Three spaces operating today, Yiming Clara’s 202019: Occasions, Gui Veloso’s \u003ca href=\"https://theattic.one/\">The Attic\u003c/a>, and Andrew Berg’s \u003ca href=\"https://smallworksprojects.com/pages/gallery\">Small Works Projects Gallery\u003c/a> follow suit, using their urban backdrops as stages to broaden and connect with their communities in a region in flux.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1998\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260705-BAY-AREA-ALTERNATIVE-ART-SPACES-MD-07_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13991423\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260705-BAY-AREA-ALTERNATIVE-ART-SPACES-MD-07_qed.jpg 1998w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260705-BAY-AREA-ALTERNATIVE-ART-SPACES-MD-07_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260705-BAY-AREA-ALTERNATIVE-ART-SPACES-MD-07_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260705-BAY-AREA-ALTERNATIVE-ART-SPACES-MD-07_qed-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1998px) 100vw, 1998px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">‘Dance,’ by Yiming Clara, on display at the 202019: Occasions art space in Berkeley on July 5, 2026. (Martin do Nascimento for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>A meeting of the minds\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For Yiming Clara, the call to create her own exhibition space was twofold: an “under-saturation,” as she puts it, of conceptually driven alternative spaces available to her locally; and her growing interest in rethinking the role of the artist. She opened 202019: Occasions in December 2025 with \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://yimingclara.com/202019-1\">The Chair\u003c/a>\u003c/em>, a group exhibition that predominantly featured text.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It began with an idea that doesn’t really fit anywhere,” she says, describing how she was deeply inspired by, and wanted to exhibit, the note-annotation practice of her mentor \u003ca href=\"https://africa.berkeley.edu/people/alejandra-perez-rotondo\">Alejandra Perez Rotondo\u003c/a>. Although Perez Rotondo may not have seen her own work as artwork, to Yiming Clara, it was very familiar as an artist’s inquiry. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1998\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260705-BAY-AREA-ALTERNATIVE-ART-SPACES-MD-02_qed.jpg\" alt=\"young Asian woman sits in chair in apartment\" class=\"wp-image-13991421\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260705-BAY-AREA-ALTERNATIVE-ART-SPACES-MD-02_qed.jpg 1998w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260705-BAY-AREA-ALTERNATIVE-ART-SPACES-MD-02_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260705-BAY-AREA-ALTERNATIVE-ART-SPACES-MD-02_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/260705-BAY-AREA-ALTERNATIVE-ART-SPACES-MD-02_qed-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1998px) 100vw, 1998px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Yiming Clara sits in one of the chairs from the ‘The Chair’ installation at the 202019: Occasions art space that she founded in Berkeley, on July 5, 2026. (Martin do Nascimento for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Yiming Clara’s most recent exhibition, Eliot D’Silva’s \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://yimingclara.com/202019-2-2\">Realty Principle\u003c/a>, \u003c/em>played directly with the domestic nature of the gallery by staging an “open house,” complete with a four-channel sound installation, that examined the mythologies of real-estate speculation. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This was the second of a three-part “sonic salon” series titled \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://yimingclara.com/202019-2-1-1\">Speakers Never Learn\u003c/a>\u003c/em>. The series launched in January 2026 with a reading co-organized with Hyungtae Kim. That first event was dedicated to the late artist Theresa Hak Kyung Cha, and timed to coincide with \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13986355/theresa-hak-kyung-cha-multiple-offerings-bampfa-review\">her retrospective\u003c/a> at the Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The reading ran from sunrise until 11 a.m. in Yiming Clara’s living space and centered on friendship. Like the collaborations Cha undertook during her own time in Berkeley, the event was a celebration of participatory exhibition-making.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Playing with how an exhibition space can upend traditional expectations of authorship, interactivity and even viewing hours has also given Yiming Clara a greater understanding of her own role as a developing artist. Growing up as the daughter of architects, she has long been interested in how spaces create the conditions for all kinds of social, spiritual or relational possibilities. One question central to her project is: what are the conditions that determine someone is an artist? She wonders if 202019: Occasions can act as research for artistic development, allowing for all types of people, and a multiplicity of approaches and work, to inhabit the role of artist.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/South_View_2000b.jpg\" alt=\"wide abstract painting hung on patched wall under low ceiling\" class=\"wp-image-13992020\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/South_View_2000b.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/South_View_2000b-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/South_View_2000b-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/South_View_2000b-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A work by Nancy Nguyen in ‘A 1,000,000 Laughs’ in The Attic. (Courtesy Gui Veloso)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>Using what we already have\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Sharing Yiming Clara’s impulse to explore how unexpected spaces can generate artistic community, Gui Veloso noticed that the attic of his workplace was sitting empty. (Veloso heads communications and community partnerships for \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13969665/500-capp-street-new-collective-leadership-san-francisco-arts-nonprofit\">500 Capp Street\u003c/a>, the home of the late artist David Ireland.) Ireland himself added the attic to the house; it’s where his children and grandchildren would camp out when visiting.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While some artists have made use of the space — David Wilson exhibited a sound work in the attic in 2021, and Virginia Overton installed work there in 2017 — it’s rough, not easy to access, and tucked away amid Ireland’s more dramatic interventions in the house. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“It was mostly used for storage after. I would sometimes just come up here and enjoy the silence,” Veloso says as we climb the ladder tucked past the house’s second-story office. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>After Veloso helped launch 500 Capp’s \u003cem>Accordion Shop\u003c/em>, which sells small works from a rotating cast of artists, he asked if he might be able to host occasional exhibitions of his own in the unused attic. The foundation is already an unconventional space: an artist-altered house that hosts residencies, houses David Ireland’s archive, and mounts regular exhibitions. But The Attic is a further departure — it is not tied to 500 Capp Street programming and is not officially affiliated with the institution.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-3 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1500\" height=\"2000\" data-id=\"13992023\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/East_View_2000b.jpg\" alt=\"attic space with hanging textile and skinny sculpture\" class=\"wp-image-13992023\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/East_View_2000b.jpg 1500w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/East_View_2000b-160x213.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/East_View_2000b-768x1024.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/East_View_2000b-1152x1536.jpg 1152w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A view of ‘A 1,000,000 Laughs’ in The Attic, with work by Patrick Carroll in the foreground and Natasha Loewy behind. (Courtesy Gui Veloso)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1500\" height=\"2000\" data-id=\"13992024\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/Tape_Piece_CloseUp_2000b.jpg\" alt=\"overhead view of tape player and nine cassettes\" class=\"wp-image-13992024\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/Tape_Piece_CloseUp_2000b.jpg 1500w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/Tape_Piece_CloseUp_2000b-160x213.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/Tape_Piece_CloseUp_2000b-768x1024.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/Tape_Piece_CloseUp_2000b-1152x1536.jpg 1152w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Natasha Loewy’s ‘Recording of A 1,000,000 Laughs by Peggy Ingalls,’ 2025-ongoing. (Courtesy Gui Veloso)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://theattic.one/a-1,000,000-laughs\">A 1,000,000 Laughs\u003c/a> \u003c/em>is Veloso’s first program, a group show on view through Sept. 7, 2026. At the April 5 opening, he served coffee and breakfast. People crouched in and out of the unpainted, low-ceilinged room, pressing play on a tape player in the corner that featured Natasha Loewy reading from Peggy Ingalls’ book — “HA” printed one million times. In a forthcoming work for The Attic, artist \u003ca href=\"https://berilor.com/\">Beril Or\u003c/a> will conduct a 24-hour sleeping performance.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In the Bay Area, the constant economic flux of living and working creates a demand for practicality, often forcing art spaces into a more conservative approach under the auspices of survival. Spaces like The Attic provide safe havens for artists’ growth, experimentation, vulnerability and discovery, without the need for monthly revenue to cover overhead. The added proximity to a slice of Bay Area art history — being situated within an institution — enables Attic artists to see themselves as a part of the greater fabric of the region. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Knowing how hard it can be to live as an artist in this city, this creative project, and the connections it facilitates, is a bridge, Veloso says, “between laughter and whatever comes next.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/20260702_BayAreaAltArtSpaces_GC-1_qed.jpg\" alt=\"salon-style wall hung with colorful artwork above staircase to gallery\" class=\"wp-image-13991424\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/20260702_BayAreaAltArtSpaces_GC-1_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/20260702_BayAreaAltArtSpaces_GC-1_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/20260702_BayAreaAltArtSpaces_GC-1_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/20260702_BayAreaAltArtSpaces_GC-1_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Art hangs on a wall at the San Francisco frame shop Small Works on July 2, 2026; the stairs lead up to the gallery space. (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>Extended spaces\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Veloso isn’t alone in carving exhibition space out of a place of work. Andrew Berg opened his bespoke frame shop \u003ca href=\"https://smallworksprojects.com/pages/frames\">Small Works\u003c/a> in 2012, and moved into his current Potrero Hill location in 2017. When he first began working in the new space, he thought to use the upstairs mezzanine, complete with a balcony, as the shop’s office. But the space proved too hot to work in for long periods of time. Berg listed it online; anyone interested in transforming it could use the space for three months for their own exhibitions. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A group of artists who go by Glue Projects (\u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/idontkissartell/\">Annie Artell\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/Alex_Uranga\">Alex Uranga\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/luciedoodles/\">Lucie Scanlon\u003c/a>) answered the call, helping seal off the balcony that looked over the shop, painting and prepping walls and lights for exhibitions, and then programming there, as promised. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Since May 2024 Berg has run the mezzanine as Small Works Projects Gallery, hosting over a dozen exhibitions (including one raucous Summer Open that packed as many artworks into the space as it could hold). He will open his next show, with artist \u003ca href=\"http://charlieecallahan.com/\">Charlie Callahan\u003c/a>, on Aug. 15.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A playful, social, “sense of discovery,” drives the space, Berg says. He loves seeing how artists do their own thing, and interpret Small Works — full of passageways, staircases, holes to peer through, racks of frames and other artwork. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1260\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/20260702_BayAreaAltArtSpaces_GC-3_qed.jpg\" alt=\"man carries art in front of storage racks\" class=\"wp-image-13991426\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/20260702_BayAreaAltArtSpaces_GC-3_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/20260702_BayAreaAltArtSpaces_GC-3_qed-160x101.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/20260702_BayAreaAltArtSpaces_GC-3_qed-768x484.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/20260702_BayAreaAltArtSpaces_GC-3_qed-1536x968.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Andrew Berg moves art around Small Works on July 2, 2026. (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Exhibitions expand far beyond their designated area. In December 2025, the roving programming series \u003cem>The Search \u003c/em>held a fashion and arts show atop the very tables Small Works uses for framing. In 2024, the Vallejo residency program Winslow House organized \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://winslowhouseproject.substack.com/p/tree-work-ahead\">TREE WORK\u003c/a>,\u003c/em> where artist \u003ca href=\"https://www.oliviaronan.com/\">Olivia Ronan\u003c/a> led a performance that progressed from the building’s tree-laden front area through the entirety of the shop. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Small Works throws dance parties, hosts dinners, holds open calls. It’s clear that, to Berg, the “person is everything.” Friendship is soaked deep into the paint and walls of both the gallery and the frame shop. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003cstrong>The greater ecosystem\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>202019: Occasions, The Attic and Small Works are just some of the latest in a long history of Bay Area alternative spaces. Integrated directly into the fabric of the city by necessity and design, oddly shaped, built by many voices and rarely abiding by set hours or a routine calendar, these spaces provide their communities of artists with proximity, intimacy and a shared language. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Being physically close to people is part of the equation. When I met with Berg to talk about Small Works, he made me a cup of coffee and we sat on the floor of the empty gallery. When I spoke with Veloso, we crawled out the window of the attic and leaned against the roof of David Ireland’s house, watching the fog roll over the hill and settling around Sutro Tower. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/20260702_BayAreaAltArtSpaces_GC-5_qed.jpg\" alt=\"three people talk over spread-out art\" class=\"wp-image-13991428\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/20260702_BayAreaAltArtSpaces_GC-5_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/20260702_BayAreaAltArtSpaces_GC-5_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/20260702_BayAreaAltArtSpaces_GC-5_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/20260702_BayAreaAltArtSpaces_GC-5_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Sabrina Kay, an employee at Small Works, helps Sophia Hu, center, and Stanley Su, right, pick a frame for their painting at the studio in San Francisco on July 2, 2026. (Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Our region is in constant economic and industrial flux. The challenges this brings, in cost and access to space, have built upon artistic practice such that they have begun to feel inseparable, learning and driving social and creative growth as one conjoined architecture. Perhaps they always have been. The organizers of spaces such as these reach towards each other, towards an ecosystem they want to see not just for themselves in isolation, but for all Bay Area artists as a greater whole. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Often, what emerges are thoughtful, playful and rigorous exhibitions that challenge the status quo, producing friendships and a complex ecosystem within the Bay Area arts community — as much as the shows themselves. Art is not separate from the backdrop of our urban realities, it is part and parcel, conspirator and collaborator, always working to close a gap between precarity and belonging.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "30-years-after-its-founding-youth-speaks-to-host-national-poetry-slam-competition",
"title": "30 Years After its Founding, Youth Speaks to Host National Poetry Slam Competition",
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"content": "\u003cp>Tears will fall, voices will raise and words will be cast to the ether like spells from the mouths of young magicians this week as \u003ca href=\"https://bravenewvoices.youthspeaks.org/\">Brave New Voices\u003c/a>, the nation’s largest youth poetry slam, returns to the Bay Area.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Starting Wednesday, young artists from across the country will recite poems, lyrics and limericks at workshops and performances, culminating on Saturday with the festival’s competitive poetry slam, an annual event that began nearly three decades ago. This year, the Bay Area team will defend its title after \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NTKUn7ix7D4\">winning the 2025 slam\u003c/a> — its first victory since 2006.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/ceremony_bnv_gp-21.jpg\" alt=\"Four poets making hand gestures while performing on stage.\" class=\"wp-image-13991565\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/ceremony_bnv_gp-21.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/ceremony_bnv_gp-21-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/ceremony_bnv_gp-21-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/ceremony_bnv_gp-21-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The first Brave New Voices Poetry Slam took place in the Bay Area in 1997. This year, the nationwide competition is back at its place of origin. (Courtesy of Youth Speaks)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Brave New Voices was founded in 1997 by local nonprofit \u003ca href=\"https://youthspeaks.org/\">Youth Speaks\u003c/a>, which this year celebrates its 30th anniversary of promoting the power of the spoken word. Among the organization’s many alumni are Tony- and Grammy-winning actor \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/daveed-diggs\">Daveed Diggs\u003c/a>, filmmaker \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13798311/women-to-watch-chinaka-hodge\">Chinaka Hodge\u003c/a> and actor \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/rafael-casal\">Rafael Casal\u003c/a>. The larger network of Brave New Voices alums includes \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amanda_Gorman\">Amanda Gorman\u003c/a>, who delivered a landmark poem at President Biden’s 2021 inauguration.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEfZuSWiI_s\n\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The 2026 Brave New Voices lineup is stacked with top-tier names in wordsmithing, says Brave New Voices executive co-producer \u003ca href=\"https://youthspeaks.org/bijou-mcdaniel/\">Bijou McDaniel\u003c/a>. This Wednesday’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/brave-new-voices-festival-day-1-feat-aja-monet-tickets-1990210972594?aff=ebdsoporgprofile\">opening ceremony\u003c/a> features well-known poet and activist \u003ca href=\"https://ajamonet.com/\">aja monet\u003c/a>, immediately followed by a showcase called ‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/brave-new-voices-festival-day-1-feat-aja-monet-tickets-1990210972594?aff=ebdsoporgprofile\">All Power to the Poets\u003c/a>,’ the theme of this year’s festival.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Wednesday’s second showcase features\u003ca href=\"https://substack.com/@historyin3\"> Dr. Xavier Buck\u003c/a>, executive director of the \u003ca href=\"https://hueypnewtonfoundation.org/\">Dr. Huey P. Newton Foundation\u003c/a>, as well as artists who are part of Youth Speaks national poetry fellowship. The event is inspired by the Bay Area’s legacy of activism, including the Black Panther Party, \u003ca href=\"https://www.bpp60.org/\">which celebrates its 60th anniversary this year\u003c/a>. The goal, McDaniel says, is to allow young poets to grow politically, and see “what happens when poets go beyond the page and the stage.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The second day of events brings people to San Francisco’s In Chan Kaajal Park for ‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/brave-new-voices-festival-day-2-tickets-1990211501175?aff=ebdsoporgprofile\">Queeriosity in the Park\u003c/a>,’ a day of activities led by Youth Speaks’ \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfgate.com/performance/article/Youth-Speaks-alum-Santiago-gives-back-6894186.php\">Brandon Santiago\u003c/a> and aja monet, with topics ranging from the politics of the hyphy movement to love as a personal and political practice.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>An opening plenary with aja monet, youth poet fellow \u003ca href=\"https://thewowfoundation.com/profile/aniya-butler/\">Aniya Butler\u003c/a> and DJ \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/djcharleshawthorne/\">Charles Hawthorne\u003c/a> will be moderated by podcast host \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13981680/stars-and-stars-with-isa-nakazawa-futuro-studios\">Isa Nakazawa\u003c/a> to discuss the intersection of art and activism. Live performances from the likes of \u003ca href=\"https://www.raestudios-sf.com/post/vogue-fem\">Soho Tisci Vogue Class\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/xiuhcoatldanza/?hl=en\">Azteca Dancers\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/oaklandoriginalz/?hl=en\">Oakland Originalz\u003c/a> keep things lively, along with a drag story hour from San Francisco Drag Laureate \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/per_sia/?hl=en\">Per Sia\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1336\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/BNV_2015-554.jpg\" alt=\"A crowd erupting with an ovation after a poetry performance.\" class=\"wp-image-13991564\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/BNV_2015-554.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/BNV_2015-554-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/BNV_2015-554-768x513.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/BNV_2015-554-1536x1026.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">With the support of their peers in the audience, many young poets who participate in the Brave New Voices competition go on to impressive endeavors. (Courtesy of Youth Speaks)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Day three,” McDaniel exclaims, “is what everybody came for.” The semifinals of the Brave New Voices Poetry Slam, hosted at multiple venues across downtown Oakland, will run from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. That night brings two more events: “\u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/mc-olympics-ft-guapdad-4000-tickets-1990210660661?aff=ebdsoporgprofile\">MC Olympics\u003c/a>,” guest-judged by \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11943512/oakland-rapper-guap-on-his-black-and-filipino-roots-and-what-inspired-the-song-chicken-adobo\">West Oakland rapper and entrepreneur Guapdad\u003c/a>, and a fundraiser at the Starline Social Club hosted by \u003ca href=\"https://www.shannonmatesky.com/\">Shannon Matesky\u003c/a> and showcasing the talents of Youth Speaks alums including \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13979065/jwalt-love-myself-every-version-of-me-album-oakland\">Jwalt\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13925905/tia-nomore-earth-mama-a24-savanah-leaf\">Tia Nomore\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/twisted.cant.fix.it/\">Ajai Kasim\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/jada-imani\">Jada Imani\u003c/a>. “And,” McDaniel adds, “we have Tank from \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/artists/517688972/tank-and-the-bangas\">Tank and the Bangas\u003c/a> headlining that.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The final day of the four-day series centers the Brave New Voices Poetry Slam finals at San Francisco’s Herbst Theater. As the newest poet champions compete for this year’s crown, the evening includes performances by \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101911658/sf-poet-laureate-genny-lim-and-the-del-sol-quartets-new-performance-celebrates-asian-american-diaspora\">San Francisco Poet Laureate Genny Lim\u003c/a> and singer \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/artists/591500094/serpentwithfeet\">Serpentwithfeet\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I know, that’s a lot,” says McDaniel preparing for the week ahead. “And next year we’re celebrating Brave New Voices’ 30th, which is crazy to think about.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003chr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\">\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://bravenewvoices.youthspeaks.org/\">Brave New Voices\u003c/a> runs Wednesday, July 15, through Saturday, July 18 at various venues around the Bay Area. Most events are all-ages and free to attend. \u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/o/youth-speaks-319282441\">Tickets, RSVPs and more information here\u003c/a>. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Tears will fall, voices will raise and words will be cast to the ether like spells from the mouths of young magicians this week as \u003ca href=\"https://bravenewvoices.youthspeaks.org/\">Brave New Voices\u003c/a>, the nation’s largest youth poetry slam, returns to the Bay Area.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Starting Wednesday, young artists from across the country will recite poems, lyrics and limericks at workshops and performances, culminating on Saturday with the festival’s competitive poetry slam, an annual event that began nearly three decades ago. This year, the Bay Area team will defend its title after \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NTKUn7ix7D4\">winning the 2025 slam\u003c/a> — its first victory since 2006.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Starting Wednesday, young artists from across the country will recite poems, lyrics and limericks at workshops and performances, culminating on Saturday with the festival’s competitive poetry slam, an annual event that began nearly three decades ago. This year, the Bay Area team will defend its title after \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NTKUn7ix7D4\">winning the 2025 slam\u003c/a> — its first victory since 2006.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/ceremony_bnv_gp-21.jpg\" alt=\"Four poets making hand gestures while performing on stage.\" class=\"wp-image-13991565\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/ceremony_bnv_gp-21.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/ceremony_bnv_gp-21-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/ceremony_bnv_gp-21-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/ceremony_bnv_gp-21-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The first Brave New Voices Poetry Slam took place in the Bay Area in 1997. This year, the nationwide competition is back at its place of origin.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/ceremony_bnv_gp-21.jpg\" alt=\"Four poets making hand gestures while performing on stage.\" class=\"wp-image-13991565\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The first Brave New Voices Poetry Slam took place in the Bay Area in 1997. This year, the nationwide competition is back at its place of origin.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Brave New Voices was founded in 1997 by local nonprofit \u003ca href=\"https://youthspeaks.org/\">Youth Speaks\u003c/a>, which this year celebrates its 30th anniversary of promoting the power of the spoken word. Among the organization’s many alumni are Tony- and Grammy-winning actor \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/daveed-diggs\">Daveed Diggs\u003c/a>, filmmaker \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13798311/women-to-watch-chinaka-hodge\">Chinaka Hodge\u003c/a> and actor \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/rafael-casal\">Rafael Casal\u003c/a>. The larger network of Brave New Voices alums includes \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amanda_Gorman\">Amanda Gorman\u003c/a>, who delivered a landmark poem at President Biden’s 2021 inauguration.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Brave New Voices was founded in 1997 by local nonprofit \u003ca href=\"https://youthspeaks.org/\">Youth Speaks\u003c/a>, which this year celebrates its 30th anniversary of promoting the power of the spoken word. Among the organization’s many alumni are Tony- and Grammy-winning actor \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/daveed-diggs\">Daveed Diggs\u003c/a>, filmmaker \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13798311/women-to-watch-chinaka-hodge\">Chinaka Hodge\u003c/a> and actor \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/rafael-casal\">Rafael Casal\u003c/a>. The larger network of Brave New Voices alums includes \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amanda_Gorman\">Amanda Gorman\u003c/a>, who delivered a landmark poem at President Biden’s 2021 inauguration.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The 2026 Brave New Voices lineup is stacked with top-tier names in wordsmithing, says Brave New Voices executive co-producer \u003ca href=\"https://youthspeaks.org/bijou-mcdaniel/\">Bijou McDaniel\u003c/a>. This Wednesday’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/brave-new-voices-festival-day-1-feat-aja-monet-tickets-1990210972594?aff=ebdsoporgprofile\">opening ceremony\u003c/a> features well-known poet and activist \u003ca href=\"https://ajamonet.com/\">aja monet\u003c/a>, immediately followed by a showcase called ‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/brave-new-voices-festival-day-1-feat-aja-monet-tickets-1990210972594?aff=ebdsoporgprofile\">All Power to the Poets\u003c/a>,’ the theme of this year’s festival.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The 2026 Brave New Voices lineup is stacked with top-tier names in wordsmithing, says Brave New Voices executive co-producer \u003ca href=\"https://youthspeaks.org/bijou-mcdaniel/\">Bijou McDaniel\u003c/a>. This Wednesday’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/brave-new-voices-festival-day-1-feat-aja-monet-tickets-1990210972594?aff=ebdsoporgprofile\">opening ceremony\u003c/a> features well-known poet and activist \u003ca href=\"https://ajamonet.com/\">aja monet\u003c/a>, immediately followed by a showcase called ‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/brave-new-voices-festival-day-1-feat-aja-monet-tickets-1990210972594?aff=ebdsoporgprofile\">All Power to the Poets\u003c/a>,’ the theme of this year’s festival.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Wednesday’s second showcase features\u003ca href=\"https://substack.com/@historyin3\"> Dr. Xavier Buck\u003c/a>, executive director of the \u003ca href=\"https://hueypnewtonfoundation.org/\">Dr. Huey P. Newton Foundation\u003c/a>, as well as artists who are part of Youth Speaks national poetry fellowship. The event is inspired by the Bay Area’s legacy of activism, including the Black Panther Party, \u003ca href=\"https://www.bpp60.org/\">which celebrates its 60th anniversary this year\u003c/a>. The goal, McDaniel says, is to allow young poets to grow politically, and see “what happens when poets go beyond the page and the stage.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Wednesday’s second showcase features\u003ca href=\"https://substack.com/@historyin3\"> Dr. Xavier Buck\u003c/a>, executive director of the \u003ca href=\"https://hueypnewtonfoundation.org/\">Dr. Huey P. Newton Foundation\u003c/a>, as well as artists who are part of Youth Speaks national poetry fellowship. The event is inspired by the Bay Area’s legacy of activism, including the Black Panther Party, \u003ca href=\"https://www.bpp60.org/\">which celebrates its 60th anniversary this year\u003c/a>. The goal, McDaniel says, is to allow young poets to grow politically, and see “what happens when poets go beyond the page and the stage.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The second day of events brings people to San Francisco’s In Chan Kaajal Park for ‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/brave-new-voices-festival-day-2-tickets-1990211501175?aff=ebdsoporgprofile\">Queeriosity in the Park\u003c/a>,’ a day of activities led by Youth Speaks’ \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfgate.com/performance/article/Youth-Speaks-alum-Santiago-gives-back-6894186.php\">Brandon Santiago\u003c/a> and aja monet, with topics ranging from the politics of the hyphy movement to love as a personal and political practice.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The second day of events brings people to San Francisco’s In Chan Kaajal Park for ‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/brave-new-voices-festival-day-2-tickets-1990211501175?aff=ebdsoporgprofile\">Queeriosity in the Park\u003c/a>,’ a day of activities led by Youth Speaks’ \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfgate.com/performance/article/Youth-Speaks-alum-Santiago-gives-back-6894186.php\">Brandon Santiago\u003c/a> and aja monet, with topics ranging from the politics of the hyphy movement to love as a personal and political practice.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>An opening plenary with aja monet, youth poet fellow \u003ca href=\"https://thewowfoundation.com/profile/aniya-butler/\">Aniya Butler\u003c/a> and DJ \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/djcharleshawthorne/\">Charles Hawthorne\u003c/a> will be moderated by podcast host \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13981680/stars-and-stars-with-isa-nakazawa-futuro-studios\">Isa Nakazawa\u003c/a> to discuss the intersection of art and activism. Live performances from the likes of \u003ca href=\"https://www.raestudios-sf.com/post/vogue-fem\">Soho Tisci Vogue Class\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/xiuhcoatldanza/?hl=en\">Azteca Dancers\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/oaklandoriginalz/?hl=en\">Oakland Originalz\u003c/a> keep things lively, along with a drag story hour from San Francisco Drag Laureate \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/per_sia/?hl=en\">Per Sia\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>An opening plenary with aja monet, youth poet fellow \u003ca href=\"https://thewowfoundation.com/profile/aniya-butler/\">Aniya Butler\u003c/a> and DJ \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/djcharleshawthorne/\">Charles Hawthorne\u003c/a> will be moderated by podcast host \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13981680/stars-and-stars-with-isa-nakazawa-futuro-studios\">Isa Nakazawa\u003c/a> to discuss the intersection of art and activism. Live performances from the likes of \u003ca href=\"https://www.raestudios-sf.com/post/vogue-fem\">Soho Tisci Vogue Class\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/xiuhcoatldanza/?hl=en\">Azteca Dancers\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/oaklandoriginalz/?hl=en\">Oakland Originalz\u003c/a> keep things lively, along with a drag story hour from San Francisco Drag Laureate \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/per_sia/?hl=en\">Per Sia\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Day three,” McDaniel exclaims, “is what everybody came for.” The semifinals of the Brave New Voices Poetry Slam, hosted at multiple venues across downtown Oakland, will run from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. That night brings two more events: “\u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/mc-olympics-ft-guapdad-4000-tickets-1990210660661?aff=ebdsoporgprofile\">MC Olympics\u003c/a>,” guest-judged by \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11943512/oakland-rapper-guap-on-his-black-and-filipino-roots-and-what-inspired-the-song-chicken-adobo\">West Oakland rapper and entrepreneur Guapdad\u003c/a>, and a fundraiser at the Starline Social Club hosted by \u003ca href=\"https://www.shannonmatesky.com/\">Shannon Matesky\u003c/a> and showcasing the talents of Youth Speaks alums including \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13979065/jwalt-love-myself-every-version-of-me-album-oakland\">Jwalt\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13925905/tia-nomore-earth-mama-a24-savanah-leaf\">Tia Nomore\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/twisted.cant.fix.it/\">Ajai Kasim\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/jada-imani\">Jada Imani\u003c/a>. “And,” McDaniel adds, “we have Tank from \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/artists/517688972/tank-and-the-bangas\">Tank and the Bangas\u003c/a> headlining that.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Day three,” McDaniel exclaims, “is what everybody came for.” The semifinals of the Brave New Voices Poetry Slam, hosted at multiple venues across downtown Oakland, will run from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. That night brings two more events: “\u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/mc-olympics-ft-guapdad-4000-tickets-1990210660661?aff=ebdsoporgprofile\">MC Olympics\u003c/a>,” guest-judged by \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11943512/oakland-rapper-guap-on-his-black-and-filipino-roots-and-what-inspired-the-song-chicken-adobo\">West Oakland rapper and entrepreneur Guapdad\u003c/a>, and a fundraiser at the Starline Social Club hosted by \u003ca href=\"https://www.shannonmatesky.com/\">Shannon Matesky\u003c/a> and showcasing the talents of Youth Speaks alums including \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13979065/jwalt-love-myself-every-version-of-me-album-oakland\">Jwalt\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13925905/tia-nomore-earth-mama-a24-savanah-leaf\">Tia Nomore\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/twisted.cant.fix.it/\">Ajai Kasim\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/jada-imani\">Jada Imani\u003c/a>. “And,” McDaniel adds, “we have Tank from \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/artists/517688972/tank-and-the-bangas\">Tank and the Bangas\u003c/a> headlining that.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The final day of the four-day series centers the Brave New Voices Poetry Slam finals at San Francisco’s Herbst Theater. As the newest poet champions compete for this year’s crown, the evening includes performances by \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101911658/sf-poet-laureate-genny-lim-and-the-del-sol-quartets-new-performance-celebrates-asian-american-diaspora\">San Francisco Poet Laureate Genny Lim\u003c/a> and singer \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/artists/591500094/serpentwithfeet\">Serpentwithfeet\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I know, that’s a lot,” says McDaniel preparing for the week ahead. “And next year we’re celebrating Brave New Voices’ 30th, which is crazy to think about.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“I know, that’s a lot,” says McDaniel preparing for the week ahead. “And next year we’re celebrating Brave New Voices’ 30th, which is crazy to think about.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://bravenewvoices.youthspeaks.org/\">Brave New Voices\u003c/a> runs Wednesday, July 15, through Saturday, July 18 at various venues around the Bay Area. Most events are all-ages and free to attend. \u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/o/youth-speaks-319282441\">Tickets, RSVPs and more information here\u003c/a>. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://bravenewvoices.youthspeaks.org/\">Brave New Voices\u003c/a> runs Wednesday, July 15, through Saturday, July 18 at various venues around the Bay Area. Most events are all-ages and free to attend. \u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/o/youth-speaks-319282441\">Tickets, RSVPs and more information here\u003c/a>. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"excerpt": "The Bay Area nonprofit has championed the power of youth voices for three decades and counting.\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Tears will fall, voices will raise and words will be cast to the ether like spells from the mouths of young magicians this week as \u003ca href=\"https://bravenewvoices.youthspeaks.org/\">Brave New Voices\u003c/a>, the nation’s largest youth poetry slam, returns to the Bay Area.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Starting Wednesday, young artists from across the country will recite poems, lyrics and limericks at workshops and performances, culminating on Saturday with the festival’s competitive poetry slam, an annual event that began nearly three decades ago. This year, the Bay Area team will defend its title after \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NTKUn7ix7D4\">winning the 2025 slam\u003c/a> — its first victory since 2006.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/ceremony_bnv_gp-21.jpg\" alt=\"Four poets making hand gestures while performing on stage.\" class=\"wp-image-13991565\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/ceremony_bnv_gp-21.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/ceremony_bnv_gp-21-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/ceremony_bnv_gp-21-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/ceremony_bnv_gp-21-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The first Brave New Voices Poetry Slam took place in the Bay Area in 1997. This year, the nationwide competition is back at its place of origin. (Courtesy of Youth Speaks)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Brave New Voices was founded in 1997 by local nonprofit \u003ca href=\"https://youthspeaks.org/\">Youth Speaks\u003c/a>, which this year celebrates its 30th anniversary of promoting the power of the spoken word. Among the organization’s many alumni are Tony- and Grammy-winning actor \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/daveed-diggs\">Daveed Diggs\u003c/a>, filmmaker \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13798311/women-to-watch-chinaka-hodge\">Chinaka Hodge\u003c/a> and actor \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/rafael-casal\">Rafael Casal\u003c/a>. The larger network of Brave New Voices alums includes \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amanda_Gorman\">Amanda Gorman\u003c/a>, who delivered a landmark poem at President Biden’s 2021 inauguration.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/EEfZuSWiI_s'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/EEfZuSWiI_s'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/div>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The 2026 Brave New Voices lineup is stacked with top-tier names in wordsmithing, says Brave New Voices executive co-producer \u003ca href=\"https://youthspeaks.org/bijou-mcdaniel/\">Bijou McDaniel\u003c/a>. This Wednesday’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/brave-new-voices-festival-day-1-feat-aja-monet-tickets-1990210972594?aff=ebdsoporgprofile\">opening ceremony\u003c/a> features well-known poet and activist \u003ca href=\"https://ajamonet.com/\">aja monet\u003c/a>, immediately followed by a showcase called ‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/brave-new-voices-festival-day-1-feat-aja-monet-tickets-1990210972594?aff=ebdsoporgprofile\">All Power to the Poets\u003c/a>,’ the theme of this year’s festival.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Wednesday’s second showcase features\u003ca href=\"https://substack.com/@historyin3\"> Dr. Xavier Buck\u003c/a>, executive director of the \u003ca href=\"https://hueypnewtonfoundation.org/\">Dr. Huey P. Newton Foundation\u003c/a>, as well as artists who are part of Youth Speaks national poetry fellowship. The event is inspired by the Bay Area’s legacy of activism, including the Black Panther Party, \u003ca href=\"https://www.bpp60.org/\">which celebrates its 60th anniversary this year\u003c/a>. The goal, McDaniel says, is to allow young poets to grow politically, and see “what happens when poets go beyond the page and the stage.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The second day of events brings people to San Francisco’s In Chan Kaajal Park for ‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/brave-new-voices-festival-day-2-tickets-1990211501175?aff=ebdsoporgprofile\">Queeriosity in the Park\u003c/a>,’ a day of activities led by Youth Speaks’ \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfgate.com/performance/article/Youth-Speaks-alum-Santiago-gives-back-6894186.php\">Brandon Santiago\u003c/a> and aja monet, with topics ranging from the politics of the hyphy movement to love as a personal and political practice.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>An opening plenary with aja monet, youth poet fellow \u003ca href=\"https://thewowfoundation.com/profile/aniya-butler/\">Aniya Butler\u003c/a> and DJ \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/djcharleshawthorne/\">Charles Hawthorne\u003c/a> will be moderated by podcast host \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13981680/stars-and-stars-with-isa-nakazawa-futuro-studios\">Isa Nakazawa\u003c/a> to discuss the intersection of art and activism. Live performances from the likes of \u003ca href=\"https://www.raestudios-sf.com/post/vogue-fem\">Soho Tisci Vogue Class\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/xiuhcoatldanza/?hl=en\">Azteca Dancers\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/oaklandoriginalz/?hl=en\">Oakland Originalz\u003c/a> keep things lively, along with a drag story hour from San Francisco Drag Laureate \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/per_sia/?hl=en\">Per Sia\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1336\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/BNV_2015-554.jpg\" alt=\"A crowd erupting with an ovation after a poetry performance.\" class=\"wp-image-13991564\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/BNV_2015-554.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/BNV_2015-554-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/BNV_2015-554-768x513.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/BNV_2015-554-1536x1026.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">With the support of their peers in the audience, many young poets who participate in the Brave New Voices competition go on to impressive endeavors. (Courtesy of Youth Speaks)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Day three,” McDaniel exclaims, “is what everybody came for.” The semifinals of the Brave New Voices Poetry Slam, hosted at multiple venues across downtown Oakland, will run from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. That night brings two more events: “\u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/mc-olympics-ft-guapdad-4000-tickets-1990210660661?aff=ebdsoporgprofile\">MC Olympics\u003c/a>,” guest-judged by \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11943512/oakland-rapper-guap-on-his-black-and-filipino-roots-and-what-inspired-the-song-chicken-adobo\">West Oakland rapper and entrepreneur Guapdad\u003c/a>, and a fundraiser at the Starline Social Club hosted by \u003ca href=\"https://www.shannonmatesky.com/\">Shannon Matesky\u003c/a> and showcasing the talents of Youth Speaks alums including \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13979065/jwalt-love-myself-every-version-of-me-album-oakland\">Jwalt\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13925905/tia-nomore-earth-mama-a24-savanah-leaf\">Tia Nomore\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/twisted.cant.fix.it/\">Ajai Kasim\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/jada-imani\">Jada Imani\u003c/a>. “And,” McDaniel adds, “we have Tank from \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/artists/517688972/tank-and-the-bangas\">Tank and the Bangas\u003c/a> headlining that.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The final day of the four-day series centers the Brave New Voices Poetry Slam finals at San Francisco’s Herbst Theater. As the newest poet champions compete for this year’s crown, the evening includes performances by \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101911658/sf-poet-laureate-genny-lim-and-the-del-sol-quartets-new-performance-celebrates-asian-american-diaspora\">San Francisco Poet Laureate Genny Lim\u003c/a> and singer \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/artists/591500094/serpentwithfeet\">Serpentwithfeet\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I know, that’s a lot,” says McDaniel preparing for the week ahead. “And next year we’re celebrating Brave New Voices’ 30th, which is crazy to think about.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003chr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\">\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://bravenewvoices.youthspeaks.org/\">Brave New Voices\u003c/a> runs Wednesday, July 15, through Saturday, July 18 at various venues around the Bay Area. Most events are all-ages and free to attend. \u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/o/youth-speaks-319282441\">Tickets, RSVPs and more information here\u003c/a>. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "the-lunchbox-review-berkeley-rep-kuhoo-verma",
"title": "It's No Secret: ‘The Lunchbox’ Continues to Pack ’Em in for a Reason",
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"headTitle": "It’s No Secret: ‘The Lunchbox’ Continues to Pack ’Em in for a Reason | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>Since it opened in May at \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/berkeley-rep\">Berkeley Rep\u003c/a>, the world-premiere musical \u003cem>The Lunchbox\u003c/em> has sold out night after night. Based on and hewing closely to \u003ca href=\"https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2350496/\">the well-loved 2013 film\u003c/a>, the show’s been extended twice already, and is, in plain terms, a bona fide hit.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>That much was plain during a mid-run visit, where the crowd — roughly half South Asian, half older white Berkeleyite — treated it like it was still opening night: excited chatter in the packed lobby, a standing ovation, flower bouquets at the ready.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Directed by Rachel Chavkin, the show is a warm, sweet, sensory delight. It starts with a magnificent four-story set (design by Mimi Lien), full of wrought iron, concrete, clotheslines and a 20-foot Bollywood movie billboard. Stairs, balconies and fire escapes recall a Mumbai version of \u003cem>West Side Story\u003c/em>; streetcars and deliverymen soon add to the crowded cityscape.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1331\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/178_TLB.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13991120\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/178_TLB.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/178_TLB-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/178_TLB-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/178_TLB-1536x1022.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The cast of ‘The Lunchbox’ perform in a dream sequence about Bhutan. (Kevin Berne)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Sequestered in her apartment, Ila (Kuhoo Verma, in a starmaking role) is a thirtysomething wife and mother trying to cook her way back into her distant husband’s heart. She takes advice for recipes and life from her upstairs neighbor, whom she calls “auntie” (Anisha Nagarajan), and is clearly in need of a shakeup.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>She gets one when the lunch Ila cooks for her husband is delivered to the wrong address: a defeated widower, Fernandes (Manu Narayan), who’s pushed papers at a desk for 30 years. The two strike up a correspondence of handwritten notes tucked inside the delivered lunchbox, each more revealing than the last. After a flirty battle of the sexes over the correct amount of salt, a charming, late-in-life puppy love takes root, one folded-up piece of paper at a time. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>You may think you know where this is going, and you’re half-right. But as any handcart operator in a big city can tell you, the fun is in the journey, bumps and all. It’s a joy to see just how completely smitten Ila and Fernandes are with one another. The script by Ritesh Batra, who wrote and directed the original film, nails with precision the feeling of being infatuated with someone distant and possibly unattainable.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1331\" height=\"2000\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/119_TLB.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13991123\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/119_TLB.jpg 1331w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/119_TLB-160x240.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/119_TLB-768x1154.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/119_TLB-1022x1536.jpg 1022w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1331px) 100vw, 1331px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Kuhoo Verma in ‘The Lunchbox’ at Berkeley Rep. (Kevin Berne)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Verma is just plain radiant in the lead role, on down to how Ila overthinks every detail in advance of a possible first meeting. She’s an excellent singer, emoting and hitting every trill, and she perfectly conveys both the coyness and frustration of Ila’s predicament, from introspective belters like “Courage” to the tiniest coquettishly raised eyebrow.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The play has many side quests, some more relevant than others. Fernandes’ coworker Shaikh (Aathaven Tharmarajah) helps open up Fernandes’ heart not just to love but to friendship. Nagarajan pulls all the humanity imaginable out of Mrs. Deshpande, the upstairs auntie whose lonely home life serves as a warning to what Ila’s life could become in the face of inaction. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Other numbers are less important, if not complete speedbumps. Twenty minutes in, Fernandes happens to tell a restaurant that its food was good, and its employees commence a hammy song-and-dance about \u003ca href=\"https://archive.nytimes.com/india.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/05/13/indias-middle-class-growth-engine-or-loose-wheel/\">the Bird of Gold\u003c/a>. It’s somewhat cute, but this early in the show, we want more Ila and Fernandes, and it stifles the plot’s momentum. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1331\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/063_TLB.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13991122\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/063_TLB.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/063_TLB-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/063_TLB-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/063_TLB-1536x1022.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Manu Narayan (as Fernandes) and Savidu Geevaratne in ‘The Lunchbox’ at Berkeley Rep. (Kevin Berne)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The orchestra performing the songs, however, could not be finer, and the music by Daniel and Patrick Lazour straddles traditional Indian rhythms and melodies (opening number “No Wrong Mistake,” sung by the lunchbox deliverymen known as dabbawallahs) and the accessible veneer of Broadway (a colorful, serene dream sequence about Bhutan). The choreography by Reshma Gajjar, particularly during a crowded train car scene, is inventive and captivating. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Much of \u003cem>The Lunchbox\u003c/em> is a very traditional love story, with nearly conservative themes. The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach; the way to flirt with a woman is by negging. Then there’s the age gap, and the notion of women being attracted to decades-older men, who appear more mature, deep and emotionally present. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>These are usually viewed as hindrances by your typical lefty Berkeley audience, but the rapturous crowd on Wednesday night certainly didn’t seem to mind. After the ups and downs of Ila and Fernandes’ yearning for each other, and an indelible final onstage image before the lights go out, who could really argue?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003chr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\">\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>‘The Lunchbox’ runs through Sunday, July 12 at Berkeley Rep. \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.berkeleyrep.org/shows/the-lunchbox-nkft\">\u003cem>Tickets and more information here\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Directed by Rachel Chavkin, the show is a warm, sweet, sensory delight. It starts with a magnificent four-story set (design by Mimi Lien), full of wrought iron, concrete, clotheslines and a 20-foot Bollywood movie billboard. Stairs, balconies and fire escapes recall a Mumbai version of \u003cem>West Side Story\u003c/em>; streetcars and deliverymen soon add to the crowded cityscape.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/178_TLB.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13991120\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/178_TLB.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/178_TLB-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/178_TLB-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/178_TLB-1536x1022.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The cast of ‘The Lunchbox’ perform in a dream sequence about Bhutan.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/178_TLB.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13991120\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The cast of ‘The Lunchbox’ perform in a dream sequence about Bhutan.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Sequestered in her apartment, Ila (Kuhoo Verma, in a starmaking role) is a thirtysomething wife and mother trying to cook her way back into her distant husband’s heart. She takes advice for recipes and life from her upstairs neighbor, whom she calls “auntie” (Anisha Nagarajan), and is clearly in need of a shakeup.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Sequestered in her apartment, Ila (Kuhoo Verma, in a starmaking role) is a thirtysomething wife and mother trying to cook her way back into her distant husband’s heart. She takes advice for recipes and life from her upstairs neighbor, whom she calls “auntie” (Anisha Nagarajan), and is clearly in need of a shakeup.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>She gets one when the lunch Ila cooks for her husband is delivered to the wrong address: a defeated widower, Fernandes (Manu Narayan), who’s pushed papers at a desk for 30 years. The two strike up a correspondence of handwritten notes tucked inside the delivered lunchbox, each more revealing than the last. After a flirty battle of the sexes over the correct amount of salt, a charming, late-in-life puppy love takes root, one folded-up piece of paper at a time. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>She gets one when the lunch Ila cooks for her husband is delivered to the wrong address: a defeated widower, Fernandes (Manu Narayan), who’s pushed papers at a desk for 30 years. The two strike up a correspondence of handwritten notes tucked inside the delivered lunchbox, each more revealing than the last. After a flirty battle of the sexes over the correct amount of salt, a charming, late-in-life puppy love takes root, one folded-up piece of paper at a time. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>You may think you know where this is going, and you’re half-right. But as any handcart operator in a big city can tell you, the fun is in the journey, bumps and all. It’s a joy to see just how completely smitten Ila and Fernandes are with one another. The script by Ritesh Batra, who wrote and directed the original film, nails with precision the feeling of being infatuated with someone distant and possibly unattainable.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>You may think you know where this is going, and you’re half-right. But as any handcart operator in a big city can tell you, the fun is in the journey, bumps and all. It’s a joy to see just how completely smitten Ila and Fernandes are with one another. The script by Ritesh Batra, who wrote and directed the original film, nails with precision the feeling of being infatuated with someone distant and possibly unattainable.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/119_TLB.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13991123\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/119_TLB.jpg 1331w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/119_TLB-160x240.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/119_TLB-768x1154.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/119_TLB-1022x1536.jpg 1022w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Kuhoo Verma in ‘The Lunchbox’ at Berkeley Rep.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Verma is just plain radiant in the lead role, on down to how Ila overthinks every detail in advance of a possible first meeting. She’s an excellent singer, emoting and hitting every trill, and she perfectly conveys both the coyness and frustration of Ila’s predicament, from introspective belters like “Courage” to the tiniest coquettishly raised eyebrow.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The play has many side quests, some more relevant than others. Fernandes’ coworker Shaikh (Aathaven Tharmarajah) helps open up Fernandes’ heart not just to love but to friendship. Nagarajan pulls all the humanity imaginable out of Mrs. Deshpande, the upstairs auntie whose lonely home life serves as a warning to what Ila’s life could become in the face of inaction. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The play has many side quests, some more relevant than others. Fernandes’ coworker Shaikh (Aathaven Tharmarajah) helps open up Fernandes’ heart not just to love but to friendship. Nagarajan pulls all the humanity imaginable out of Mrs. Deshpande, the upstairs auntie whose lonely home life serves as a warning to what Ila’s life could become in the face of inaction. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Other numbers are less important, if not complete speedbumps. Twenty minutes in, Fernandes happens to tell a restaurant that its food was good, and its employees commence a hammy song-and-dance about \u003ca href=\"https://archive.nytimes.com/india.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/05/13/indias-middle-class-growth-engine-or-loose-wheel/\">the Bird of Gold\u003c/a>. It’s somewhat cute, but this early in the show, we want more Ila and Fernandes, and it stifles the plot’s momentum. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Other numbers are less important, if not complete speedbumps. Twenty minutes in, Fernandes happens to tell a restaurant that its food was good, and its employees commence a hammy song-and-dance about \u003ca href=\"https://archive.nytimes.com/india.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/05/13/indias-middle-class-growth-engine-or-loose-wheel/\">the Bird of Gold\u003c/a>. It’s somewhat cute, but this early in the show, we want more Ila and Fernandes, and it stifles the plot’s momentum. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The orchestra performing the songs, however, could not be finer, and the music by Daniel and Patrick Lazour straddles traditional Indian rhythms and melodies (opening number “No Wrong Mistake,” sung by the lunchbox deliverymen known as dabbawallahs) and the accessible veneer of Broadway (a colorful, serene dream sequence about Bhutan). The choreography by Reshma Gajjar, particularly during a crowded train car scene, is inventive and captivating. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The orchestra performing the songs, however, could not be finer, and the music by Daniel and Patrick Lazour straddles traditional Indian rhythms and melodies (opening number “No Wrong Mistake,” sung by the lunchbox deliverymen known as dabbawallahs) and the accessible veneer of Broadway (a colorful, serene dream sequence about Bhutan). The choreography by Reshma Gajjar, particularly during a crowded train car scene, is inventive and captivating. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Much of \u003cem>The Lunchbox\u003c/em> is a very traditional love story, with nearly conservative themes. The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach; the way to flirt with a woman is by negging. Then there’s the age gap, and the notion of women being attracted to decades-older men, who appear more mature, deep and emotionally present. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Much of \u003cem>The Lunchbox\u003c/em> is a very traditional love story, with nearly conservative themes. The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach; the way to flirt with a woman is by negging. Then there’s the age gap, and the notion of women being attracted to decades-older men, who appear more mature, deep and emotionally present. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>These are usually viewed as hindrances by your typical lefty Berkeley audience, but the rapturous crowd on Wednesday night certainly didn’t seem to mind. After the ups and downs of Ila and Fernandes’ yearning for each other, and an indelible final onstage image before the lights go out, who could really argue?\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>These are usually viewed as hindrances by your typical lefty Berkeley audience, but the rapturous crowd on Wednesday night certainly didn’t seem to mind. After the ups and downs of Ila and Fernandes’ yearning for each other, and an indelible final onstage image before the lights go out, who could really argue?\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>‘The Lunchbox’ runs through Sunday, July 12 at Berkeley Rep. \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.berkeleyrep.org/shows/the-lunchbox-nkft\">\u003cem>Tickets and more information here\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "Delightful and sweet, the world-premiere musical at Berkeley Rep seems destined for larger stages. ",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Since it opened in May at \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/berkeley-rep\">Berkeley Rep\u003c/a>, the world-premiere musical \u003cem>The Lunchbox\u003c/em> has sold out night after night. Based on and hewing closely to \u003ca href=\"https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2350496/\">the well-loved 2013 film\u003c/a>, the show’s been extended twice already, and is, in plain terms, a bona fide hit.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>That much was plain during a mid-run visit, where the crowd — roughly half South Asian, half older white Berkeleyite — treated it like it was still opening night: excited chatter in the packed lobby, a standing ovation, flower bouquets at the ready.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Directed by Rachel Chavkin, the show is a warm, sweet, sensory delight. It starts with a magnificent four-story set (design by Mimi Lien), full of wrought iron, concrete, clotheslines and a 20-foot Bollywood movie billboard. Stairs, balconies and fire escapes recall a Mumbai version of \u003cem>West Side Story\u003c/em>; streetcars and deliverymen soon add to the crowded cityscape.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1331\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/178_TLB.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13991120\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/178_TLB.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/178_TLB-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/178_TLB-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/178_TLB-1536x1022.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The cast of ‘The Lunchbox’ perform in a dream sequence about Bhutan. (Kevin Berne)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Sequestered in her apartment, Ila (Kuhoo Verma, in a starmaking role) is a thirtysomething wife and mother trying to cook her way back into her distant husband’s heart. She takes advice for recipes and life from her upstairs neighbor, whom she calls “auntie” (Anisha Nagarajan), and is clearly in need of a shakeup.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>She gets one when the lunch Ila cooks for her husband is delivered to the wrong address: a defeated widower, Fernandes (Manu Narayan), who’s pushed papers at a desk for 30 years. The two strike up a correspondence of handwritten notes tucked inside the delivered lunchbox, each more revealing than the last. After a flirty battle of the sexes over the correct amount of salt, a charming, late-in-life puppy love takes root, one folded-up piece of paper at a time. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>You may think you know where this is going, and you’re half-right. But as any handcart operator in a big city can tell you, the fun is in the journey, bumps and all. It’s a joy to see just how completely smitten Ila and Fernandes are with one another. The script by Ritesh Batra, who wrote and directed the original film, nails with precision the feeling of being infatuated with someone distant and possibly unattainable.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1331\" height=\"2000\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/119_TLB.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13991123\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/119_TLB.jpg 1331w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/119_TLB-160x240.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/119_TLB-768x1154.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/119_TLB-1022x1536.jpg 1022w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1331px) 100vw, 1331px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Kuhoo Verma in ‘The Lunchbox’ at Berkeley Rep. (Kevin Berne)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Verma is just plain radiant in the lead role, on down to how Ila overthinks every detail in advance of a possible first meeting. She’s an excellent singer, emoting and hitting every trill, and she perfectly conveys both the coyness and frustration of Ila’s predicament, from introspective belters like “Courage” to the tiniest coquettishly raised eyebrow.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The play has many side quests, some more relevant than others. Fernandes’ coworker Shaikh (Aathaven Tharmarajah) helps open up Fernandes’ heart not just to love but to friendship. Nagarajan pulls all the humanity imaginable out of Mrs. Deshpande, the upstairs auntie whose lonely home life serves as a warning to what Ila’s life could become in the face of inaction. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Other numbers are less important, if not complete speedbumps. Twenty minutes in, Fernandes happens to tell a restaurant that its food was good, and its employees commence a hammy song-and-dance about \u003ca href=\"https://archive.nytimes.com/india.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/05/13/indias-middle-class-growth-engine-or-loose-wheel/\">the Bird of Gold\u003c/a>. It’s somewhat cute, but this early in the show, we want more Ila and Fernandes, and it stifles the plot’s momentum. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1331\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/063_TLB.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13991122\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/063_TLB.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/063_TLB-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/063_TLB-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/063_TLB-1536x1022.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Manu Narayan (as Fernandes) and Savidu Geevaratne in ‘The Lunchbox’ at Berkeley Rep. (Kevin Berne)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The orchestra performing the songs, however, could not be finer, and the music by Daniel and Patrick Lazour straddles traditional Indian rhythms and melodies (opening number “No Wrong Mistake,” sung by the lunchbox deliverymen known as dabbawallahs) and the accessible veneer of Broadway (a colorful, serene dream sequence about Bhutan). The choreography by Reshma Gajjar, particularly during a crowded train car scene, is inventive and captivating. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Much of \u003cem>The Lunchbox\u003c/em> is a very traditional love story, with nearly conservative themes. The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach; the way to flirt with a woman is by negging. Then there’s the age gap, and the notion of women being attracted to decades-older men, who appear more mature, deep and emotionally present. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>These are usually viewed as hindrances by your typical lefty Berkeley audience, but the rapturous crowd on Wednesday night certainly didn’t seem to mind. After the ups and downs of Ila and Fernandes’ yearning for each other, and an indelible final onstage image before the lights go out, who could really argue?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003chr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\">\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>‘The Lunchbox’ runs through Sunday, July 12 at Berkeley Rep. \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.berkeleyrep.org/shows/the-lunchbox-nkft\">\u003cem>Tickets and more information here\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "maren-hassinger-bampfa-living-moving-growing-review",
"title": "Even When It Stays Still, Maren Hassinger’s Art Is Full of Movement",
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"content": "\u003cp>During the 55 years of her materially expansive art career, repetition has become one of Maren Hassinger’s most powerful tools. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>She started multiplying elements of her sculptures early on. In 1972, while still in graduate school at UCLA, she placed four large, loosely tied knots of thick hemp rope on the floor. Eight years later, she made \u003cem>Leaning\u003c/em>, 32 bundles of wire rope arranged at tottering angles. \u003cem>Consolation\u003c/em>, from 1996, is a grid of over 100 sprays of even thinner wire rope, an orderly rendition of ready-to-burst-apart dandelions.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>There could be something formulaic about repeating a gesture, of making a thing again and again. But in \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://bampfa.org/program/maren-hassinger\">Living Moving Growing\u003c/a>\u003c/em>, Hassinger’s retrospective at the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/bampfa\">Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive\u003c/a>, her version of repetition is organic. What she captures is not the precision of mass-produced metal or plastic, but the proliferation of nature. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1500\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Install_Living-Moving-Growing_2026_024_AMFA_art_2000.jpg\" alt=\"gallery view with many small wire rope bundles in foreground, framed photos and large vinyl on wall behind\" class=\"wp-image-13990927\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Install_Living-Moving-Growing_2026_024_AMFA_art_2000.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Install_Living-Moving-Growing_2026_024_AMFA_art_2000-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Install_Living-Moving-Growing_2026_024_AMFA_art_2000-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Install_Living-Moving-Growing_2026_024_AMFA_art_2000-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Installation view of ‘Maren Hassinger: Living Moving Growing’ at BAMPFA, with ‘Leaning,’ 1980 in the foreground. (Chris Grunder)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The exhibition, organized by BAMPFA curators Margot Norton and Anthony Graham, moves mostly chronologically from Hassinger’s early grad school work to the present day, presenting Hassinger’s fluid movement across sculpture, video, installation, performance and public art. The newest element, a participatory piece called \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://bampfa.org/event/wrenching-news-workshops\">Wrenching News\u003c/a>\u003c/em> — made from twisted and tied pages of \u003cem>The New York Times\u003c/em> — will grow over the course of the exhibition. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In the hands of another artist, Hassinger’s materials (wire rope, tree branches, plastic bags) might feel cold and spare. But in pieces like \u003cem>River\u003c/em>, a 1972 sculpture of steel chains entwined with nautical rope, the heft and scale of the industrial materials demonstrate the sheer physicality of Hassinger’s practice. You can’t see the art without seeing her, as photographed by her friend Adam Avila in the ’70s, unwinding thick cables of wire, crouching by rows of cast plaster, posing with her sculptures as if they’re dance partners.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Halfway through the show, duets abound. Recreations of three 1970s sculptures pair tree branches with wire rope. The silvery, bare bark blends with the slightly undulating wire, intermingling and simultaneously underlining their material contrasts. Movement — that the trees once experienced, that went into the making of this work — is never far away. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1500\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Install_Living-Moving-Growing_2026_016_AMFA_art_2000.jpg\" alt=\"installation view with large branch sculpture in foreground, small sticks in left corner and pink plastic bags on back wall\" class=\"wp-image-13990925\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Install_Living-Moving-Growing_2026_016_AMFA_art_2000.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Install_Living-Moving-Growing_2026_016_AMFA_art_2000-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Install_Living-Moving-Growing_2026_016_AMFA_art_2000-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Install_Living-Moving-Growing_2026_016_AMFA_art_2000-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">From left to right: Maren Hassinger, ‘Beach,’ 1980/2025; ‘Pas de Deux,’ 1977/2026; and ‘Love,’ 2008/2026. (Chris Grunder)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This is especially the case with \u003cem>Beach\u003c/em>, a 1980 piece Hassinger first installed at Linda Goode Bryant’s \u003ca href=\"https://research.moma.org/c.php?g=1409558&p=10437691\">Just Above Midtown Gallery\u003c/a> in New York. A simple, repeated arrangement of angled wooden dowels and irregular plaster bases immediately conjures an image of long grasses blowing in the wind. At BAMPFA, the dowels point the way forward to the next gallery, and to Hassinger’s own move from Los Angeles to the East Coast.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Here, color enters Hassinger’s work in the form of pink plastic bags, red crosses made from tape and the dark green of rose leaves affixed, like wallpaper, across two walls of a gallery. \u003cem>Heaven\u003c/em> serves as a backdrop for \u003cem>Beige\u003c/em> (1992) and \u003cem>Green\u003c/em> (1993), Hassinger’s first video works. The former documents the winter landscape seen on her commute across Long Island, the latter, the verdant images of summer.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In two other works, Hassinger turns the camera on herself and her family, examining the construction of race (the 16mm film \u003cem>Daily Mask\u003c/em>) and her own complicated family tree (the video \u003cem>Birthright\u003c/em>). The exhibition creates a dark, sequestered corner for visitors to watch these pieces, the pink plastic bags of \u003cem>Love\u003c/em> warming the space.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As to lingering: Some of Hassinger’s sculptural works are so large, so stunning, it might be easy to breeze by the much-smaller photographs and ephemera in and around the show’s vitrines. These include images of her Malcolm X-quoting mosaics in the New York City subway; documentation of the 1982 performance \u003cem>Flying\u003c/em>, Hassinger and her Studio Z collaborators smiling, arms spread; and pictures of the artist performing \u003cem>Pink Trash, \u003c/em>dispersing pink-painted detritus across three New York City parks. (\u003ca href=\"https://bampfa.org/event/pink-trash-crescent-lawn-uc-berkeley\">Hassinger will perform \u003cem>Pink Trash\u003c/em>\u003c/a> on the Crescent Lawn, across the street from BAMPFA, on Sept. 20, 2026.)\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1570\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/1982_HASSINGER_Flying_Documentation-View-5.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13990928\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/1982_HASSINGER_Flying_Documentation-View-5.jpg 1570w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/1982_HASSINGER_Flying_Documentation-View-5-160x104.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/1982_HASSINGER_Flying_Documentation-View-5-768x501.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/1982_HASSINGER_Flying_Documentation-View-5-1536x1002.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1570px) 100vw, 1570px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Maren Hassinger, Juana Nash, Senga Nengudi, Ulysses Jenkins, Franklin Parker, Lofty Amono, “Nastyee,” and N’dugu Jungles, ‘Flying,’ 1982. A performance at the Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery, Barnsdall Art Park. (Courtesy the artists and Susan Inglett Gallery; Photo by Adam Avila)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>These pieces of documentation depict a deeply collaborative and joyful practice. Even when it’s Hassinger in the frame, we know there’s a photographer on the other side of the lens, making sure this moment — if not this object — is preserved as art history.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Living Moving Growing \u003c/em>is the latest in a string of especially strong shows at BAMPFA. The museum is, as executive director Julie Rodrigues Widholm writes in the catalog that accompanies this exhibition, “[committed] to increasing the visibility of influential women artists and generating new scholarship on their work.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The recent \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13986355/theresa-hak-kyung-cha-multiple-offerings-bampfa-review\">Theresa Hak Kyung Cha\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://bampfa.org/event/wrenching-news-workshops\">Amalia Mesa-Bains\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13916997/alison-knowles-retrospective-fluxus-bampfa-review\">Alison Knowles\u003c/a> retrospectives were all part of this effort. Even more exciting is the way these shows allow contemporary audiences to plot the connections between artists, thanks to the combined (if perhaps unintentional) efforts of multiple Bay Area institutions. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>I was delighted, for instance, to see Suzanne Jackson’s name in Hassinger’s chronology. Jackson, the subject of a recent \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13982215/sfmoma-suzanne-jackson-what-is-love-review\">San Francisco Museum of Modern Art retrospective\u003c/a>, selected Hassinger as one of 10 artists to receive a public art commission through the Comprehensive Employment and Training Act (CETA), a WPA-style employment program, in 1978. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Presenting histories like these highlights not just individual artists’ accomplishments, but their equally important networks of collaboration and support. So many of Hassinger’s works are the result of these types of relationships — artworks made by many bodies and with the help of many hands. \u003cem>Pais/Ascension\u003c/em> (1976/2022) illustrates it perfectly: two wire ropes lean against a wall and towards each other, their ends splaying outward, overlapping and entwining.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003chr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\">\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>‘\u003ca href=\"https://bampfa.org/program/maren-hassinger\">Maren Hassinger: Living Moving Growing\u003c/a>’ is on view at the Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive (2155 Center St., Berkeley) through Nov. 29, 2026.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>She started multiplying elements of her sculptures early on. In 1972, while still in graduate school at UCLA, she placed four large, loosely tied knots of thick hemp rope on the floor. Eight years later, she made \u003cem>Leaning\u003c/em>, 32 bundles of wire rope arranged at tottering angles. \u003cem>Consolation\u003c/em>, from 1996, is a grid of over 100 sprays of even thinner wire rope, an orderly rendition of ready-to-burst-apart dandelions.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>There could be something formulaic about repeating a gesture, of making a thing again and again. But in \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://bampfa.org/program/maren-hassinger\">Living Moving Growing\u003c/a>\u003c/em>, Hassinger’s retrospective at the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/bampfa\">Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive\u003c/a>, her version of repetition is organic. What she captures is not the precision of mass-produced metal or plastic, but the proliferation of nature. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Install_Living-Moving-Growing_2026_024_AMFA_art_2000.jpg\" alt=\"gallery view with many small wire rope bundles in foreground, framed photos and large vinyl on wall behind\" class=\"wp-image-13990927\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Install_Living-Moving-Growing_2026_024_AMFA_art_2000.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Install_Living-Moving-Growing_2026_024_AMFA_art_2000-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Install_Living-Moving-Growing_2026_024_AMFA_art_2000-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Install_Living-Moving-Growing_2026_024_AMFA_art_2000-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Installation view of ‘Maren Hassinger: Living Moving Growing’ at BAMPFA, with ‘Leaning,’ 1980 in the foreground.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The exhibition, organized by BAMPFA curators Margot Norton and Anthony Graham, moves mostly chronologically from Hassinger’s early grad school work to the present day, presenting Hassinger’s fluid movement across sculpture, video, installation, performance and public art. The newest element, a participatory piece called \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://bampfa.org/event/wrenching-news-workshops\">Wrenching News\u003c/a>\u003c/em> — made from twisted and tied pages of \u003cem>The New York Times\u003c/em> — will grow over the course of the exhibition. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The exhibition, organized by BAMPFA curators Margot Norton and Anthony Graham, moves mostly chronologically from Hassinger’s early grad school work to the present day, presenting Hassinger’s fluid movement across sculpture, video, installation, performance and public art. The newest element, a participatory piece called \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://bampfa.org/event/wrenching-news-workshops\">Wrenching News\u003c/a>\u003c/em> — made from twisted and tied pages of \u003cem>The New York Times\u003c/em> — will grow over the course of the exhibition. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In the hands of another artist, Hassinger’s materials (wire rope, tree branches, plastic bags) might feel cold and spare. But in pieces like \u003cem>River\u003c/em>, a 1972 sculpture of steel chains entwined with nautical rope, the heft and scale of the industrial materials demonstrate the sheer physicality of Hassinger’s practice. You can’t see the art without seeing her, as photographed by her friend Adam Avila in the ’70s, unwinding thick cables of wire, crouching by rows of cast plaster, posing with her sculptures as if they’re dance partners.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In the hands of another artist, Hassinger’s materials (wire rope, tree branches, plastic bags) might feel cold and spare. But in pieces like \u003cem>River\u003c/em>, a 1972 sculpture of steel chains entwined with nautical rope, the heft and scale of the industrial materials demonstrate the sheer physicality of Hassinger’s practice. You can’t see the art without seeing her, as photographed by her friend Adam Avila in the ’70s, unwinding thick cables of wire, crouching by rows of cast plaster, posing with her sculptures as if they’re dance partners.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Halfway through the show, duets abound. Recreations of three 1970s sculptures pair tree branches with wire rope. The silvery, bare bark blends with the slightly undulating wire, intermingling and simultaneously underlining their material contrasts. Movement — that the trees once experienced, that went into the making of this work — is never far away. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Halfway through the show, duets abound. Recreations of three 1970s sculptures pair tree branches with wire rope. The silvery, bare bark blends with the slightly undulating wire, intermingling and simultaneously underlining their material contrasts. Movement — that the trees once experienced, that went into the making of this work — is never far away. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Install_Living-Moving-Growing_2026_016_AMFA_art_2000.jpg\" alt=\"installation view with large branch sculpture in foreground, small sticks in left corner and pink plastic bags on back wall\" class=\"wp-image-13990925\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Install_Living-Moving-Growing_2026_016_AMFA_art_2000.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Install_Living-Moving-Growing_2026_016_AMFA_art_2000-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Install_Living-Moving-Growing_2026_016_AMFA_art_2000-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Install_Living-Moving-Growing_2026_016_AMFA_art_2000-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">From left to right: Maren Hassinger, ‘Beach,’ 1980/2025; ‘Pas de Deux,’ 1977/2026; and ‘Love,’ 2008/2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Install_Living-Moving-Growing_2026_016_AMFA_art_2000.jpg\" alt=\"installation view with large branch sculpture in foreground, small sticks in left corner and pink plastic bags on back wall\" class=\"wp-image-13990925\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">From left to right: Maren Hassinger, ‘Beach,’ 1980/2025; ‘Pas de Deux,’ 1977/2026; and ‘Love,’ 2008/2026.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>This is especially the case with \u003cem>Beach\u003c/em>, a 1980 piece Hassinger first installed at Linda Goode Bryant’s \u003ca href=\"https://research.moma.org/c.php?g=1409558&p=10437691\">Just Above Midtown Gallery\u003c/a> in New York. A simple, repeated arrangement of angled wooden dowels and irregular plaster bases immediately conjures an image of long grasses blowing in the wind. At BAMPFA, the dowels point the way forward to the next gallery, and to Hassinger’s own move from Los Angeles to the East Coast.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>This is especially the case with \u003cem>Beach\u003c/em>, a 1980 piece Hassinger first installed at Linda Goode Bryant’s \u003ca href=\"https://research.moma.org/c.php?g=1409558&p=10437691\">Just Above Midtown Gallery\u003c/a> in New York. A simple, repeated arrangement of angled wooden dowels and irregular plaster bases immediately conjures an image of long grasses blowing in the wind. At BAMPFA, the dowels point the way forward to the next gallery, and to Hassinger’s own move from Los Angeles to the East Coast.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Here, color enters Hassinger’s work in the form of pink plastic bags, red crosses made from tape and the dark green of rose leaves affixed, like wallpaper, across two walls of a gallery. \u003cem>Heaven\u003c/em> serves as a backdrop for \u003cem>Beige\u003c/em> (1992) and \u003cem>Green\u003c/em> (1993), Hassinger’s first video works. The former documents the winter landscape seen on her commute across Long Island, the latter, the verdant images of summer.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Here, color enters Hassinger’s work in the form of pink plastic bags, red crosses made from tape and the dark green of rose leaves affixed, like wallpaper, across two walls of a gallery. \u003cem>Heaven\u003c/em> serves as a backdrop for \u003cem>Beige\u003c/em> (1992) and \u003cem>Green\u003c/em> (1993), Hassinger’s first video works. The former documents the winter landscape seen on her commute across Long Island, the latter, the verdant images of summer.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In two other works, Hassinger turns the camera on herself and her family, examining the construction of race (the 16mm film \u003cem>Daily Mask\u003c/em>) and her own complicated family tree (the video \u003cem>Birthright\u003c/em>). The exhibition creates a dark, sequestered corner for visitors to watch these pieces, the pink plastic bags of \u003cem>Love\u003c/em> warming the space.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In two other works, Hassinger turns the camera on herself and her family, examining the construction of race (the 16mm film \u003cem>Daily Mask\u003c/em>) and her own complicated family tree (the video \u003cem>Birthright\u003c/em>). The exhibition creates a dark, sequestered corner for visitors to watch these pieces, the pink plastic bags of \u003cem>Love\u003c/em> warming the space.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>As to lingering: Some of Hassinger’s sculptural works are so large, so stunning, it might be easy to breeze by the much-smaller photographs and ephemera in and around the show’s vitrines. These include images of her Malcolm X-quoting mosaics in the New York City subway; documentation of the 1982 performance \u003cem>Flying\u003c/em>, Hassinger and her Studio Z collaborators smiling, arms spread; and pictures of the artist performing \u003cem>Pink Trash, \u003c/em>dispersing pink-painted detritus across three New York City parks. (\u003ca href=\"https://bampfa.org/event/pink-trash-crescent-lawn-uc-berkeley\">Hassinger will perform \u003cem>Pink Trash\u003c/em>\u003c/a> on the Crescent Lawn, across the street from BAMPFA, on Sept. 20, 2026.)\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>As to lingering: Some of Hassinger’s sculptural works are so large, so stunning, it might be easy to breeze by the much-smaller photographs and ephemera in and around the show’s vitrines. These include images of her Malcolm X-quoting mosaics in the New York City subway; documentation of the 1982 performance \u003cem>Flying\u003c/em>, Hassinger and her Studio Z collaborators smiling, arms spread; and pictures of the artist performing \u003cem>Pink Trash, \u003c/em>dispersing pink-painted detritus across three New York City parks. (\u003ca href=\"https://bampfa.org/event/pink-trash-crescent-lawn-uc-berkeley\">Hassinger will perform \u003cem>Pink Trash\u003c/em>\u003c/a> on the Crescent Lawn, across the street from BAMPFA, on Sept. 20, 2026.)\u003c/p>\n"
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"imageCredit": "Courtesy the artists and Susan Inglett Gallery; Photo by Adam Avila",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/1982_HASSINGER_Flying_Documentation-View-5.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13990928\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/1982_HASSINGER_Flying_Documentation-View-5.jpg 1570w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/1982_HASSINGER_Flying_Documentation-View-5-160x104.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/1982_HASSINGER_Flying_Documentation-View-5-768x501.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/1982_HASSINGER_Flying_Documentation-View-5-1536x1002.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Maren Hassinger, Juana Nash, Senga Nengudi, Ulysses Jenkins, Franklin Parker, Lofty Amono, “Nastyee,” and N’dugu Jungles, ‘Flying,’ 1982. A performance at the Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery, Barnsdall Art Park.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/1982_HASSINGER_Flying_Documentation-View-5.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13990928\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Maren Hassinger, Juana Nash, Senga Nengudi, Ulysses Jenkins, Franklin Parker, Lofty Amono, “Nastyee,” and N’dugu Jungles, ‘Flying,’ 1982. A performance at the Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery, Barnsdall Art Park.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>These pieces of documentation depict a deeply collaborative and joyful practice. Even when it’s Hassinger in the frame, we know there’s a photographer on the other side of the lens, making sure this moment — if not this object — is preserved as art history.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>These pieces of documentation depict a deeply collaborative and joyful practice. Even when it’s Hassinger in the frame, we know there’s a photographer on the other side of the lens, making sure this moment — if not this object — is preserved as art history.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Living Moving Growing \u003c/em>is the latest in a string of especially strong shows at BAMPFA. The museum is, as executive director Julie Rodrigues Widholm writes in the catalog that accompanies this exhibition, “[committed] to increasing the visibility of influential women artists and generating new scholarship on their work.” \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Living Moving Growing \u003c/em>is the latest in a string of especially strong shows at BAMPFA. The museum is, as executive director Julie Rodrigues Widholm writes in the catalog that accompanies this exhibition, “[committed] to increasing the visibility of influential women artists and generating new scholarship on their work.” \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The recent \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13986355/theresa-hak-kyung-cha-multiple-offerings-bampfa-review\">Theresa Hak Kyung Cha\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://bampfa.org/event/wrenching-news-workshops\">Amalia Mesa-Bains\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13916997/alison-knowles-retrospective-fluxus-bampfa-review\">Alison Knowles\u003c/a> retrospectives were all part of this effort. Even more exciting is the way these shows allow contemporary audiences to plot the connections between artists, thanks to the combined (if perhaps unintentional) efforts of multiple Bay Area institutions. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The recent \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13986355/theresa-hak-kyung-cha-multiple-offerings-bampfa-review\">Theresa Hak Kyung Cha\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://bampfa.org/event/wrenching-news-workshops\">Amalia Mesa-Bains\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13916997/alison-knowles-retrospective-fluxus-bampfa-review\">Alison Knowles\u003c/a> retrospectives were all part of this effort. Even more exciting is the way these shows allow contemporary audiences to plot the connections between artists, thanks to the combined (if perhaps unintentional) efforts of multiple Bay Area institutions. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>I was delighted, for instance, to see Suzanne Jackson’s name in Hassinger’s chronology. Jackson, the subject of a recent \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13982215/sfmoma-suzanne-jackson-what-is-love-review\">San Francisco Museum of Modern Art retrospective\u003c/a>, selected Hassinger as one of 10 artists to receive a public art commission through the Comprehensive Employment and Training Act (CETA), a WPA-style employment program, in 1978. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>I was delighted, for instance, to see Suzanne Jackson’s name in Hassinger’s chronology. Jackson, the subject of a recent \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13982215/sfmoma-suzanne-jackson-what-is-love-review\">San Francisco Museum of Modern Art retrospective\u003c/a>, selected Hassinger as one of 10 artists to receive a public art commission through the Comprehensive Employment and Training Act (CETA), a WPA-style employment program, in 1978. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Presenting histories like these highlights not just individual artists’ accomplishments, but their equally important networks of collaboration and support. So many of Hassinger’s works are the result of these types of relationships — artworks made by many bodies and with the help of many hands. \u003cem>Pais/Ascension\u003c/em> (1976/2022) illustrates it perfectly: two wire ropes lean against a wall and towards each other, their ends splaying outward, overlapping and entwining.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Presenting histories like these highlights not just individual artists’ accomplishments, but their equally important networks of collaboration and support. So many of Hassinger’s works are the result of these types of relationships — artworks made by many bodies and with the help of many hands. \u003cem>Pais/Ascension\u003c/em> (1976/2022) illustrates it perfectly: two wire ropes lean against a wall and towards each other, their ends splaying outward, overlapping and entwining.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>‘\u003ca href=\"https://bampfa.org/program/maren-hassinger\">Maren Hassinger: Living Moving Growing\u003c/a>’ is on view at the Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive (2155 Center St., Berkeley) through Nov. 29, 2026.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "At BAMPFA, ‘Living Moving Growing’ chronicles over five decades of sculpture, performance, video and public art.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>During the 55 years of her materially expansive art career, repetition has become one of Maren Hassinger’s most powerful tools. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>She started multiplying elements of her sculptures early on. In 1972, while still in graduate school at UCLA, she placed four large, loosely tied knots of thick hemp rope on the floor. Eight years later, she made \u003cem>Leaning\u003c/em>, 32 bundles of wire rope arranged at tottering angles. \u003cem>Consolation\u003c/em>, from 1996, is a grid of over 100 sprays of even thinner wire rope, an orderly rendition of ready-to-burst-apart dandelions.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>There could be something formulaic about repeating a gesture, of making a thing again and again. But in \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://bampfa.org/program/maren-hassinger\">Living Moving Growing\u003c/a>\u003c/em>, Hassinger’s retrospective at the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/bampfa\">Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive\u003c/a>, her version of repetition is organic. What she captures is not the precision of mass-produced metal or plastic, but the proliferation of nature. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1500\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Install_Living-Moving-Growing_2026_024_AMFA_art_2000.jpg\" alt=\"gallery view with many small wire rope bundles in foreground, framed photos and large vinyl on wall behind\" class=\"wp-image-13990927\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Install_Living-Moving-Growing_2026_024_AMFA_art_2000.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Install_Living-Moving-Growing_2026_024_AMFA_art_2000-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Install_Living-Moving-Growing_2026_024_AMFA_art_2000-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Install_Living-Moving-Growing_2026_024_AMFA_art_2000-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Installation view of ‘Maren Hassinger: Living Moving Growing’ at BAMPFA, with ‘Leaning,’ 1980 in the foreground. (Chris Grunder)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The exhibition, organized by BAMPFA curators Margot Norton and Anthony Graham, moves mostly chronologically from Hassinger’s early grad school work to the present day, presenting Hassinger’s fluid movement across sculpture, video, installation, performance and public art. The newest element, a participatory piece called \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://bampfa.org/event/wrenching-news-workshops\">Wrenching News\u003c/a>\u003c/em> — made from twisted and tied pages of \u003cem>The New York Times\u003c/em> — will grow over the course of the exhibition. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In the hands of another artist, Hassinger’s materials (wire rope, tree branches, plastic bags) might feel cold and spare. But in pieces like \u003cem>River\u003c/em>, a 1972 sculpture of steel chains entwined with nautical rope, the heft and scale of the industrial materials demonstrate the sheer physicality of Hassinger’s practice. You can’t see the art without seeing her, as photographed by her friend Adam Avila in the ’70s, unwinding thick cables of wire, crouching by rows of cast plaster, posing with her sculptures as if they’re dance partners.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Halfway through the show, duets abound. Recreations of three 1970s sculptures pair tree branches with wire rope. The silvery, bare bark blends with the slightly undulating wire, intermingling and simultaneously underlining their material contrasts. Movement — that the trees once experienced, that went into the making of this work — is never far away. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1500\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Install_Living-Moving-Growing_2026_016_AMFA_art_2000.jpg\" alt=\"installation view with large branch sculpture in foreground, small sticks in left corner and pink plastic bags on back wall\" class=\"wp-image-13990925\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Install_Living-Moving-Growing_2026_016_AMFA_art_2000.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Install_Living-Moving-Growing_2026_016_AMFA_art_2000-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Install_Living-Moving-Growing_2026_016_AMFA_art_2000-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Install_Living-Moving-Growing_2026_016_AMFA_art_2000-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">From left to right: Maren Hassinger, ‘Beach,’ 1980/2025; ‘Pas de Deux,’ 1977/2026; and ‘Love,’ 2008/2026. (Chris Grunder)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This is especially the case with \u003cem>Beach\u003c/em>, a 1980 piece Hassinger first installed at Linda Goode Bryant’s \u003ca href=\"https://research.moma.org/c.php?g=1409558&p=10437691\">Just Above Midtown Gallery\u003c/a> in New York. A simple, repeated arrangement of angled wooden dowels and irregular plaster bases immediately conjures an image of long grasses blowing in the wind. At BAMPFA, the dowels point the way forward to the next gallery, and to Hassinger’s own move from Los Angeles to the East Coast.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Here, color enters Hassinger’s work in the form of pink plastic bags, red crosses made from tape and the dark green of rose leaves affixed, like wallpaper, across two walls of a gallery. \u003cem>Heaven\u003c/em> serves as a backdrop for \u003cem>Beige\u003c/em> (1992) and \u003cem>Green\u003c/em> (1993), Hassinger’s first video works. The former documents the winter landscape seen on her commute across Long Island, the latter, the verdant images of summer.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In two other works, Hassinger turns the camera on herself and her family, examining the construction of race (the 16mm film \u003cem>Daily Mask\u003c/em>) and her own complicated family tree (the video \u003cem>Birthright\u003c/em>). The exhibition creates a dark, sequestered corner for visitors to watch these pieces, the pink plastic bags of \u003cem>Love\u003c/em> warming the space.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As to lingering: Some of Hassinger’s sculptural works are so large, so stunning, it might be easy to breeze by the much-smaller photographs and ephemera in and around the show’s vitrines. These include images of her Malcolm X-quoting mosaics in the New York City subway; documentation of the 1982 performance \u003cem>Flying\u003c/em>, Hassinger and her Studio Z collaborators smiling, arms spread; and pictures of the artist performing \u003cem>Pink Trash, \u003c/em>dispersing pink-painted detritus across three New York City parks. (\u003ca href=\"https://bampfa.org/event/pink-trash-crescent-lawn-uc-berkeley\">Hassinger will perform \u003cem>Pink Trash\u003c/em>\u003c/a> on the Crescent Lawn, across the street from BAMPFA, on Sept. 20, 2026.)\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1570\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/1982_HASSINGER_Flying_Documentation-View-5.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13990928\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/1982_HASSINGER_Flying_Documentation-View-5.jpg 1570w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/1982_HASSINGER_Flying_Documentation-View-5-160x104.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/1982_HASSINGER_Flying_Documentation-View-5-768x501.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/1982_HASSINGER_Flying_Documentation-View-5-1536x1002.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1570px) 100vw, 1570px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Maren Hassinger, Juana Nash, Senga Nengudi, Ulysses Jenkins, Franklin Parker, Lofty Amono, “Nastyee,” and N’dugu Jungles, ‘Flying,’ 1982. A performance at the Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery, Barnsdall Art Park. (Courtesy the artists and Susan Inglett Gallery; Photo by Adam Avila)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>These pieces of documentation depict a deeply collaborative and joyful practice. Even when it’s Hassinger in the frame, we know there’s a photographer on the other side of the lens, making sure this moment — if not this object — is preserved as art history.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Living Moving Growing \u003c/em>is the latest in a string of especially strong shows at BAMPFA. The museum is, as executive director Julie Rodrigues Widholm writes in the catalog that accompanies this exhibition, “[committed] to increasing the visibility of influential women artists and generating new scholarship on their work.” \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The recent \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13986355/theresa-hak-kyung-cha-multiple-offerings-bampfa-review\">Theresa Hak Kyung Cha\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://bampfa.org/event/wrenching-news-workshops\">Amalia Mesa-Bains\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13916997/alison-knowles-retrospective-fluxus-bampfa-review\">Alison Knowles\u003c/a> retrospectives were all part of this effort. Even more exciting is the way these shows allow contemporary audiences to plot the connections between artists, thanks to the combined (if perhaps unintentional) efforts of multiple Bay Area institutions. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>I was delighted, for instance, to see Suzanne Jackson’s name in Hassinger’s chronology. Jackson, the subject of a recent \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13982215/sfmoma-suzanne-jackson-what-is-love-review\">San Francisco Museum of Modern Art retrospective\u003c/a>, selected Hassinger as one of 10 artists to receive a public art commission through the Comprehensive Employment and Training Act (CETA), a WPA-style employment program, in 1978. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Presenting histories like these highlights not just individual artists’ accomplishments, but their equally important networks of collaboration and support. So many of Hassinger’s works are the result of these types of relationships — artworks made by many bodies and with the help of many hands. \u003cem>Pais/Ascension\u003c/em> (1976/2022) illustrates it perfectly: two wire ropes lean against a wall and towards each other, their ends splaying outward, overlapping and entwining.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003chr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\">\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>‘\u003ca href=\"https://bampfa.org/program/maren-hassinger\">Maren Hassinger: Living Moving Growing\u003c/a>’ is on view at the Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive (2155 Center St., Berkeley) through Nov. 29, 2026.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "aurora-theatre-berkeley-reopen-new-leadership",
"title": "Aurora Theatre to Reopen Under New Leadership",
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"content": "\u003cp>When \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/aurora-theatre\">Aurora Theatre\u003c/a> announced it was suspending productions last summer, audiences worried the 33-year-old theater wouldn’t make it through a year of hibernation. So many other theaters, both experimental and mainstream, had closed in recent years: \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13961349/farewell-to-cutting-ball-theater-a-bastion-of-fearless-experimentation\">Cutting Ball\u003c/a>, Theater First, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13924185/pianofights-theatre-was-independent-creative-accessible-and-necessary\">PianoFight\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13966472/cal-shakes-to-close-down-citing-insurmountable-financial-impasse\">Cal Shakes\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13929386/bay-area-childrens-theatre-to-close-citing-financial-challenges\">Bay Area Children’s Theatre\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Bucking that trend, Aurora Theatre announced its return on Monday under the new leadership of Artistic Director Jennifer King and Managing Director Jenn Ruygt. The theater will return to producing shows in the 2027/2028 season.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Both King and Ruygt have a history with the company. King was a frequent Aurora actor and director; she directed \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.auroratheatre.org/search-for-signs\">The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe\u003c/a>\u003c/em>, Aurora’s last show before the 2025 closure. Ruygt was previously the company’s production manager.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>When the theater closed last year, it had a $500,000 operating deficit. “We’ve taken the past nine months to really get our ducks in a row so we can move out of having to be in crisis management,” King told KQED. “That means being really responsible, both fiscally and artistically, with our community.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Many details about Aurora’s return are yet to be determined. King and Ruygt hope to remain in Berkeley — whether as a roving project or a brick-and-mortar space, which may be decided by trying out both.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This is the first update in a series of updates,” Ruygt said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Aurora fans may also be wondering about the theater’s distinctive thrust stage, the one that made audiences feel like they were part of the action. King said that even if their future space lacks that specific characteristic, that “intimacy” will be part of the experience.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/06/EurekaDay.AuroraTheatre.DavidAllen.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13977150\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/06/EurekaDay.AuroraTheatre.DavidAllen.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/06/EurekaDay.AuroraTheatre.DavidAllen-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/06/EurekaDay.AuroraTheatre.DavidAllen-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/06/EurekaDay.AuroraTheatre.DavidAllen-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Lisa Anne Porter, Elizabeth Carter, Rolf Saxon, Teddy Spencer, and Charisse Loriaux in Aurora Theatre Company’s world premiere of ‘Eureka Day’ in 2018. (David Allen)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Founded in 1992 by Barbara Oliver, Aurora Theatre became known over the decades for its high-quality productions with talented local actors. By restarting the program, King and Ruygt inherit Aurora’s reputation with both audiences and the local theater community.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We look at Berkeley Rep, we look at ACT, and they’ve really moved to a different model. They utilize local actors, but they really have become places where you’re seeing things either come from New York or move on to New York,” King said. (Aurora has also produced New York-bound shows, including the Tony Award-winning \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13980686/eureka-day-marin-theatre-aurora-mill-valley-covid\">Eureka Day\u003c/a>\u003c/em> in 2018.)\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>King’s point is that Aurora played an important role in the ecology of the local theater scene — what theater critic \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12046149/why-local-theater-is-in-free-fall\">Lily Janiak called\u003c/a> “a ladder from ‘Here I am making theater with my college buddies on $1,000,’ to something with more prominence and more reach.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“What we heard over and over again is that artists and artisans reached for the opportunity to work at the Aurora,” King said, explaining that bringing it back isn’t about staking a personal claim. “It is the Bay Area’s theater company.”\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>When \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/aurora-theatre\">Aurora Theatre\u003c/a> announced it was suspending productions last summer, audiences worried the 33-year-old theater wouldn’t make it through a year of hibernation. So many other theaters, both experimental and mainstream, had closed in recent years: \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13961349/farewell-to-cutting-ball-theater-a-bastion-of-fearless-experimentation\">Cutting Ball\u003c/a>, Theater First, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13924185/pianofights-theatre-was-independent-creative-accessible-and-necessary\">PianoFight\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13966472/cal-shakes-to-close-down-citing-insurmountable-financial-impasse\">Cal Shakes\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13929386/bay-area-childrens-theatre-to-close-citing-financial-challenges\">Bay Area Children’s Theatre\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Bucking that trend, Aurora Theatre announced its return on Monday under the new leadership of Artistic Director Jennifer King and Managing Director Jenn Ruygt. The theater will return to producing shows in the 2027/2028 season.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Both King and Ruygt have a history with the company. King was a frequent Aurora actor and director; she directed \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.auroratheatre.org/search-for-signs\">The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe\u003c/a>\u003c/em>, Aurora’s last show before the 2025 closure. Ruygt was previously the company’s production manager.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Both King and Ruygt have a history with the company. King was a frequent Aurora actor and director; she directed \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.auroratheatre.org/search-for-signs\">The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe\u003c/a>\u003c/em>, Aurora’s last show before the 2025 closure. Ruygt was previously the company’s production manager.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>When the theater closed last year, it had a $500,000 operating deficit. “We’ve taken the past nine months to really get our ducks in a row so we can move out of having to be in crisis management,” King told KQED. “That means being really responsible, both fiscally and artistically, with our community.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>When the theater closed last year, it had a $500,000 operating deficit. “We’ve taken the past nine months to really get our ducks in a row so we can move out of having to be in crisis management,” King told KQED. “That means being really responsible, both fiscally and artistically, with our community.”\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Many details about Aurora’s return are yet to be determined. King and Ruygt hope to remain in Berkeley — whether as a roving project or a brick-and-mortar space, which may be decided by trying out both.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Many details about Aurora’s return are yet to be determined. King and Ruygt hope to remain in Berkeley — whether as a roving project or a brick-and-mortar space, which may be decided by trying out both.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“This is the first update in a series of updates,” Ruygt said.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“This is the first update in a series of updates,” Ruygt said.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Aurora fans may also be wondering about the theater’s distinctive thrust stage, the one that made audiences feel like they were part of the action. King said that even if their future space lacks that specific characteristic, that “intimacy” will be part of the experience.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Aurora fans may also be wondering about the theater’s distinctive thrust stage, the one that made audiences feel like they were part of the action. King said that even if their future space lacks that specific characteristic, that “intimacy” will be part of the experience.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/06/EurekaDay.AuroraTheatre.DavidAllen.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13977150\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/06/EurekaDay.AuroraTheatre.DavidAllen.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/06/EurekaDay.AuroraTheatre.DavidAllen-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/06/EurekaDay.AuroraTheatre.DavidAllen-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/06/EurekaDay.AuroraTheatre.DavidAllen-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Lisa Anne Porter, Elizabeth Carter, Rolf Saxon, Teddy Spencer, and Charisse Loriaux in Aurora Theatre Company’s world premiere of ‘Eureka Day’ in 2018.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/06/EurekaDay.AuroraTheatre.DavidAllen.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13977150\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Lisa Anne Porter, Elizabeth Carter, Rolf Saxon, Teddy Spencer, and Charisse Loriaux in Aurora Theatre Company’s world premiere of ‘Eureka Day’ in 2018.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Founded in 1992 by Barbara Oliver, Aurora Theatre became known over the decades for its high-quality productions with talented local actors. By restarting the program, King and Ruygt inherit Aurora’s reputation with both audiences and the local theater community.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Founded in 1992 by Barbara Oliver, Aurora Theatre became known over the decades for its high-quality productions with talented local actors. By restarting the program, King and Ruygt inherit Aurora’s reputation with both audiences and the local theater community.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We look at Berkeley Rep, we look at ACT, and they’ve really moved to a different model. They utilize local actors, but they really have become places where you’re seeing things either come from New York or move on to New York,” King said. (Aurora has also produced New York-bound shows, including the Tony Award-winning \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13980686/eureka-day-marin-theatre-aurora-mill-valley-covid\">Eureka Day\u003c/a>\u003c/em> in 2018.)\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“We look at Berkeley Rep, we look at ACT, and they’ve really moved to a different model. They utilize local actors, but they really have become places where you’re seeing things either come from New York or move on to New York,” King said. (Aurora has also produced New York-bound shows, including the Tony Award-winning \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13980686/eureka-day-marin-theatre-aurora-mill-valley-covid\">Eureka Day\u003c/a>\u003c/em> in 2018.)\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>King’s point is that Aurora played an important role in the ecology of the local theater scene — what theater critic \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12046149/why-local-theater-is-in-free-fall\">Lily Janiak called\u003c/a> “a ladder from ‘Here I am making theater with my college buddies on $1,000,’ to something with more prominence and more reach.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“What we heard over and over again is that artists and artisans reached for the opportunity to work at the Aurora,” King said, explaining that bringing it back isn’t about staking a personal claim. “It is the Bay Area’s theater company.”\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "The beloved Berkeley theater suspended programming last summer. Now two directors are bringing it back.",
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"title": "Aurora Theatre to Reopen Under New Leadership | KQED",
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"headline": "Aurora Theatre to Reopen Under New Leadership",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>When \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/aurora-theatre\">Aurora Theatre\u003c/a> announced it was suspending productions last summer, audiences worried the 33-year-old theater wouldn’t make it through a year of hibernation. So many other theaters, both experimental and mainstream, had closed in recent years: \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13961349/farewell-to-cutting-ball-theater-a-bastion-of-fearless-experimentation\">Cutting Ball\u003c/a>, Theater First, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13924185/pianofights-theatre-was-independent-creative-accessible-and-necessary\">PianoFight\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13966472/cal-shakes-to-close-down-citing-insurmountable-financial-impasse\">Cal Shakes\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13929386/bay-area-childrens-theatre-to-close-citing-financial-challenges\">Bay Area Children’s Theatre\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Bucking that trend, Aurora Theatre announced its return on Monday under the new leadership of Artistic Director Jennifer King and Managing Director Jenn Ruygt. The theater will return to producing shows in the 2027/2028 season.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Both King and Ruygt have a history with the company. King was a frequent Aurora actor and director; she directed \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.auroratheatre.org/search-for-signs\">The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe\u003c/a>\u003c/em>, Aurora’s last show before the 2025 closure. Ruygt was previously the company’s production manager.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>When the theater closed last year, it had a $500,000 operating deficit. “We’ve taken the past nine months to really get our ducks in a row so we can move out of having to be in crisis management,” King told KQED. “That means being really responsible, both fiscally and artistically, with our community.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Many details about Aurora’s return are yet to be determined. King and Ruygt hope to remain in Berkeley — whether as a roving project or a brick-and-mortar space, which may be decided by trying out both.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This is the first update in a series of updates,” Ruygt said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Aurora fans may also be wondering about the theater’s distinctive thrust stage, the one that made audiences feel like they were part of the action. King said that even if their future space lacks that specific characteristic, that “intimacy” will be part of the experience.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/06/EurekaDay.AuroraTheatre.DavidAllen.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13977150\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/06/EurekaDay.AuroraTheatre.DavidAllen.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/06/EurekaDay.AuroraTheatre.DavidAllen-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/06/EurekaDay.AuroraTheatre.DavidAllen-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/06/EurekaDay.AuroraTheatre.DavidAllen-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Lisa Anne Porter, Elizabeth Carter, Rolf Saxon, Teddy Spencer, and Charisse Loriaux in Aurora Theatre Company’s world premiere of ‘Eureka Day’ in 2018. (David Allen)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Founded in 1992 by Barbara Oliver, Aurora Theatre became known over the decades for its high-quality productions with talented local actors. By restarting the program, King and Ruygt inherit Aurora’s reputation with both audiences and the local theater community.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We look at Berkeley Rep, we look at ACT, and they’ve really moved to a different model. They utilize local actors, but they really have become places where you’re seeing things either come from New York or move on to New York,” King said. (Aurora has also produced New York-bound shows, including the Tony Award-winning \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13980686/eureka-day-marin-theatre-aurora-mill-valley-covid\">Eureka Day\u003c/a>\u003c/em> in 2018.)\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>King’s point is that Aurora played an important role in the ecology of the local theater scene — what theater critic \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12046149/why-local-theater-is-in-free-fall\">Lily Janiak called\u003c/a> “a ladder from ‘Here I am making theater with my college buddies on $1,000,’ to something with more prominence and more reach.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“What we heard over and over again is that artists and artisans reached for the opportunity to work at the Aurora,” King said, explaining that bringing it back isn’t about staking a personal claim. “It is the Bay Area’s theater company.”\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "best-swimming-spots-public-pools-rivers-lakes-beaches-holes-bay-area",
"title": "Beat the Heat at These Top 20 Swimming Spots in the Bay Area",
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"headTitle": "Beat the Heat at These Top 20 Swimming Spots in the Bay Area | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13976488\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13976488\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/GettyImages-1298780633.jpg\" alt=\"Young kids in swimwear getting soaked by falling water\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1443\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/GettyImages-1298780633.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/GettyImages-1298780633-800x577.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/GettyImages-1298780633-1020x736.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/GettyImages-1298780633-160x115.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/GettyImages-1298780633-768x554.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/GettyImages-1298780633-1536x1108.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/GettyImages-1298780633-1920x1385.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">From public pools and beaches to waterparks like Six Flags Hurricane Harbor in Concord (pictured), swimming spots in the Bay Area are plentiful all summer. \u003ccite>(Paul Chinn/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>\u003cem>Be sure to check out our full \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/summer-guide-2025\">2025 Summer Arts Guide to live music, movies, art, theater, festivals and more\u003c/a> in the Bay Area.\u003c/em>\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Warmer \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/bay-area-weather\">Bay Area weather\u003c/a> has finally arrived, and there are few better ways to enjoy the summer to its fullest than by going for a dip outdoors.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Luckily, the Bay Area offers an abundance of places to take advantage of the heat, whether it’s getting laps in at a local open-air pool, wading at nearby lakes and rivers or diving into the San Francisco Bay itself. Keep reading our round-up of idyllic Bay Area outdoor swimming spots, as recommended by local experts.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Remember to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11988947/heading-to-a-river-this-summer-heres-how-to-stay-safe\">prioritize safety when swimming\u003c/a>, and consider bringing along a wetsuit and a flotation device to ensure you stay safe and warm – especially in waters like the Bay.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>(And if you’re reading this while the Bay Area is wrapped in summer fog? \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13963334/your-guide-to-bay-area-spas-and-hot-springs\">Try our local hot springs and spas guide instead\u003c/a>.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Jump straight to:\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#bay-area-beaches-to-swim\">Bay Area beaches for swimming\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#bay-area-outdoor-swimming-pools\">Bay Area outdoor swimming pools\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#lakes-rivers-bay-area-swimming\">Bay Area rivers and lakes\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#waterparks-in-bay-area\">Bay Area waterparks\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003ch1>\u003ca id=\"bay-area-beaches-to-swim\">\u003c/a>Bay Area beaches for swimming\u003c/h1>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13976474\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13976474\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/IMG_8739.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/IMG_8739.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/IMG_8739-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/IMG_8739-768x576.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Visitors wade in the water at Angel Island’s Quarry Beach on March 2, 2025. \u003ccite>(Casey Dexter-Lee/California State Parks)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>Ayala Cove, Angel Island\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Accessible by ferry \u003ca href=\"https://www.goldengate.org/ferry/route-schedule/angel-island-sf/\">from San Francisco\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://angelislandferry.com/schedule\">Tiburon\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://angelisland.org/history/ayala-cove/\">Angel Island’s Ayala Cove\u003c/a> feels a world away from the bustle of the Bay.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This small strip of sandy beach is just a short walk from the ferry dock, with waters that are fairly protected from strong bay currents and an expansive grassy picnic area equipped with tables and barbecues.Bathrooms and the Angel Island Café\u003cb>, \u003c/b>which has a full menu of meals and drinks\u003cb>, \u003c/b>are also on hand.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postID='science_1993633']If you’re worried about swimming in the Bay, be reassured that \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12020761/is-it-safe-to-swim-in-the-bay-braving-the-cold-and-sometimes-dirty-water\">it’s generally safe – plus, it’s free\u003c/a>. Nonetheless, no lifeguards are on duty here, and Angel Island State Park Interpreter Casey Dexter-Lee cautioned swimmers to remember they’ll be sharing this cold water with boats, which will frequently dock here for the day or drop anchor for sailors to take a dip. Swimmers should also be vigilant for currents, which can pick up quickly here.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pro tip: \u003c/b>If you’re looking for a little more adventure, Dexter-Lee suggested hiking a couple of miles from the cove to \u003ca href=\"https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/california/angel-island-perimeter-loop\">Quarry Beach or Perles Beach\u003c/a>, both of which offer spectacular south-facing views of the city. Be warned that the swimming on the south side is a little more exposed to wind and currents – and “make sure to save a little energy for the hike back,” Dexter-Lee said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Cost: \u003c/b>Ferry tickets from San Francisco cost $15.50 each way ($9.50 with Clipper card), which also covers the park entrance fee. Youth and seniors pay $8 per ticket from San Francisco. From Tiburon, ferry tickets cost $18 for the round trip for adults, with discounts for kids and seniors.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13976475\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13976475\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/China-Camp-State-Park-_California-State-Parks-2025-800x532.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"532\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/China-Camp-State-Park-_California-State-Parks-2025-800x532.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/China-Camp-State-Park-_California-State-Parks-2025-1020x679.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/China-Camp-State-Park-_California-State-Parks-2025-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/China-Camp-State-Park-_California-State-Parks-2025-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/China-Camp-State-Park-_California-State-Parks-2025-1536x1022.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/China-Camp-State-Park-_California-State-Parks-2025-1920x1278.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/China-Camp-State-Park-_California-State-Parks-2025.jpg 2000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A view of the pier at China Camp State Park in 2009. \u003ccite>(Brian Baer/California State Parks)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>China Camp and McNears Beach, San Rafael\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>On the shores of San Pablo Bay are two adjacent outdoor swimming spots: \u003ca href=\"https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=466\">China Camp State Park\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://parks.marincounty.gov/parkspreserves/parks/mcnears-beach-park\">McNears Beach Park\u003c/a>, the first a state park and the second managed by Marin County Parks. Each offers a sandy shoreline ideal for swimmers plus convenient park facilities like bathrooms, barbecues and group picnic areas.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If more protected swimming is your goal, McNears Beach Park also offers a swimming pool that’s typically open from Memorial Day to Labor Day. According to Marin County Park and Open Space Superintendent Ari Golan, the county hopes to open the pool on May 24 this year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One challenge of this spot: Since it’s one of the few free parks and pools in the area, weekends can get crowded with limited parking and lines to enter. If you can, Golan recommends visiting Tuesday through Thursday instead for the best experience (the pool is closed on Mondays) – or as he puts it, “more pool and less people.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you’re specifically looking to swim out into the bay, a popular place to enter the water is at China Camp, just to the north of McNears. The Friends of China Camp, the local nonprofit that runs events and manages picnic and camping reservations at the state park, \u003ca href=\"https://friendsofchinacamp.org/water-safety-smarts/\">suggest checking wind directions and tide charts before you head out\u003c/a> – there’s nothing worse than rolling up, ready to dive in, when all you see is mud, said China Camp park manager Chris Young. This preparation will also help swimmers plan for tidal currents and aim for “slack tides,” when the tide is going neither in nor out.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Young also suggested wearing tight-fitting shoes in the water to protect your feet from sharp rocks.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>Pro tip: \u003c/i>While you’re at China Camp beach, \u003ca href=\"https://friendsofchinacamp.org/about-china-camp/history/\">visit the museum at China Camp Village\u003c/a> that recounts the history of the site, which housed around 500 Chinese shrimp fishers in the 1880s.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Cost: China Camp costs $5 for parking and entry or $3 without parking. McNears Beach Park has no entry fee.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Crown Beach, Alameda\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The water is shallow and warm. The currents aren’t very strong. The city views are unbeatable. What more could you want?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While there are no lifeguards on duty at Alameda’s Crown Beach, changing rooms and showers are stationed nearby, and the beach is also wheelchair accessible, with \u003ca href=\"https://www.ebparks.org/parks/crown-beach\">free beach wheelchairs available on a first-come, first-serve basis\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pro tip:\u003c/b> Consider visiting Crown Beach in the morning, as the wind tends to pick up most afternoons, making those hours more ideal for kite and windsurfing than swimming. The East Bay Regional Parks District also \u003ca href=\"https://www.ebparks.org/parks/crown-beach\">publishes water quality reports\u003c/a> on its website, so you can confirm that the beach is open and swimming conditions are safe before you head out.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Cost: Free to enter the beach, parking is $5.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13976478\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13976478\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/GettyImages-2167846275-800x534.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/GettyImages-2167846275-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/GettyImages-2167846275-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/GettyImages-2167846275-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/GettyImages-2167846275-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/GettyImages-2167846275-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/GettyImages-2167846275-2048x1366.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/GettyImages-2167846275-1920x1281.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Olivia Noceda), center, and Jessica Lazarus prepare for a swim at Aquatic Park Cove on August 26, 2024 in San Francisco, California. \u003ccite>(Benjamin Fanjoy/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>Aquatic Park, San Francisco\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>A favorite spot of KQED’s own Bianca Taylor, host and producer of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/thelatest\">\u003ci>The Latest \u003c/i>podcast\u003c/a>\u003ci>,\u003c/i> is right in front of Ghirardelli Square at \u003ca href=\"http://nps.gov/safr/learn/historyculture/aquatic-park-bathhouse.htm\">San Francisco’s Aquatic Park\u003c/a>. There, you can lay a towel out on the bleachers and swim to the buoys that line the shore.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Yes, the water is cold, with lows of 49 degrees in winter and highs of 65 in late summer. It’s also murky – even with goggles, be prepared to see nothing – and comes with the usual risks of swimming in the wild. (Yes, \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/seal-bites-swimmer-san-francisco-aquatic-park-17858852.php\">seal bites are a thing.\u003c/a>)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Despite this, there’s nothing like floating on your back with a view of the Golden Gate Bridge to the west and the Salesforce Tower to the east, Taylor said. And if you’re still hesitant to take the plunge, \u003ca href=\"https://ggtc.org/swimming-in-aquatic-park\">Golden Gate Triathlon Club has valuable safety tips and route ideas for swimmers new to the park.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pro tip: \u003c/b>Leave any valuables at home, as the area is known for \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11959477/car-break-ins-bay-area-glass-repair-what-to-do\">car break-ins\u003c/a>. After your swim, Taylor recommends heading to \u003ca href=\"https://www.cafedecasa.com/stores/fisherman's-wharf\">Cafe de Casa\u003c/a> at Fisherman’s Wharf to warm up with a coffee and Brazilian pastry.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Cost: \u003c/b>There is no cost to swim in the water at Aquatic Park, but parking close by will be metered – so you can save a few bucks by biking or \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfmta.com/trip-planner\">taking transit to the park.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13976479\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13976479\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/HeartsDesire._Courtesy-of-California-State-Parks-2025-800x534.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/HeartsDesire._Courtesy-of-California-State-Parks-2025-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/HeartsDesire._Courtesy-of-California-State-Parks-2025-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/HeartsDesire._Courtesy-of-California-State-Parks-2025-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/HeartsDesire._Courtesy-of-California-State-Parks-2025-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/HeartsDesire._Courtesy-of-California-State-Parks-2025.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Kayaks await their passengers at Heart’s Desire Beach in Tomales Bay State Park in 2021. \u003ccite>(Brian Baer/California State Parks)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>Heart’s Desire Beach, Point Reyes\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Just a short drive from the entrance to the Tomales Bay State Park in Point Reyes National Seashore is \u003ca href=\"https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=470\">Heart’s Desire Beach\u003c/a>, an oasis on the shores of shallow Tomales Bay – which tends to be quite a bit warmer than the deeper waters of the San Francisco Bay.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The beach is peaceful enough to enjoy by itself, with picnic tables and barbecues available for use. But if you’re looking for a little more adventure, the shoreline is riddled with small, hidden beaches and rocky coves that are close enough to swim out to. While you’re enjoying the beach, make sure to keep your eyes peeled overhead for \u003ca href=\"https://www.nps.gov/pore/planyourvisit/wildlife_viewing_birds.htm\">bald eagles, which nest nearby\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Yes, there are sometimes leopard sharks and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1996552/thousands-mysterious-blue-creatures-bay-area-beaches-san-francisco\">blue jellyfish-like creatures\u003c/a> in these waters. And no, they generally won’t hurt you.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>Pro tip: \u003c/i>\u003ca href=\"https://www.bluewaterskayaking.com/rentals/\">Blue Waters Kayaking operates kayak\u003c/a> and stand-up paddle board rentals on the shores of Heart’s Desire beach itself. Get a reservation in advance for busy weekends or try for a walk-up rental during quieter times. They also have a location in Point Reyes Station and offer drop-off rentals if you’d prefer to launch from a different location.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Cost: $8 per vehicle for the park entrance fee.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch1>\u003ca id=\"bay-area-outdoor-swimming-pools\">\u003c/a>Bay Area public outdoor swimming pools\u003c/h1>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13976482\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13976482\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/Golden-Bear-UC-Berkeley-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/Golden-Bear-UC-Berkeley-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/Golden-Bear-UC-Berkeley-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/Golden-Bear-UC-Berkeley-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/Golden-Bear-UC-Berkeley-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/Golden-Bear-UC-Berkeley-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/Golden-Bear-UC-Berkeley-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/Golden-Bear-UC-Berkeley-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A woman prepares to lap swim at Golden Bear Rec Center Pool at UC Berkeley. \u003ccite>(UC Berkeley)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>Strawberry Canyon Pool and Golden Bear Pool, UC Berkeley\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>UC Berkeley’s campus houses four pools, two of which are available to the public.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Located at the gateway to \u003ca href=\"https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g32066-d9732891-Reviews-Berkeley_Fire_Trails-Berkeley_California.html\">Berkeley’s popular hillside fire trails\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://recwell.berkeley.edu/facilities/golden-bear-recreation-pool/\">Golden Bear Pool\u003c/a> is lap swim only, with six lanes available, so be sure to check their year-round public \u003ca href=\"https://recwell.berkeley.edu/schedules-reservations/lap-swim/\">swim schedule online\u003c/a> before you head out.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Nestled above campus in the hillside, the Z-shaped \u003ca href=\"https://recwell.berkeley.edu/facilities/strawberry-canyon-recreation-pool/\">Strawberry Canyon Pool\u003c/a> is the best family-friendly option, with just three lanes dedicated to lap swimming and the rest of the pool open for anyone to splash around and escape the heat. The pool is open seasonally from the end of May to mid-October. There are locker rooms, showers, kickboards and \u003ca href=\"https://recwell.berkeley.edu/facilities/strawberry-canyon-recreation-pool/\">wheelchair access to both the pool and its amenities\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pro tip: \u003c/b>Since Cal students will be your competition for these pools, bear their schedules in mind when planning your visit. Weekdays during the mid-morning or early afternoon, when classes are most likely to be in session, could offer you the best shot at an uncrowded pool.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Cost: \u003c/b>Day passes cost $15 per person.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Castle Rock Pool Complex, Walnut Creek\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>At the foot of Mt. Diablo is \u003ca href=\"https://www.ebparks.org/parks/castle-rock\">Castle Rock Regional Recreation Area\u003c/a>, which features a serene swimming pool that allows visitors to take full advantage of the East Bay’s natural beauty.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Surrounded by oak woodlands below Pine Canyon’s famous rock formations, \u003ca href=\"https://www.ebparks.org/recreation/swimming/castle-rock\">Castle Rock Pool Complex\u003c/a> is open on weekends from mid-May to mid-September and also on Thursdays and Fridays during the height of summer.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pro tip: \u003c/b>The pool is a full 10-minute walk from the parking lot, and once the swimming facility’s capacity is reached, no new entries are permitted that day – so get there early on hot, busy weekends.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Cost: \u003c/b>$5 for adults, $3 for youth and seniors and free for kids under 2.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Mission Pool, San Francisco\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>[aside postID='arts_13975794']The only outdoor city-operated pool in San Francisco is \u003ca href=\"https://sfrecpark.org/facilities/facility/details/Mission-Community-Pool-217\">Mission Pool\u003c/a>, located on 19th Street in the sunny Mission District. The pool opens this year on May 10.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Just a block from Dolores Park, this is a prime spot for a swim when even the city is sweltering. Plus, it’s easily accessible via BART and Muni with lots of local businesses and food options nearby.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pro tip: \u003c/b>If you’re in the mood for something sweet before or after your swim, the famed Bi-Rite Creamery is a short two blocks away, offering seasonal and classic ice-cream flavors plus frozen treats like ice cream sandwiches and popsicles. The Creamery opened almost 20 years ago, while the historic Bi-Rite Market down the street dates from 1940.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Cost:\u003c/b> $6 for adults and $1 for kids.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Burlingame Aquatics Center, Burlingame\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The Peninsula offers what KQED’s Taylor calls “one of the nicest outdoor pools I have ever swum in.” At \u003ca href=\"https://www.burlingameaquatics.com/\">Burlingame Aquatics Center\u003c/a>, there are tons of lanes for \u003ca href=\"https://www.pacificmasters.org/page.cfm?pagetitle=what+is+masters+swimming\">masters (18+) swimming\u003c/a>, recreational swimming and an aqua aerobics class.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Check the schedule before you go, as the \u003ca href=\"https://www.burlingameaquatics.com/Lapswim/\">open swim hours\u003c/a> are subject to change since the pool is often used for Burlingame High School classes, and may require lane reservations.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>Pro tip: \u003c/i>A short walk from the Burlingame Caltrain stop, this pool is easily transit accessible.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Cost: The $9 entry fee includes access to a locker room. Ages 3 and under swim for free.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13976483\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13976483\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/GettyImages-1172431740-800x529.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"529\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/GettyImages-1172431740-800x529.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/GettyImages-1172431740-1020x674.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/GettyImages-1172431740-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/GettyImages-1172431740-768x508.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/GettyImages-1172431740-1536x1016.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/GettyImages-1172431740-2048x1354.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/GettyImages-1172431740-1920x1270.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Bay Area News Group reporter Marisa Kendall is photographed at the Temescal swimming pool on Sunday, March 26, 2017, in Oakland, Calif. \u003ccite>(Aric Crabb/Bay Area News Group via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>Temescal Pool, Oakland\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>If you want to swim for exercise, Taylor recommends \u003ca href=\"https://www.oaklandca.gov/resources/learn-more-about-temescal-pool\">Temescal Pool\u003c/a> as a good outdoors spot for lap swimming (just \u003ca href=\"https://www.oaklandca.gov/resources/learn-more-about-temescal-pool\">check the schedule for those lap hours\u003c/a>). There’s also a large pool deck here, plus grassy areas for a post-swim lay out. The East Bay sunshine can be strong, so don’t forget to wear sunscreen.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pro tip:\u003c/b> This pool is actually 33 ⅓ yards long, as opposed to the traditional 25 yards, pushing swimmers to go those extra few strokes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Cost: \u003c/b>Entry is $6 for lap swimming and $3 for recreational swimming.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch1>\u003ca id=\"lakes-rivers-bay-area-swimming\">\u003c/a>Bay Area rivers and lakes you can swim in\u003c/h1>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13976484\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13976484\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/GettyImages-1298786410-800x540.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"540\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/GettyImages-1298786410-800x540.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/GettyImages-1298786410-1020x689.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/GettyImages-1298786410-160x108.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/GettyImages-1298786410-768x518.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/GettyImages-1298786410-1536x1037.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/GettyImages-1298786410-2048x1383.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/GettyImages-1298786410-1920x1296.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Folks cool off as they play in Lake del Valle at Del Valle Regional Park in Livermore, Calif., on Saturday, July 13, 2019. \u003ccite>(Yalonda M. James/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>Lake Del Valle, Livermore\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Ever wondered \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11780692/why-cant-you-swim-in-most-of-the-bay-area-lakes\">why most “lakes” in the Bay Area aren’t swimmable\u003c/a>? The answer: they tend to actually be reservoirs for drinking water, meaning body contact with the water typically isn’t allowed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But there \u003ci>is \u003c/i>one reservoir where you can happily (and legally) splash away: \u003ca href=\"https://www.ebparks.org/parks/del-valle\">Lake Del Valle\u003c/a> in Livermore. Part of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.ebparks.org/recreation/swimming/del-valle\">State Water Project\u003c/a>, a statewide system of drinking water storage and supply, this spot is exempted from the rule banning swimming in most Bay Area reservoirs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Del Valle Regional Park \u003ca href=\"https://www.ebparks.org/recreation/swimming/del-valle\">has two swimming areas\u003c/a> that are monitored by lifeguards on the east and west sides of the lake.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pro tip: \u003c/b>Swimming is far from Del Valle’s only attraction. The rest of the five-mile-long lake offers all sorts of water recreation and fishing, not to mention the nearly 4,500 acres open to hiking and horseback riding.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Cost:\u003c/b> $10 fee to park at Del Valle Regional Park.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Lake Temescal, Oakland, and Lake Anza, Berkeley\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Hidden in the Berkeley Hills are the \u003ca href=\"https://www.ebparks.org/parks/temescal\">Temescal Regional Recreation Area\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.ebparks.org/parks/tilden\">Tilden Regional Park\u003c/a>, both offering safe and kid-friendly swimming areas that have lifeguards on duty in the summer months.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Sheltered from the wind and up away from the fog, these swim areas may especially appeal to San Franciscans for whom the city summers aren’t quite feeling hot enough. Both \u003ca href=\"https://www.ebparks.org/recreation/swimming/lake-temescal\">Lake Temescal\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.ebparks.org/recreation/swimming/lake-anza\">Lake Anza\u003c/a> have full beach amenities like refreshment stands, changing rooms and showers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pro tip:\u003c/b> Both lakes are tested weekly for bacteria levels, but if you’re still If worried, pay a visit in the late spring or early summer, before \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1993633/algal-blooms-love-heat-waves-when-is-bay-area-swimming-dangerous-for-humans-and-pets\">the heat of the summer produces algae blooms\u003c/a> that can sometimes close these waters.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Cost: Entry is $5 to enter and $3 for seniors and kids, while infants under 2 enter for free.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Don Castro and Cull Canyon, Castro Valley\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>If you’re looking for a safe spot for kids to get used to the water, these two shallow swim spots in the Castro Valley might fit the bill.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Combining the natural beauty of a lagoon with the safety features of a pool, both \u003ca href=\"https://www.ebparks.org/recreation/swimming/don-castro\">Don Castro\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.ebparks.org/recreation/swimming/cull-canyon\">Cull Canyon\u003c/a> have large, sandy beaches, extensive lawns and shallow chlorinated water for swimmers of any age and ability to safely enjoy a summer’s day. The two lagoons are also monitored by lifeguards and feature full pool amenities like bathhouses and vending machines.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Both spots open first on weekends only in the spring and then every day during peak summer months.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pro tip: \u003c/b>Although barbecues and picnic tables are aplenty for you to settle in for a full day in the sun, no alcohol is allowed at either spot.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Cost:\u003c/b> Both spots charge $5 for adults and $3 for youth and seniors, but kids under 2 swim for free.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13976485\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13976485\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/Steelhead-Beach-Regional-Park.-Photo-courtesy-of-Sonoma-County-Regional-Parks-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1707\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/Steelhead-Beach-Regional-Park.-Photo-courtesy-of-Sonoma-County-Regional-Parks-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/Steelhead-Beach-Regional-Park.-Photo-courtesy-of-Sonoma-County-Regional-Parks-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/Steelhead-Beach-Regional-Park.-Photo-courtesy-of-Sonoma-County-Regional-Parks-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/Steelhead-Beach-Regional-Park.-Photo-courtesy-of-Sonoma-County-Regional-Parks-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/Steelhead-Beach-Regional-Park.-Photo-courtesy-of-Sonoma-County-Regional-Parks-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/Steelhead-Beach-Regional-Park.-Photo-courtesy-of-Sonoma-County-Regional-Parks-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/Steelhead-Beach-Regional-Park.-Photo-courtesy-of-Sonoma-County-Regional-Parks-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/Steelhead-Beach-Regional-Park.-Photo-courtesy-of-Sonoma-County-Regional-Parks-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A boy dons a life jacket and prepares for a swim at Steelhead Beach Regional Park on the Russian River. \u003ccite>(Sonoma County Regional Parks)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>Russian River, Sonoma County\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Many Bay Area residents looking to cool off head to the Russian River, where water – and access to the shore – is plentiful. Try the protected \u003ca href=\"https://parks.sonomacounty.ca.gov/visit/find-a-park/healdsburg-veterans-memorial-beach\">Healdsburg Veterans Memorial Beach\u003c/a> or \u003ca href=\"https://parks.sonomacounty.ca.gov/visit/find-a-park/cloverdale-river-park\">Cloverdale River Park\u003c/a> for superior wildlife viewing. \u003ca href=\"https://www.mrrpd.org/monte-rio-beach/\">Monte Rio Beach\u003c/a>, meanwhile, is a favorite for family beach days, with boat rentals and volleyball courts onsite.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While the Russian River is usually pristine and calm, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11988947/heading-to-a-river-this-summer-heres-how-to-stay-safe\">swimming in any river isn’t entirely without risk\u003c/a>. That’s why Greg Desmond, aquatics and recreation supervisor for Sonoma County Regional Parks, particularly recommends Healdsburg Veterans Memorial Beach, where a dam creates an area deep enough to swim but lifeguards are also on duty. And from Memorial Day to Labor Day, \u003ca href=\"https://parks.sonomacounty.ca.gov/play/swimming/russian-river-patrol\">the county deploys a river patrol\u003c/a> to help people floating the river or enjoying the beach with life jackets and safety tips.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We don’t want people to be afraid of the water, but just take the necessary precautions,” Desmond said. “If you’re not a strong swimmer, try to stay out of the deep end.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pro tip: \u003c/b>At Healdsburg and nearby beaches \u003ca href=\"https://parks.sonomacounty.ca.gov/visit/find-a-park/del-rio-woods\">Del Rio Woods\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://parks.sonomacounty.ca.gov/visit/find-a-park/steelhead-beach-regional-park\">Steelhead Beach\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://parks.sonomacounty.ca.gov/visit/find-a-park/forestville-river-access\">Forestville River Access\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://parks.sonomacounty.ca.gov/visit/find-a-park/sunset-beach-river-park\">Sunset Beach\u003c/a>, the county parks department provides free life vests for visitors to borrow all day. “It’s sort of like a library for life jackets,” Desmond said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Cost: \u003c/b>Parking at Sonoma County Regional Parks is $10 in the summer and $7 the rest of the year. Monte Rio Beach has no entry fee.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch1>\u003ca id=\"waterparks-in-bay-area\">\u003c/a>… and don’t forget Bay Area waterparks\u003c/h1>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13976486\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13976486\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/GettyImages-1298780652-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/GettyImages-1298780652-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/GettyImages-1298780652-1020x679.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/GettyImages-1298780652-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/GettyImages-1298780652-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/GettyImages-1298780652-1536x1023.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/GettyImages-1298780652-2048x1364.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/GettyImages-1298780652-1920x1279.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Kids of all ages seek relief from the sweltering heat at Six Flags Hurricane Harbor waterpark in Concord, Calif. on Saturday, July 27, 2019. \u003ccite>(Paul Chinn/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>If you’re comfortable with a somewhat more noisy and crowded – and costly – outdoor aquatic experience, the Bay Area offers several popular waterparks:\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Six Flags Hurricane Harbor, Concord\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The biggest water park in the Bay Area, with a lazy river for those seeking a more relaxed experience.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Cost: \u003c/b>Online tickets cost $34 per person, which rises to $70 at the gate. Kids under 3 enter for free.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Aqua Adventure Water Park, Fremont\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Best for young kids, this spot tends to be less busy and a more relaxed environment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Cost: \u003c/b>$27 for adults ($25 for Fremont residents), $22 for kids. Discounts for seniors, military, large groups and kids under 3.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Antioch Water Park, Antioch\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Ideal for families, this Contra Costa water park offers lots of space for spreading out and picnicking all day long.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Cost:\u003c/b> $17 on weekends, $15 on weekdays, with discounts for seniors, military and large groups.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>South Bay Shores at California’s Great America, Santa Clara\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Pro: A full range of water slide heights and speeds. Con: Lines can get long.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Cost: \u003c/b>Tickets, which include admission to the full amusement park, are $42 online but $70 at the gate, with military and first responder discounts.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Golfland Sunsplash, Roseville\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Further afield northeast of Sacramento, Golfland Sunsplash has intense slides, a killer wave pool and night slide admission after 5 p.m.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Cost:\u003c/b> $63 on weekends for adults and $53 for kids, plus discounts on weekdays and for toddlers.\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"excerpt": "From public pools and beaches to lakes and rivers, here are the best places to swim outdoors in the Bay Area this summer.",
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"title": "The 20 Best Swimming Spots and Public Pools in the Bay Area | KQED",
"description": "From public pools and beaches to lakes and rivers, here are the best places to swim outdoors in the Bay Area this summer.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13976488\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13976488\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/GettyImages-1298780633.jpg\" alt=\"Young kids in swimwear getting soaked by falling water\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1443\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/GettyImages-1298780633.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/GettyImages-1298780633-800x577.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/GettyImages-1298780633-1020x736.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/GettyImages-1298780633-160x115.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/GettyImages-1298780633-768x554.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/GettyImages-1298780633-1536x1108.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/GettyImages-1298780633-1920x1385.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">From public pools and beaches to waterparks like Six Flags Hurricane Harbor in Concord (pictured), swimming spots in the Bay Area are plentiful all summer. \u003ccite>(Paul Chinn/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>\u003cem>Be sure to check out our full \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/summer-guide-2025\">2025 Summer Arts Guide to live music, movies, art, theater, festivals and more\u003c/a> in the Bay Area.\u003c/em>\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Warmer \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/bay-area-weather\">Bay Area weather\u003c/a> has finally arrived, and there are few better ways to enjoy the summer to its fullest than by going for a dip outdoors.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Luckily, the Bay Area offers an abundance of places to take advantage of the heat, whether it’s getting laps in at a local open-air pool, wading at nearby lakes and rivers or diving into the San Francisco Bay itself. Keep reading our round-up of idyllic Bay Area outdoor swimming spots, as recommended by local experts.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Remember to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11988947/heading-to-a-river-this-summer-heres-how-to-stay-safe\">prioritize safety when swimming\u003c/a>, and consider bringing along a wetsuit and a flotation device to ensure you stay safe and warm – especially in waters like the Bay.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>(And if you’re reading this while the Bay Area is wrapped in summer fog? \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13963334/your-guide-to-bay-area-spas-and-hot-springs\">Try our local hot springs and spas guide instead\u003c/a>.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Jump straight to:\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#bay-area-beaches-to-swim\">Bay Area beaches for swimming\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#bay-area-outdoor-swimming-pools\">Bay Area outdoor swimming pools\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#lakes-rivers-bay-area-swimming\">Bay Area rivers and lakes\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#waterparks-in-bay-area\">Bay Area waterparks\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003ch1>\u003ca id=\"bay-area-beaches-to-swim\">\u003c/a>Bay Area beaches for swimming\u003c/h1>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13976474\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13976474\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/IMG_8739.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/IMG_8739.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/IMG_8739-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/IMG_8739-768x576.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Visitors wade in the water at Angel Island’s Quarry Beach on March 2, 2025. \u003ccite>(Casey Dexter-Lee/California State Parks)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>Ayala Cove, Angel Island\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Accessible by ferry \u003ca href=\"https://www.goldengate.org/ferry/route-schedule/angel-island-sf/\">from San Francisco\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://angelislandferry.com/schedule\">Tiburon\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://angelisland.org/history/ayala-cove/\">Angel Island’s Ayala Cove\u003c/a> feels a world away from the bustle of the Bay.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This small strip of sandy beach is just a short walk from the ferry dock, with waters that are fairly protected from strong bay currents and an expansive grassy picnic area equipped with tables and barbecues.Bathrooms and the Angel Island Café\u003cb>, \u003c/b>which has a full menu of meals and drinks\u003cb>, \u003c/b>are also on hand.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>If you’re worried about swimming in the Bay, be reassured that \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12020761/is-it-safe-to-swim-in-the-bay-braving-the-cold-and-sometimes-dirty-water\">it’s generally safe – plus, it’s free\u003c/a>. Nonetheless, no lifeguards are on duty here, and Angel Island State Park Interpreter Casey Dexter-Lee cautioned swimmers to remember they’ll be sharing this cold water with boats, which will frequently dock here for the day or drop anchor for sailors to take a dip. Swimmers should also be vigilant for currents, which can pick up quickly here.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pro tip: \u003c/b>If you’re looking for a little more adventure, Dexter-Lee suggested hiking a couple of miles from the cove to \u003ca href=\"https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/california/angel-island-perimeter-loop\">Quarry Beach or Perles Beach\u003c/a>, both of which offer spectacular south-facing views of the city. Be warned that the swimming on the south side is a little more exposed to wind and currents – and “make sure to save a little energy for the hike back,” Dexter-Lee said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Cost: \u003c/b>Ferry tickets from San Francisco cost $15.50 each way ($9.50 with Clipper card), which also covers the park entrance fee. Youth and seniors pay $8 per ticket from San Francisco. From Tiburon, ferry tickets cost $18 for the round trip for adults, with discounts for kids and seniors.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13976475\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13976475\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/China-Camp-State-Park-_California-State-Parks-2025-800x532.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"532\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/China-Camp-State-Park-_California-State-Parks-2025-800x532.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/China-Camp-State-Park-_California-State-Parks-2025-1020x679.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/China-Camp-State-Park-_California-State-Parks-2025-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/China-Camp-State-Park-_California-State-Parks-2025-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/China-Camp-State-Park-_California-State-Parks-2025-1536x1022.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/China-Camp-State-Park-_California-State-Parks-2025-1920x1278.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/China-Camp-State-Park-_California-State-Parks-2025.jpg 2000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A view of the pier at China Camp State Park in 2009. \u003ccite>(Brian Baer/California State Parks)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>China Camp and McNears Beach, San Rafael\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>On the shores of San Pablo Bay are two adjacent outdoor swimming spots: \u003ca href=\"https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=466\">China Camp State Park\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://parks.marincounty.gov/parkspreserves/parks/mcnears-beach-park\">McNears Beach Park\u003c/a>, the first a state park and the second managed by Marin County Parks. Each offers a sandy shoreline ideal for swimmers plus convenient park facilities like bathrooms, barbecues and group picnic areas.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If more protected swimming is your goal, McNears Beach Park also offers a swimming pool that’s typically open from Memorial Day to Labor Day. According to Marin County Park and Open Space Superintendent Ari Golan, the county hopes to open the pool on May 24 this year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One challenge of this spot: Since it’s one of the few free parks and pools in the area, weekends can get crowded with limited parking and lines to enter. If you can, Golan recommends visiting Tuesday through Thursday instead for the best experience (the pool is closed on Mondays) – or as he puts it, “more pool and less people.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you’re specifically looking to swim out into the bay, a popular place to enter the water is at China Camp, just to the north of McNears. The Friends of China Camp, the local nonprofit that runs events and manages picnic and camping reservations at the state park, \u003ca href=\"https://friendsofchinacamp.org/water-safety-smarts/\">suggest checking wind directions and tide charts before you head out\u003c/a> – there’s nothing worse than rolling up, ready to dive in, when all you see is mud, said China Camp park manager Chris Young. This preparation will also help swimmers plan for tidal currents and aim for “slack tides,” when the tide is going neither in nor out.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Young also suggested wearing tight-fitting shoes in the water to protect your feet from sharp rocks.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>Pro tip: \u003c/i>While you’re at China Camp beach, \u003ca href=\"https://friendsofchinacamp.org/about-china-camp/history/\">visit the museum at China Camp Village\u003c/a> that recounts the history of the site, which housed around 500 Chinese shrimp fishers in the 1880s.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Cost: China Camp costs $5 for parking and entry or $3 without parking. McNears Beach Park has no entry fee.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Crown Beach, Alameda\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The water is shallow and warm. The currents aren’t very strong. The city views are unbeatable. What more could you want?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While there are no lifeguards on duty at Alameda’s Crown Beach, changing rooms and showers are stationed nearby, and the beach is also wheelchair accessible, with \u003ca href=\"https://www.ebparks.org/parks/crown-beach\">free beach wheelchairs available on a first-come, first-serve basis\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pro tip:\u003c/b> Consider visiting Crown Beach in the morning, as the wind tends to pick up most afternoons, making those hours more ideal for kite and windsurfing than swimming. The East Bay Regional Parks District also \u003ca href=\"https://www.ebparks.org/parks/crown-beach\">publishes water quality reports\u003c/a> on its website, so you can confirm that the beach is open and swimming conditions are safe before you head out.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Cost: Free to enter the beach, parking is $5.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13976478\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13976478\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/GettyImages-2167846275-800x534.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/GettyImages-2167846275-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/GettyImages-2167846275-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/GettyImages-2167846275-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/GettyImages-2167846275-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/GettyImages-2167846275-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/GettyImages-2167846275-2048x1366.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/GettyImages-2167846275-1920x1281.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Olivia Noceda), center, and Jessica Lazarus prepare for a swim at Aquatic Park Cove on August 26, 2024 in San Francisco, California. \u003ccite>(Benjamin Fanjoy/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>Aquatic Park, San Francisco\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>A favorite spot of KQED’s own Bianca Taylor, host and producer of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/thelatest\">\u003ci>The Latest \u003c/i>podcast\u003c/a>\u003ci>,\u003c/i> is right in front of Ghirardelli Square at \u003ca href=\"http://nps.gov/safr/learn/historyculture/aquatic-park-bathhouse.htm\">San Francisco’s Aquatic Park\u003c/a>. There, you can lay a towel out on the bleachers and swim to the buoys that line the shore.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Yes, the water is cold, with lows of 49 degrees in winter and highs of 65 in late summer. It’s also murky – even with goggles, be prepared to see nothing – and comes with the usual risks of swimming in the wild. (Yes, \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/seal-bites-swimmer-san-francisco-aquatic-park-17858852.php\">seal bites are a thing.\u003c/a>)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Despite this, there’s nothing like floating on your back with a view of the Golden Gate Bridge to the west and the Salesforce Tower to the east, Taylor said. And if you’re still hesitant to take the plunge, \u003ca href=\"https://ggtc.org/swimming-in-aquatic-park\">Golden Gate Triathlon Club has valuable safety tips and route ideas for swimmers new to the park.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pro tip: \u003c/b>Leave any valuables at home, as the area is known for \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11959477/car-break-ins-bay-area-glass-repair-what-to-do\">car break-ins\u003c/a>. After your swim, Taylor recommends heading to \u003ca href=\"https://www.cafedecasa.com/stores/fisherman's-wharf\">Cafe de Casa\u003c/a> at Fisherman’s Wharf to warm up with a coffee and Brazilian pastry.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Cost: \u003c/b>There is no cost to swim in the water at Aquatic Park, but parking close by will be metered – so you can save a few bucks by biking or \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfmta.com/trip-planner\">taking transit to the park.\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13976479\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13976479\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/HeartsDesire._Courtesy-of-California-State-Parks-2025-800x534.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/HeartsDesire._Courtesy-of-California-State-Parks-2025-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/HeartsDesire._Courtesy-of-California-State-Parks-2025-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/HeartsDesire._Courtesy-of-California-State-Parks-2025-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/HeartsDesire._Courtesy-of-California-State-Parks-2025-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/HeartsDesire._Courtesy-of-California-State-Parks-2025.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Kayaks await their passengers at Heart’s Desire Beach in Tomales Bay State Park in 2021. \u003ccite>(Brian Baer/California State Parks)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>Heart’s Desire Beach, Point Reyes\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Just a short drive from the entrance to the Tomales Bay State Park in Point Reyes National Seashore is \u003ca href=\"https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=470\">Heart’s Desire Beach\u003c/a>, an oasis on the shores of shallow Tomales Bay – which tends to be quite a bit warmer than the deeper waters of the San Francisco Bay.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The beach is peaceful enough to enjoy by itself, with picnic tables and barbecues available for use. But if you’re looking for a little more adventure, the shoreline is riddled with small, hidden beaches and rocky coves that are close enough to swim out to. While you’re enjoying the beach, make sure to keep your eyes peeled overhead for \u003ca href=\"https://www.nps.gov/pore/planyourvisit/wildlife_viewing_birds.htm\">bald eagles, which nest nearby\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Yes, there are sometimes leopard sharks and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1996552/thousands-mysterious-blue-creatures-bay-area-beaches-san-francisco\">blue jellyfish-like creatures\u003c/a> in these waters. And no, they generally won’t hurt you.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>Pro tip: \u003c/i>\u003ca href=\"https://www.bluewaterskayaking.com/rentals/\">Blue Waters Kayaking operates kayak\u003c/a> and stand-up paddle board rentals on the shores of Heart’s Desire beach itself. Get a reservation in advance for busy weekends or try for a walk-up rental during quieter times. They also have a location in Point Reyes Station and offer drop-off rentals if you’d prefer to launch from a different location.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Cost: $8 per vehicle for the park entrance fee.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch1>\u003ca id=\"bay-area-outdoor-swimming-pools\">\u003c/a>Bay Area public outdoor swimming pools\u003c/h1>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13976482\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13976482\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/Golden-Bear-UC-Berkeley-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/Golden-Bear-UC-Berkeley-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/Golden-Bear-UC-Berkeley-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/Golden-Bear-UC-Berkeley-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/Golden-Bear-UC-Berkeley-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/Golden-Bear-UC-Berkeley-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/Golden-Bear-UC-Berkeley-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/Golden-Bear-UC-Berkeley-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A woman prepares to lap swim at Golden Bear Rec Center Pool at UC Berkeley. \u003ccite>(UC Berkeley)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>Strawberry Canyon Pool and Golden Bear Pool, UC Berkeley\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>UC Berkeley’s campus houses four pools, two of which are available to the public.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Located at the gateway to \u003ca href=\"https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g32066-d9732891-Reviews-Berkeley_Fire_Trails-Berkeley_California.html\">Berkeley’s popular hillside fire trails\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://recwell.berkeley.edu/facilities/golden-bear-recreation-pool/\">Golden Bear Pool\u003c/a> is lap swim only, with six lanes available, so be sure to check their year-round public \u003ca href=\"https://recwell.berkeley.edu/schedules-reservations/lap-swim/\">swim schedule online\u003c/a> before you head out.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Nestled above campus in the hillside, the Z-shaped \u003ca href=\"https://recwell.berkeley.edu/facilities/strawberry-canyon-recreation-pool/\">Strawberry Canyon Pool\u003c/a> is the best family-friendly option, with just three lanes dedicated to lap swimming and the rest of the pool open for anyone to splash around and escape the heat. The pool is open seasonally from the end of May to mid-October. There are locker rooms, showers, kickboards and \u003ca href=\"https://recwell.berkeley.edu/facilities/strawberry-canyon-recreation-pool/\">wheelchair access to both the pool and its amenities\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pro tip: \u003c/b>Since Cal students will be your competition for these pools, bear their schedules in mind when planning your visit. Weekdays during the mid-morning or early afternoon, when classes are most likely to be in session, could offer you the best shot at an uncrowded pool.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Cost: \u003c/b>Day passes cost $15 per person.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Castle Rock Pool Complex, Walnut Creek\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>At the foot of Mt. Diablo is \u003ca href=\"https://www.ebparks.org/parks/castle-rock\">Castle Rock Regional Recreation Area\u003c/a>, which features a serene swimming pool that allows visitors to take full advantage of the East Bay’s natural beauty.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Surrounded by oak woodlands below Pine Canyon’s famous rock formations, \u003ca href=\"https://www.ebparks.org/recreation/swimming/castle-rock\">Castle Rock Pool Complex\u003c/a> is open on weekends from mid-May to mid-September and also on Thursdays and Fridays during the height of summer.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pro tip: \u003c/b>The pool is a full 10-minute walk from the parking lot, and once the swimming facility’s capacity is reached, no new entries are permitted that day – so get there early on hot, busy weekends.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Cost: \u003c/b>$5 for adults, $3 for youth and seniors and free for kids under 2.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Mission Pool, San Francisco\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>The only outdoor city-operated pool in San Francisco is \u003ca href=\"https://sfrecpark.org/facilities/facility/details/Mission-Community-Pool-217\">Mission Pool\u003c/a>, located on 19th Street in the sunny Mission District. The pool opens this year on May 10.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Just a block from Dolores Park, this is a prime spot for a swim when even the city is sweltering. Plus, it’s easily accessible via BART and Muni with lots of local businesses and food options nearby.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pro tip: \u003c/b>If you’re in the mood for something sweet before or after your swim, the famed Bi-Rite Creamery is a short two blocks away, offering seasonal and classic ice-cream flavors plus frozen treats like ice cream sandwiches and popsicles. The Creamery opened almost 20 years ago, while the historic Bi-Rite Market down the street dates from 1940.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Cost:\u003c/b> $6 for adults and $1 for kids.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Burlingame Aquatics Center, Burlingame\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The Peninsula offers what KQED’s Taylor calls “one of the nicest outdoor pools I have ever swum in.” At \u003ca href=\"https://www.burlingameaquatics.com/\">Burlingame Aquatics Center\u003c/a>, there are tons of lanes for \u003ca href=\"https://www.pacificmasters.org/page.cfm?pagetitle=what+is+masters+swimming\">masters (18+) swimming\u003c/a>, recreational swimming and an aqua aerobics class.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Check the schedule before you go, as the \u003ca href=\"https://www.burlingameaquatics.com/Lapswim/\">open swim hours\u003c/a> are subject to change since the pool is often used for Burlingame High School classes, and may require lane reservations.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>Pro tip: \u003c/i>A short walk from the Burlingame Caltrain stop, this pool is easily transit accessible.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Cost: The $9 entry fee includes access to a locker room. Ages 3 and under swim for free.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13976483\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13976483\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/GettyImages-1172431740-800x529.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"529\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/GettyImages-1172431740-800x529.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/GettyImages-1172431740-1020x674.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/GettyImages-1172431740-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/GettyImages-1172431740-768x508.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/GettyImages-1172431740-1536x1016.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/GettyImages-1172431740-2048x1354.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/GettyImages-1172431740-1920x1270.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Bay Area News Group reporter Marisa Kendall is photographed at the Temescal swimming pool on Sunday, March 26, 2017, in Oakland, Calif. \u003ccite>(Aric Crabb/Bay Area News Group via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>Temescal Pool, Oakland\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>If you want to swim for exercise, Taylor recommends \u003ca href=\"https://www.oaklandca.gov/resources/learn-more-about-temescal-pool\">Temescal Pool\u003c/a> as a good outdoors spot for lap swimming (just \u003ca href=\"https://www.oaklandca.gov/resources/learn-more-about-temescal-pool\">check the schedule for those lap hours\u003c/a>). There’s also a large pool deck here, plus grassy areas for a post-swim lay out. The East Bay sunshine can be strong, so don’t forget to wear sunscreen.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pro tip:\u003c/b> This pool is actually 33 ⅓ yards long, as opposed to the traditional 25 yards, pushing swimmers to go those extra few strokes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Cost: \u003c/b>Entry is $6 for lap swimming and $3 for recreational swimming.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch1>\u003ca id=\"lakes-rivers-bay-area-swimming\">\u003c/a>Bay Area rivers and lakes you can swim in\u003c/h1>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13976484\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13976484\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/GettyImages-1298786410-800x540.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"540\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/GettyImages-1298786410-800x540.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/GettyImages-1298786410-1020x689.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/GettyImages-1298786410-160x108.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/GettyImages-1298786410-768x518.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/GettyImages-1298786410-1536x1037.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/GettyImages-1298786410-2048x1383.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/GettyImages-1298786410-1920x1296.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Folks cool off as they play in Lake del Valle at Del Valle Regional Park in Livermore, Calif., on Saturday, July 13, 2019. \u003ccite>(Yalonda M. James/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>Lake Del Valle, Livermore\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Ever wondered \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11780692/why-cant-you-swim-in-most-of-the-bay-area-lakes\">why most “lakes” in the Bay Area aren’t swimmable\u003c/a>? The answer: they tend to actually be reservoirs for drinking water, meaning body contact with the water typically isn’t allowed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But there \u003ci>is \u003c/i>one reservoir where you can happily (and legally) splash away: \u003ca href=\"https://www.ebparks.org/parks/del-valle\">Lake Del Valle\u003c/a> in Livermore. Part of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.ebparks.org/recreation/swimming/del-valle\">State Water Project\u003c/a>, a statewide system of drinking water storage and supply, this spot is exempted from the rule banning swimming in most Bay Area reservoirs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Del Valle Regional Park \u003ca href=\"https://www.ebparks.org/recreation/swimming/del-valle\">has two swimming areas\u003c/a> that are monitored by lifeguards on the east and west sides of the lake.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pro tip: \u003c/b>Swimming is far from Del Valle’s only attraction. The rest of the five-mile-long lake offers all sorts of water recreation and fishing, not to mention the nearly 4,500 acres open to hiking and horseback riding.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Cost:\u003c/b> $10 fee to park at Del Valle Regional Park.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Lake Temescal, Oakland, and Lake Anza, Berkeley\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Hidden in the Berkeley Hills are the \u003ca href=\"https://www.ebparks.org/parks/temescal\">Temescal Regional Recreation Area\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.ebparks.org/parks/tilden\">Tilden Regional Park\u003c/a>, both offering safe and kid-friendly swimming areas that have lifeguards on duty in the summer months.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Sheltered from the wind and up away from the fog, these swim areas may especially appeal to San Franciscans for whom the city summers aren’t quite feeling hot enough. Both \u003ca href=\"https://www.ebparks.org/recreation/swimming/lake-temescal\">Lake Temescal\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.ebparks.org/recreation/swimming/lake-anza\">Lake Anza\u003c/a> have full beach amenities like refreshment stands, changing rooms and showers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pro tip:\u003c/b> Both lakes are tested weekly for bacteria levels, but if you’re still If worried, pay a visit in the late spring or early summer, before \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1993633/algal-blooms-love-heat-waves-when-is-bay-area-swimming-dangerous-for-humans-and-pets\">the heat of the summer produces algae blooms\u003c/a> that can sometimes close these waters.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Cost: Entry is $5 to enter and $3 for seniors and kids, while infants under 2 enter for free.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Don Castro and Cull Canyon, Castro Valley\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>If you’re looking for a safe spot for kids to get used to the water, these two shallow swim spots in the Castro Valley might fit the bill.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Combining the natural beauty of a lagoon with the safety features of a pool, both \u003ca href=\"https://www.ebparks.org/recreation/swimming/don-castro\">Don Castro\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.ebparks.org/recreation/swimming/cull-canyon\">Cull Canyon\u003c/a> have large, sandy beaches, extensive lawns and shallow chlorinated water for swimmers of any age and ability to safely enjoy a summer’s day. The two lagoons are also monitored by lifeguards and feature full pool amenities like bathhouses and vending machines.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Both spots open first on weekends only in the spring and then every day during peak summer months.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pro tip: \u003c/b>Although barbecues and picnic tables are aplenty for you to settle in for a full day in the sun, no alcohol is allowed at either spot.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Cost:\u003c/b> Both spots charge $5 for adults and $3 for youth and seniors, but kids under 2 swim for free.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13976485\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13976485\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/Steelhead-Beach-Regional-Park.-Photo-courtesy-of-Sonoma-County-Regional-Parks-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1707\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/Steelhead-Beach-Regional-Park.-Photo-courtesy-of-Sonoma-County-Regional-Parks-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/Steelhead-Beach-Regional-Park.-Photo-courtesy-of-Sonoma-County-Regional-Parks-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/Steelhead-Beach-Regional-Park.-Photo-courtesy-of-Sonoma-County-Regional-Parks-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/Steelhead-Beach-Regional-Park.-Photo-courtesy-of-Sonoma-County-Regional-Parks-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/Steelhead-Beach-Regional-Park.-Photo-courtesy-of-Sonoma-County-Regional-Parks-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/Steelhead-Beach-Regional-Park.-Photo-courtesy-of-Sonoma-County-Regional-Parks-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/Steelhead-Beach-Regional-Park.-Photo-courtesy-of-Sonoma-County-Regional-Parks-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/Steelhead-Beach-Regional-Park.-Photo-courtesy-of-Sonoma-County-Regional-Parks-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A boy dons a life jacket and prepares for a swim at Steelhead Beach Regional Park on the Russian River. \u003ccite>(Sonoma County Regional Parks)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>Russian River, Sonoma County\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Many Bay Area residents looking to cool off head to the Russian River, where water – and access to the shore – is plentiful. Try the protected \u003ca href=\"https://parks.sonomacounty.ca.gov/visit/find-a-park/healdsburg-veterans-memorial-beach\">Healdsburg Veterans Memorial Beach\u003c/a> or \u003ca href=\"https://parks.sonomacounty.ca.gov/visit/find-a-park/cloverdale-river-park\">Cloverdale River Park\u003c/a> for superior wildlife viewing. \u003ca href=\"https://www.mrrpd.org/monte-rio-beach/\">Monte Rio Beach\u003c/a>, meanwhile, is a favorite for family beach days, with boat rentals and volleyball courts onsite.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While the Russian River is usually pristine and calm, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11988947/heading-to-a-river-this-summer-heres-how-to-stay-safe\">swimming in any river isn’t entirely without risk\u003c/a>. That’s why Greg Desmond, aquatics and recreation supervisor for Sonoma County Regional Parks, particularly recommends Healdsburg Veterans Memorial Beach, where a dam creates an area deep enough to swim but lifeguards are also on duty. And from Memorial Day to Labor Day, \u003ca href=\"https://parks.sonomacounty.ca.gov/play/swimming/russian-river-patrol\">the county deploys a river patrol\u003c/a> to help people floating the river or enjoying the beach with life jackets and safety tips.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We don’t want people to be afraid of the water, but just take the necessary precautions,” Desmond said. “If you’re not a strong swimmer, try to stay out of the deep end.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Pro tip: \u003c/b>At Healdsburg and nearby beaches \u003ca href=\"https://parks.sonomacounty.ca.gov/visit/find-a-park/del-rio-woods\">Del Rio Woods\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://parks.sonomacounty.ca.gov/visit/find-a-park/steelhead-beach-regional-park\">Steelhead Beach\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://parks.sonomacounty.ca.gov/visit/find-a-park/forestville-river-access\">Forestville River Access\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://parks.sonomacounty.ca.gov/visit/find-a-park/sunset-beach-river-park\">Sunset Beach\u003c/a>, the county parks department provides free life vests for visitors to borrow all day. “It’s sort of like a library for life jackets,” Desmond said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Cost: \u003c/b>Parking at Sonoma County Regional Parks is $10 in the summer and $7 the rest of the year. Monte Rio Beach has no entry fee.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch1>\u003ca id=\"waterparks-in-bay-area\">\u003c/a>… and don’t forget Bay Area waterparks\u003c/h1>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13976486\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13976486\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/GettyImages-1298780652-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/GettyImages-1298780652-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/GettyImages-1298780652-1020x679.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/GettyImages-1298780652-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/GettyImages-1298780652-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/GettyImages-1298780652-1536x1023.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/GettyImages-1298780652-2048x1364.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/GettyImages-1298780652-1920x1279.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Kids of all ages seek relief from the sweltering heat at Six Flags Hurricane Harbor waterpark in Concord, Calif. on Saturday, July 27, 2019. \u003ccite>(Paul Chinn/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>If you’re comfortable with a somewhat more noisy and crowded – and costly – outdoor aquatic experience, the Bay Area offers several popular waterparks:\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Six Flags Hurricane Harbor, Concord\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The biggest water park in the Bay Area, with a lazy river for those seeking a more relaxed experience.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Cost: \u003c/b>Online tickets cost $34 per person, which rises to $70 at the gate. Kids under 3 enter for free.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Aqua Adventure Water Park, Fremont\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Best for young kids, this spot tends to be less busy and a more relaxed environment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Cost: \u003c/b>$27 for adults ($25 for Fremont residents), $22 for kids. Discounts for seniors, military, large groups and kids under 3.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Antioch Water Park, Antioch\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Ideal for families, this Contra Costa water park offers lots of space for spreading out and picnicking all day long.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Cost:\u003c/b> $17 on weekends, $15 on weekdays, with discounts for seniors, military and large groups.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>South Bay Shores at California’s Great America, Santa Clara\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Pro: A full range of water slide heights and speeds. Con: Lines can get long.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Cost: \u003c/b>Tickets, which include admission to the full amusement park, are $42 online but $70 at the gate, with military and first responder discounts.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Golfland Sunsplash, Roseville\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Further afield northeast of Sacramento, Golfland Sunsplash has intense slides, a killer wave pool and night slide admission after 5 p.m.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"slug": "best-summer-movies-film-festivals-sf-berkeley-2026",
"title": "11 of the Best Movies and Film Festivals to See This Summer",
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"headTitle": "11 of the Best Movies and Film Festivals to See This Summer | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003cem>Be sure to check out our full \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/summer-guide-2026\">2026 Summer Arts Guide to live music, movies, art, theater, festivals and more\u003c/a> in the Bay Area.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After 10 years of unbridled lunacy on a national scale, I am reminded of a pleasurable childhood lesson: Movies are a fantastic means of escape. I confess I have sniffed, scoffed and sneered at mainstream flicks — an occupational hazard — for a good long while, but now I comprehend the need to tune out the news for (at least) a couple hours. I suspect you have reached that point as well.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So you have my blessing to submerge yourself in any of the blithering, blubbering, eardrum-blasting flicks that Hollywood has lined up for our summer entertainment. Nerve-plucking horror, adolescent superhero shtick, impossible action-adventure, implausible romantic fantasy — live it up, friends.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Now, if you’re looking for a deep dive into the shlock de la saison, you walked into the wrong bistro, er, soapbox. Although I’ve included a few tentpoles below, if you own a television the studios will make sure you see the menu. So here are suggestions for lower-profile, higher-order escapism.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989704\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989704\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Anarchy-in-High-Heels_2000.jpg\" alt=\"women in costumes with signs\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1361\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Anarchy-in-High-Heels_2000.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Anarchy-in-High-Heels_2000-160x109.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Anarchy-in-High-Heels_2000-768x523.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Anarchy-in-High-Heels_2000-1536x1045.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Nickelettes in June 1974. \u003ccite>(Betsy Newman)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca href=\"https://sfdocfest2026.eventive.org/welcome\">DocFest\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>May 28–June 7, 2026\u003cbr>\nRoxie Theater, San Francisco\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Nonfiction is the pathway to vicariously living other lives — some more precarious – for a little while. The expansive 25th edition of DocFest hosts the world premieres of a pair of prison-themed films by Oakland filmmakers, \u003ca href=\"https://sfdocfest2026.eventive.org/schedule/69c2b1f04f4f536bedc7cc8e\">\u003cem>The Surrender of Waymond Hall\u003c/em>\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://sfdocfest2026.eventive.org/schedule/69c2b2ce7d35348a5d1e4455\">\u003cem>The End of Isolation\u003c/em>\u003c/a>. Hitting a lighter musical note, the festival opens with the NOFX doc \u003ca href=\"https://sfdocfest2026.eventive.org/schedule/69c801087edb042bb5e3975a\">\u003cem>40 Years of Fuckin’ Up\u003c/em>\u003c/a> and debuts \u003ca href=\"https://sfdocfest2026.eventive.org/schedule/69e22e22e5214d1cb3267a32\">\u003cem>Anarchy in High Heels: The Story of Les Nickelettes\u003c/em>\u003c/a>. DocFest revisits its roots, and the immortal \u003ca href=\"https://sfdocfest2026.eventive.org/films/69ace874858aeadeab6936b4\">Atomic Ed\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://sfdocfest2026.eventive.org/films/69ad97cc66714431517e6eaf\">Cynthia Plaster Caster\u003c/a>, with a trio of films from the festival’s inaugural 2001 year (with tickets at 2001 prices!).\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989708\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/P_11544_R_rgb_2000.jpg\" alt=\"two men face each other over typewriter\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989708\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/P_11544_R_rgb_2000.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/P_11544_R_rgb_2000-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/P_11544_R_rgb_2000-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/P_11544_R_rgb_2000-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Andrew Scott as Captain James Stagg and Chris Messina as Irving P. Krick in director Anthony Maras’ ‘Pressure.’ \u003ccite>(Alex Bailey/Focus Features/STUDIOCANAL)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘Pressure’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>Opens May 29, 2026\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Anthony Maras’s behind-the-scenes World War II drama is of particular interest to history buffs and tech workers. Meteorologists Scottish (a splendid Andrew Scott) and American (Chris Messina, as the erstwhile villain of the piece) square off in a high-stakes, digital v. analog debate over the optimal date for D-Day. Brendan Fraser and Kerry Condon (as Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower and his personal secretary Kay Summersby) round out the cast.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13919010\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1280px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/09/19-130.jpg\" alt=\"A teenage girl, green light glowing across her eyes, looks at something off in the distance with great horror.\" width=\"1280\" height=\"720\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13919010\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/09/19-130.jpg 1280w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/09/19-130-800x450.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/09/19-130-1020x574.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/09/19-130-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/09/19-130-768x432.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Winona Ryder in Tim Burton’s 1988 film ‘Beetlejuice,’ playing Oct 16. at Crane Cove Park.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca href=\"https://sfstandard.com/sundown-cinema/\">Sundown Cinema\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>June 12–Oct. 16, 2026\u003cbr>\nVarious San Francisco locations\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Following last year’s truncated schedule, the free outdoor screening series returns with a full slate. The lineup won’t get your pulse racing — it’s geared toward families rather than the date crowd — which is what it takes sometimes to spend a summer evening in the elements hereabouts. The late Rob Reiner’s \u003cem>The Princess Bride\u003c/em> is the curtain-raiser, with Pixar’s \u003cem>Inside Out\u003c/em>, \u003cem>The Parent Trap\u003c/em>, \u003cem>School of Rock\u003c/em> and \u003cem>Beetlejuice\u003c/em> in the wings. Bundle up, kiddos!\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989703\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989703\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Kubrick_The-Shining_003_2000.jpg\" alt=\"woman screams as axe head comes through door\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1360\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Kubrick_The-Shining_003_2000.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Kubrick_The-Shining_003_2000-160x109.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Kubrick_The-Shining_003_2000-768x522.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Kubrick_The-Shining_003_2000-1536x1044.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Shelley Duvall in a scene from Stanley Kubrick’s 1980 film ‘The Shining,’ playing July 26 and 31 at BAMPFA. \u003ccite>(BAMPFA)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca href=\"https://bampfa.org/program/complete-stanley-kubrick\">A Complete Stanley Kubrick\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>June 12–Aug. 30, 2026\u003cbr>\nBerkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Coincidentally, Steven Spielberg’s latest hunk of speculative pulp fiction, \u003cem>Disclosure Day\u003c/em>, opens the same day this monumental retrospective begins. The directors are inextricably linked by \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://bampfa.org/event/ai-artificial-intelligence\">A.I. Artificial Intelligence\u003c/a>\u003c/em> (Aug. 20) which Kubrick developed and Spielberg directed in 2001. Resist the tempting timeliness of that title and catch up instead with the former photojournalist’s black-and-white masterpieces \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://bampfa.org/event/killing\">The Killing\u003c/a>\u003c/em>, \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://bampfa.org/event/paths-glory\">Paths of Glory\u003c/a>\u003c/em> and \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://bampfa.org/event/dr-strangelove-or-how-i-learned-stop-worrying-and-love-bomb\">Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb\u003c/a>\u003c/em>. Actually, see everything on the big screen that the brilliant perfectionist made.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989714\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Lady-Champagne-2_D_Arcy-Drollinger_2000.jpg\" alt=\"blonde person in heavy makeup peers through jungle foliage\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989714\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Lady-Champagne-2_D_Arcy-Drollinger_2000.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Lady-Champagne-2_D_Arcy-Drollinger_2000-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Lady-Champagne-2_D_Arcy-Drollinger_2000-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Lady-Champagne-2_D_Arcy-Drollinger_2000-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">D’Arcy Drollinger in ‘Lady Champagne,’ playing June 17 as Frameline’s opening night film. \u003ccite>(Frameline)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca href=\"https://www.frameline.org/festival\">Frameline50\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>June 17–27, 2026\u003cbr>\nVarious locations\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Queer summer launches in theaters with the campy disaster comedy \u003cem>Stop! That! Train!\u003c/em> (opening June 12) and Hayley Kiyoko’s coming-of-age saga \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.frameline.org/films/frameline50/girls-like-girls\">Girls Like Girls\u003c/a>\u003c/em> (June 19). Then the San Francisco International LGBTQ+ Film Festival rolls out the gold carpet with a massive celebration of the present and past of gay and lesbian cinema. Local multihyphenate D’Arcy Drollinger kick-starts the festivities with the hoot-and-holler drag comedy \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.frameline.org/films/frameline50/lady-champagne\">Lady Champagne\u003c/a>\u003c/em>, while documentary ace Jennifer M. Kroot launches Pride weekend with \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.frameline.org/films/frameline50/hunky-jesus\">Hunky Jesus\u003c/a>\u003c/em>, a profile of San Francisco’s altogether wonderful Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence. (If you’ve somehow never seen the landmark doc \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://bampfa.org/event/times-harvey-milk\">The Times of Harvey Milk\u003c/a>\u003c/em>, BAMPFA shows it July 10.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989713\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/TOY-STORY5-2000.jpg\" alt=\"toy cowboy and toy astronaut crawl on flood of child's bedroom looking anxious\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1074\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989713\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/TOY-STORY5-2000.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/TOY-STORY5-2000-160x86.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/TOY-STORY5-2000-768x412.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/TOY-STORY5-2000-1536x825.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Woody and Buzz Lightyear in Disney and Pixar’s ‘Toy Story 5.’ \u003ccite>(Pixar)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘Toy Story 5’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>Opens June 19, 2026\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Emeryville’s Disney House has already scored one hit this year with \u003cem>Hoppers\u003c/em>. This Buzz and Woody and Bonnie and Jessie sequel to the sequel to the sequel, etc., arriving seven years to the weekend after the last installment, will rake in even more moolah. First, because it’s good, and second because it really might mark the end of the beloved animated franchise.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989865\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/get-out_2000.jpg\" alt=\"Black man frozen in terror with tears in eyes\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1125\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989865\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/get-out_2000.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/get-out_2000-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/get-out_2000-768x432.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/get-out_2000-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/get-out_2000-1200x675.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Daniel Kaluuya in a scene from Jordan Peele’s 2017 film ‘Get Out,’ playing July 9 at the Roxie. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of Fraenkel Gallery)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca href=\"https://roxie.com/series/fraenkel-film-festival-2026/\">Fraenkel Film Festival 2026\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>July 8–18, 2026\u003cbr>\nRoxie Theater, San Francisco\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Curated by visual artists represented by San Francisco’s Fraenkel Gallery, this now-annual program is refreshingly unpredictable and eclectic. Brian De Palma’s timeless shocker \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://roxie.com/film/carrie/\">Carrie\u003c/a>\u003c/em>, chosen by Christian Marclay, kicks off the series with a scream while Jim Jarmusch’s haunted \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://roxie.com/film/mystery-train-35mm/\">Mystery Train\u003c/a>\u003c/em> (Alec Soth’s pick) wraps things up with Screamin’ Jay Hawkins. Sandwiched in between you’ll find savory treats like Ingmar Bergman’s \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://roxie.com/film/persona/\">Persona\u003c/a>\u003c/em> (selected by Robert Adams), Claude Chabrol’s \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://roxie.com/film/la-ceremonie/\">La Cérémonie\u003c/a>\u003c/em> (Katy Grannan) and Alfred Hitchcock’s \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://roxie.com/film/north-by-northwest-35mm/\">North by Northwest\u003c/a>\u003c/em> (Lee Friedlander).\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989711\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Still_Dust_Bowls_and_Jewish_Souls_Another_Side_of_Woody_Guthrie.jpg\" alt=\"close-up of man with tipped back hat and plaid shirt\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989711\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Still_Dust_Bowls_and_Jewish_Souls_Another_Side_of_Woody_Guthrie.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Still_Dust_Bowls_and_Jewish_Souls_Another_Side_of_Woody_Guthrie-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Still_Dust_Bowls_and_Jewish_Souls_Another_Side_of_Woody_Guthrie-768x432.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Still_Dust_Bowls_and_Jewish_Souls_Another_Side_of_Woody_Guthrie-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Still_Dust_Bowls_and_Jewish_Souls_Another_Side_of_Woody_Guthrie-1200x675.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Still from ‘Dust Bowls and Jewish Souls: Another Side of Woody Guthrie,’ directed by Steven Pressman. \u003ccite>(SFJFF)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca href=\"https://jfi.org/2026-film-festival\">San Francisco Jewish Film Festival\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>July 16–Aug. 2, 2026\u003cbr>\nVarious locations\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One of the gutsiest film festivals in this time zone — by mission, by choice and by the circumstances of current events — SFJFF cultivates a space for discussion, debate and, yes, co-existence. It’s trickier to predict the program this year with Israeli filmmakers dealing with unprecedented levels of government opposition, but we can still expect a couple gut-punching documentaries along with French rom-coms and American explorations of identity.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://youtu.be/f_bKjZeJBBI?si=3PD3G_YorquA3mnl\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>‘The Odyssey’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>Opens July 17, 2026\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Christopher Nolan (\u003cem>Oppenheimer\u003c/em>), the self-anointed Philosopher King of Blockbuster Cinema, spent a quarter of a billion dollars of Universal’s money to adapt Homer’s epic. Bland-as-beans Matt Damon plays the Greek king Odysseus with an American accent and a natural beard. Anne Hathaway portrays Queen Penelope with an American accent and (presumably) no musical numbers. I’m rooting for Nolan’s turgid sword-and-sandal saga to resolve the historical mystery of how and where beach volleyball was invented, but I fear my hopes shall be dashed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989706\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989706\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/IWYS_2000.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1081\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/IWYS_2000.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/IWYS_2000-160x86.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/IWYS_2000-768x415.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/IWYS_2000-1536x830.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Olivia Wilde and Cooper Hoffman in a scene from Gregg Araki’s ‘I Want Your Sex.’ \u003ccite>(Magnolia Pictures)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘I Want Your Sex’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>Opens July 31, 2026\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Its come-hither title notwithstanding, Gregg Araki’s return to the big screen isn’t destined to be a multiplex phenomenon. Or maybe I’m completely off base, for LA’s gutter-glorious punk provocateur of the ’90s describes his new film as “a sex-positive love letter for Gen Z.” Cooper Hoffman plays a newbie hired by artist Olivia Wilde to be her quote-unquote sexual muse. Our hero embarks on an odyssey that presumably encompasses the siren call of lust, the rocky shoals of love, the green-eyed beast of jealousy and other mythic creatures. Daveed Diggs, Margaret Cho and Charli xcx join the tongue-in-cheek fun.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989709\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Riggs_Tongues-Untied_003_2000.jpg\" alt=\"close group of Black men pose together\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1287\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989709\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Riggs_Tongues-Untied_003_2000.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Riggs_Tongues-Untied_003_2000-160x103.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Riggs_Tongues-Untied_003_2000-768x494.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Riggs_Tongues-Untied_003_2000-1536x988.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Marlon Riggs, ‘Tongues Untied,’ 1989, playing Aug. 29 at BAMPFA. \u003ccite>(BAMPFA)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca href=\"https://bampfa.org/program/made-berkeley-house-zaentz-built\">Made in Berkeley: The House That Zaentz Built\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>Aug. 1–30, 2026\u003cbr>\nBerkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Back in the 1980s, Creedence Clearwater Revival leader John Fogerty wrote a song called “\u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qeMlRzw1saw\">Zanz Kant Danz\u003c/a>” inspired by his furious legal battles with Fantasy Records owner Saul Zaentz. You may remember Zaentz as the Oscar-winning producer of \u003cem>Amadeus\u003c/em> and \u003cem>One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest\u003c/em>. The countless local documentary filmmakers with offices in the Fantasy Building saw Zaentz as a generally beneficent figure. This succinct series, co-presented with the Berkeley Film Foundation and featuring Marlon Riggs’ \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://bampfa.org/event/tongues-untied\">Tongues Untied\u003c/a>\u003c/em>, Steven Okazaki’s \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://bampfa.org/event/white-light-black-rain\">White Light/Black Rain\u003c/a>\u003c/em> and Vivian Kleiman’s \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://bampfa.org/event/no-straight-lines\">No Straight Lines\u003c/a>\u003c/em>, honors the legacies of an erstwhile patron and singular artists.\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"excerpt": "From Bay Area festivals to retrospectives to big-budget blockbusters, here are the not-to-miss movies. ",
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"title": "Bay Area Summer Movie Guide: Films and Fests Not to Miss | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cem>Be sure to check out our full \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/summer-guide-2026\">2026 Summer Arts Guide to live music, movies, art, theater, festivals and more\u003c/a> in the Bay Area.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After 10 years of unbridled lunacy on a national scale, I am reminded of a pleasurable childhood lesson: Movies are a fantastic means of escape. I confess I have sniffed, scoffed and sneered at mainstream flicks — an occupational hazard — for a good long while, but now I comprehend the need to tune out the news for (at least) a couple hours. I suspect you have reached that point as well.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So you have my blessing to submerge yourself in any of the blithering, blubbering, eardrum-blasting flicks that Hollywood has lined up for our summer entertainment. Nerve-plucking horror, adolescent superhero shtick, impossible action-adventure, implausible romantic fantasy — live it up, friends.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Now, if you’re looking for a deep dive into the shlock de la saison, you walked into the wrong bistro, er, soapbox. Although I’ve included a few tentpoles below, if you own a television the studios will make sure you see the menu. So here are suggestions for lower-profile, higher-order escapism.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989704\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989704\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Anarchy-in-High-Heels_2000.jpg\" alt=\"women in costumes with signs\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1361\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Anarchy-in-High-Heels_2000.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Anarchy-in-High-Heels_2000-160x109.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Anarchy-in-High-Heels_2000-768x523.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Anarchy-in-High-Heels_2000-1536x1045.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Nickelettes in June 1974. \u003ccite>(Betsy Newman)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca href=\"https://sfdocfest2026.eventive.org/welcome\">DocFest\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>May 28–June 7, 2026\u003cbr>\nRoxie Theater, San Francisco\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Nonfiction is the pathway to vicariously living other lives — some more precarious – for a little while. The expansive 25th edition of DocFest hosts the world premieres of a pair of prison-themed films by Oakland filmmakers, \u003ca href=\"https://sfdocfest2026.eventive.org/schedule/69c2b1f04f4f536bedc7cc8e\">\u003cem>The Surrender of Waymond Hall\u003c/em>\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://sfdocfest2026.eventive.org/schedule/69c2b2ce7d35348a5d1e4455\">\u003cem>The End of Isolation\u003c/em>\u003c/a>. Hitting a lighter musical note, the festival opens with the NOFX doc \u003ca href=\"https://sfdocfest2026.eventive.org/schedule/69c801087edb042bb5e3975a\">\u003cem>40 Years of Fuckin’ Up\u003c/em>\u003c/a> and debuts \u003ca href=\"https://sfdocfest2026.eventive.org/schedule/69e22e22e5214d1cb3267a32\">\u003cem>Anarchy in High Heels: The Story of Les Nickelettes\u003c/em>\u003c/a>. DocFest revisits its roots, and the immortal \u003ca href=\"https://sfdocfest2026.eventive.org/films/69ace874858aeadeab6936b4\">Atomic Ed\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://sfdocfest2026.eventive.org/films/69ad97cc66714431517e6eaf\">Cynthia Plaster Caster\u003c/a>, with a trio of films from the festival’s inaugural 2001 year (with tickets at 2001 prices!).\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989708\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/P_11544_R_rgb_2000.jpg\" alt=\"two men face each other over typewriter\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989708\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/P_11544_R_rgb_2000.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/P_11544_R_rgb_2000-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/P_11544_R_rgb_2000-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/P_11544_R_rgb_2000-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Andrew Scott as Captain James Stagg and Chris Messina as Irving P. Krick in director Anthony Maras’ ‘Pressure.’ \u003ccite>(Alex Bailey/Focus Features/STUDIOCANAL)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘Pressure’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>Opens May 29, 2026\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Anthony Maras’s behind-the-scenes World War II drama is of particular interest to history buffs and tech workers. Meteorologists Scottish (a splendid Andrew Scott) and American (Chris Messina, as the erstwhile villain of the piece) square off in a high-stakes, digital v. analog debate over the optimal date for D-Day. Brendan Fraser and Kerry Condon (as Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower and his personal secretary Kay Summersby) round out the cast.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13919010\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1280px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/09/19-130.jpg\" alt=\"A teenage girl, green light glowing across her eyes, looks at something off in the distance with great horror.\" width=\"1280\" height=\"720\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13919010\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/09/19-130.jpg 1280w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/09/19-130-800x450.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/09/19-130-1020x574.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/09/19-130-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/09/19-130-768x432.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Winona Ryder in Tim Burton’s 1988 film ‘Beetlejuice,’ playing Oct 16. at Crane Cove Park.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca href=\"https://sfstandard.com/sundown-cinema/\">Sundown Cinema\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>June 12–Oct. 16, 2026\u003cbr>\nVarious San Francisco locations\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Following last year’s truncated schedule, the free outdoor screening series returns with a full slate. The lineup won’t get your pulse racing — it’s geared toward families rather than the date crowd — which is what it takes sometimes to spend a summer evening in the elements hereabouts. The late Rob Reiner’s \u003cem>The Princess Bride\u003c/em> is the curtain-raiser, with Pixar’s \u003cem>Inside Out\u003c/em>, \u003cem>The Parent Trap\u003c/em>, \u003cem>School of Rock\u003c/em> and \u003cem>Beetlejuice\u003c/em> in the wings. Bundle up, kiddos!\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989703\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989703\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Kubrick_The-Shining_003_2000.jpg\" alt=\"woman screams as axe head comes through door\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1360\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Kubrick_The-Shining_003_2000.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Kubrick_The-Shining_003_2000-160x109.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Kubrick_The-Shining_003_2000-768x522.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Kubrick_The-Shining_003_2000-1536x1044.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Shelley Duvall in a scene from Stanley Kubrick’s 1980 film ‘The Shining,’ playing July 26 and 31 at BAMPFA. \u003ccite>(BAMPFA)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca href=\"https://bampfa.org/program/complete-stanley-kubrick\">A Complete Stanley Kubrick\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>June 12–Aug. 30, 2026\u003cbr>\nBerkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Coincidentally, Steven Spielberg’s latest hunk of speculative pulp fiction, \u003cem>Disclosure Day\u003c/em>, opens the same day this monumental retrospective begins. The directors are inextricably linked by \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://bampfa.org/event/ai-artificial-intelligence\">A.I. Artificial Intelligence\u003c/a>\u003c/em> (Aug. 20) which Kubrick developed and Spielberg directed in 2001. Resist the tempting timeliness of that title and catch up instead with the former photojournalist’s black-and-white masterpieces \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://bampfa.org/event/killing\">The Killing\u003c/a>\u003c/em>, \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://bampfa.org/event/paths-glory\">Paths of Glory\u003c/a>\u003c/em> and \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://bampfa.org/event/dr-strangelove-or-how-i-learned-stop-worrying-and-love-bomb\">Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb\u003c/a>\u003c/em>. Actually, see everything on the big screen that the brilliant perfectionist made.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989714\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Lady-Champagne-2_D_Arcy-Drollinger_2000.jpg\" alt=\"blonde person in heavy makeup peers through jungle foliage\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989714\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Lady-Champagne-2_D_Arcy-Drollinger_2000.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Lady-Champagne-2_D_Arcy-Drollinger_2000-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Lady-Champagne-2_D_Arcy-Drollinger_2000-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Lady-Champagne-2_D_Arcy-Drollinger_2000-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">D’Arcy Drollinger in ‘Lady Champagne,’ playing June 17 as Frameline’s opening night film. \u003ccite>(Frameline)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca href=\"https://www.frameline.org/festival\">Frameline50\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>June 17–27, 2026\u003cbr>\nVarious locations\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Queer summer launches in theaters with the campy disaster comedy \u003cem>Stop! That! Train!\u003c/em> (opening June 12) and Hayley Kiyoko’s coming-of-age saga \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.frameline.org/films/frameline50/girls-like-girls\">Girls Like Girls\u003c/a>\u003c/em> (June 19). Then the San Francisco International LGBTQ+ Film Festival rolls out the gold carpet with a massive celebration of the present and past of gay and lesbian cinema. Local multihyphenate D’Arcy Drollinger kick-starts the festivities with the hoot-and-holler drag comedy \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.frameline.org/films/frameline50/lady-champagne\">Lady Champagne\u003c/a>\u003c/em>, while documentary ace Jennifer M. Kroot launches Pride weekend with \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.frameline.org/films/frameline50/hunky-jesus\">Hunky Jesus\u003c/a>\u003c/em>, a profile of San Francisco’s altogether wonderful Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence. (If you’ve somehow never seen the landmark doc \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://bampfa.org/event/times-harvey-milk\">The Times of Harvey Milk\u003c/a>\u003c/em>, BAMPFA shows it July 10.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989713\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/TOY-STORY5-2000.jpg\" alt=\"toy cowboy and toy astronaut crawl on flood of child's bedroom looking anxious\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1074\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989713\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/TOY-STORY5-2000.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/TOY-STORY5-2000-160x86.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/TOY-STORY5-2000-768x412.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/TOY-STORY5-2000-1536x825.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Woody and Buzz Lightyear in Disney and Pixar’s ‘Toy Story 5.’ \u003ccite>(Pixar)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘Toy Story 5’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>Opens June 19, 2026\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Emeryville’s Disney House has already scored one hit this year with \u003cem>Hoppers\u003c/em>. This Buzz and Woody and Bonnie and Jessie sequel to the sequel to the sequel, etc., arriving seven years to the weekend after the last installment, will rake in even more moolah. First, because it’s good, and second because it really might mark the end of the beloved animated franchise.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989865\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/get-out_2000.jpg\" alt=\"Black man frozen in terror with tears in eyes\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1125\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989865\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/get-out_2000.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/get-out_2000-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/get-out_2000-768x432.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/get-out_2000-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/get-out_2000-1200x675.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Daniel Kaluuya in a scene from Jordan Peele’s 2017 film ‘Get Out,’ playing July 9 at the Roxie. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of Fraenkel Gallery)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca href=\"https://roxie.com/series/fraenkel-film-festival-2026/\">Fraenkel Film Festival 2026\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>July 8–18, 2026\u003cbr>\nRoxie Theater, San Francisco\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Curated by visual artists represented by San Francisco’s Fraenkel Gallery, this now-annual program is refreshingly unpredictable and eclectic. Brian De Palma’s timeless shocker \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://roxie.com/film/carrie/\">Carrie\u003c/a>\u003c/em>, chosen by Christian Marclay, kicks off the series with a scream while Jim Jarmusch’s haunted \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://roxie.com/film/mystery-train-35mm/\">Mystery Train\u003c/a>\u003c/em> (Alec Soth’s pick) wraps things up with Screamin’ Jay Hawkins. Sandwiched in between you’ll find savory treats like Ingmar Bergman’s \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://roxie.com/film/persona/\">Persona\u003c/a>\u003c/em> (selected by Robert Adams), Claude Chabrol’s \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://roxie.com/film/la-ceremonie/\">La Cérémonie\u003c/a>\u003c/em> (Katy Grannan) and Alfred Hitchcock’s \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://roxie.com/film/north-by-northwest-35mm/\">North by Northwest\u003c/a>\u003c/em> (Lee Friedlander).\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989711\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Still_Dust_Bowls_and_Jewish_Souls_Another_Side_of_Woody_Guthrie.jpg\" alt=\"close-up of man with tipped back hat and plaid shirt\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989711\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Still_Dust_Bowls_and_Jewish_Souls_Another_Side_of_Woody_Guthrie.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Still_Dust_Bowls_and_Jewish_Souls_Another_Side_of_Woody_Guthrie-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Still_Dust_Bowls_and_Jewish_Souls_Another_Side_of_Woody_Guthrie-768x432.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Still_Dust_Bowls_and_Jewish_Souls_Another_Side_of_Woody_Guthrie-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Still_Dust_Bowls_and_Jewish_Souls_Another_Side_of_Woody_Guthrie-1200x675.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Still from ‘Dust Bowls and Jewish Souls: Another Side of Woody Guthrie,’ directed by Steven Pressman. \u003ccite>(SFJFF)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca href=\"https://jfi.org/2026-film-festival\">San Francisco Jewish Film Festival\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>July 16–Aug. 2, 2026\u003cbr>\nVarious locations\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One of the gutsiest film festivals in this time zone — by mission, by choice and by the circumstances of current events — SFJFF cultivates a space for discussion, debate and, yes, co-existence. It’s trickier to predict the program this year with Israeli filmmakers dealing with unprecedented levels of government opposition, but we can still expect a couple gut-punching documentaries along with French rom-coms and American explorations of identity.\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/f_bKjZeJBBI'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/f_bKjZeJBBI'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003ch2>‘The Odyssey’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>Opens July 17, 2026\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Christopher Nolan (\u003cem>Oppenheimer\u003c/em>), the self-anointed Philosopher King of Blockbuster Cinema, spent a quarter of a billion dollars of Universal’s money to adapt Homer’s epic. Bland-as-beans Matt Damon plays the Greek king Odysseus with an American accent and a natural beard. Anne Hathaway portrays Queen Penelope with an American accent and (presumably) no musical numbers. I’m rooting for Nolan’s turgid sword-and-sandal saga to resolve the historical mystery of how and where beach volleyball was invented, but I fear my hopes shall be dashed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989706\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989706\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/IWYS_2000.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1081\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/IWYS_2000.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/IWYS_2000-160x86.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/IWYS_2000-768x415.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/IWYS_2000-1536x830.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Olivia Wilde and Cooper Hoffman in a scene from Gregg Araki’s ‘I Want Your Sex.’ \u003ccite>(Magnolia Pictures)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘I Want Your Sex’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>Opens July 31, 2026\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Its come-hither title notwithstanding, Gregg Araki’s return to the big screen isn’t destined to be a multiplex phenomenon. Or maybe I’m completely off base, for LA’s gutter-glorious punk provocateur of the ’90s describes his new film as “a sex-positive love letter for Gen Z.” Cooper Hoffman plays a newbie hired by artist Olivia Wilde to be her quote-unquote sexual muse. Our hero embarks on an odyssey that presumably encompasses the siren call of lust, the rocky shoals of love, the green-eyed beast of jealousy and other mythic creatures. Daveed Diggs, Margaret Cho and Charli xcx join the tongue-in-cheek fun.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989709\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Riggs_Tongues-Untied_003_2000.jpg\" alt=\"close group of Black men pose together\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1287\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989709\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Riggs_Tongues-Untied_003_2000.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Riggs_Tongues-Untied_003_2000-160x103.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Riggs_Tongues-Untied_003_2000-768x494.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Riggs_Tongues-Untied_003_2000-1536x988.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Marlon Riggs, ‘Tongues Untied,’ 1989, playing Aug. 29 at BAMPFA. \u003ccite>(BAMPFA)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca href=\"https://bampfa.org/program/made-berkeley-house-zaentz-built\">Made in Berkeley: The House That Zaentz Built\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>Aug. 1–30, 2026\u003cbr>\nBerkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Back in the 1980s, Creedence Clearwater Revival leader John Fogerty wrote a song called “\u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qeMlRzw1saw\">Zanz Kant Danz\u003c/a>” inspired by his furious legal battles with Fantasy Records owner Saul Zaentz. You may remember Zaentz as the Oscar-winning producer of \u003cem>Amadeus\u003c/em> and \u003cem>One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest\u003c/em>. The countless local documentary filmmakers with offices in the Fantasy Building saw Zaentz as a generally beneficent figure. This succinct series, co-presented with the Berkeley Film Foundation and featuring Marlon Riggs’ \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://bampfa.org/event/tongues-untied\">Tongues Untied\u003c/a>\u003c/em>, Steven Okazaki’s \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://bampfa.org/event/white-light-black-rain\">White Light/Black Rain\u003c/a>\u003c/em> and Vivian Kleiman’s \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://bampfa.org/event/no-straight-lines\">No Straight Lines\u003c/a>\u003c/em>, honors the legacies of an erstwhile patron and singular artists.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "artist-housing-advocates-eye-a-once-in-100-year-opportunity",
"title": "Artist Housing Advocates Eye a ‘Once-in-100-Year’ Opportunity",
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"headTitle": "Artist Housing Advocates Eye a ‘Once-in-100-Year’ Opportunity | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003cem>This story is part of \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/affordability\">\u003cem>How We Get By\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>, a KQED series exploring how people are coping with rising costs in the Bay Area and California. Find the \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/affordability\">\u003cem>full series here\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Jaelynn Walls thought it would take years of saving before they could buy their own \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/housing\">home\u003c/a> in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/oakland\">Oakland\u003c/a>. But after seeing an Instagram post from \u003ca href=\"https://www.artistspacetrust.org/\">Artist Space Trust\u003c/a>, home ownership went from dream to reality for the 27-year-old fiction writer, curator and visual artist.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Artist Space Trust, a new Bay Area organization that helps artists secure affordable housing, helped Walls secure $168,000 in downpayment assistance from CalHOME, a state program for first-time homebuyers. After a whirlwind three months of compiling financial paperwork and spending their free time at open houses, Walls and their wife got the keys to a cozy East Oakland three-bedroom.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Just having a place to land, and not feeling like I could have the rug pulled out from under me at any moment by the greater powers that be, such as a landlord or a housing company, is very assuring,” Walls said during a video call from their fabric- and plant-filled home studio.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Walls used to live in a cramped Tenderloin studio apartment where most of their income went to rent. Now, a much smaller portion of their paycheck goes to their mortgage.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They have more space to focus on their next young-adult novel and quilting projects, and can even set aside some savings. Walls’ wife has a music studio where friends collaborate. Out-of-town artists sometimes crash with the couple when they’re in the Bay Area for gigs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This is pretty much the greatest thing that has ever happened to me in terms of my creative practice,” Walls said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989670\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989670\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260511_ARTISTHOUSING_GC-11-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260511_ARTISTHOUSING_GC-11-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260511_ARTISTHOUSING_GC-11-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260511_ARTISTHOUSING_GC-11-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260511_ARTISTHOUSING_GC-11-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Jaelynn Walls, fiction writer and artist, holds their book “The Queer Girl is Going to be Okay” at their home in Oakland on May 11, 2026. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Bay Area artists have always been resilient, but in recent years, economic upheaval, the worldwide pandemic and federal funding cuts have put a financial strain on artists, and forced some to leave the region altogether.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As housing costs continue to rise, artists, policymakers and nonprofit leaders are testing new models to make sure the people who give the Bay Area its creative identity can afford to stay. Artist Space Trust uses a community land trust model to take homes off the for-profit real estate market and make them permanently affordable for artists. It’s part of a larger movement to create artist housing throughout the Bay Area, including projects underway in San Francisco, Berkeley and Oakland.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989671\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989671\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260511_ARTISTHOUSING_GC-17-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260511_ARTISTHOUSING_GC-17-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260511_ARTISTHOUSING_GC-17-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260511_ARTISTHOUSING_GC-17-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260511_ARTISTHOUSING_GC-17-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Jaelynn Walls’ handmade quilt at their home in Oakland on May 11, 2026. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Walls sees the Bay Area as their long-term home, and they’re relieved they can remain here. “I’m surrounded by artists who have unstable housing, who are not sure of \u003cem>where\u003c/em> they’re going to create, or \u003cem>how\u003c/em> they’re gonna create their work,” Walls said, “and even beyond that, where they’re going to live.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Meg Shiffler, the director of Artist Space Trust, said her organization is looking generations ahead.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If you lift up and look down at the Bay Area, 10, 20, 50, 100 years from now, there are gonna be artists permanently embedded all over the Bay Area,” Shiffler said.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>The Great Wealth Transfer creates an opening for artist housing\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>While there isn’t enough recent data available to paint a complete picture of Bay Area artists as a workforce, it’s safe to say they’re struggling to get by.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/10960748/survey-confirms-market-forces-pushing-artists-out-of-san-francisco\">last large-scale survey of artists in San Francisco\u003c/a>, from 2015, found that 70% had been or were being displaced from their home, workspace or both. A \u003ca href=\"https://berkeleyca.gov/sites/default/files/2022-02/Berkeley%20Affordable%20Housing%20for%20Artists.pdf\">2021 survey of artists in Berkeley\u003c/a> found that the majority were low-income, and 77% were either “rent burdened” or “severely rent burdened.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989668\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989668\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260514_ARTISTHOUSING_GC-19-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1354\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260514_ARTISTHOUSING_GC-19-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260514_ARTISTHOUSING_GC-19-KQED-160x108.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260514_ARTISTHOUSING_GC-19-KQED-768x520.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260514_ARTISTHOUSING_GC-19-KQED-1536x1040.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">From left, Artist Space Trust team, Qiana Ellis, Programs Manager, and Meg Shiffler, Director, pose for a photo in Berkeley on May 14, 2026. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In the past decade, Bay Area artists have faced setback after setback. In 2016, the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/ghostshipmemorial\">Ghost Ship fire\u003c/a> at a live-work artist warehouse in Oakland, during which 36 people died, prompted a wave of evictions from makeshift dwellings where artists lived because they couldn’t afford anything else.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Then came the 2020 pandemic shutdowns, which cut off performance income, and another wave of displacement when state and city governments lifted eviction moratoriums. In more recent years, surging gas, food and rent prices have kept artists and other workers stuck in financial precarity.[aside postID=arts_13989622 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/260512-FREE-PARKING-AT-MUSIC-VENUES-MD-03-KQED.jpg']Advocates say that securing permanently affordable housing for artists is key to ensuring that the Bay Area can remain a cultural hub. Qiana Ellis, Artist Space Trust’s programs manager, sees a rare opportunity for artists to secure a permanent place in the region. “They’re calling it the Great Wealth Transfer,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Over the next two decades, an estimated $124 trillion will change hands nationally as Baby Boomers and members of the Silent Generation die and pass on their assets, according to the consulting firm Cerulli Associates. “We’re really in this point that may not happen for another 100 years,” Ellis said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s mostly members of these generations who are bequeathing their homes to Artist Space Trust. Some of them are artists and most aren’t wealthy themselves; they bought their homes decades ago, when \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12078615/how-skyrocketing-housing-costs-and-policy-choices-reshaped-the-bay-area\">houses in the Bay Area went for around $23,000\u003c/a>. Today’s average home price is over $700,000 in Oakland and over $1.3 million in San Francisco.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“They’re looking back on their lives and saying, ‘Wow, I see how difficult it’s gotten for artists,’” Ellis said. “‘I’m in conversation with younger generations, and I know that they cannot make their work in the same way that I could and be able to afford housing anymore.’”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Assessing artists’ needs\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Artist Space Trust is the first organization in the nation to use a community land trust model to create permanently affordable housing specifically for artists.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Berkeley nonprofit takes properties off the for-profit real-estate market and sells them well below market rate. Prices are set so that an individual making 60% to 80% of the area median income — roughly $65,000 to $87,000 — would spend no more than 30% of their monthly income on housing expenses. The organization is also working to create other home ownership opportunities, such as tiny homes and condos, for artists making below 60% of the area’s median income.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989663\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\" style=\"max-width: 1333px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989663\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260511_ARTISTHOUSING_GC-2-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1333\" height=\"2000\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260511_ARTISTHOUSING_GC-2-KQED.jpg 1333w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260511_ARTISTHOUSING_GC-2-KQED-160x240.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260511_ARTISTHOUSING_GC-2-KQED-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260511_ARTISTHOUSING_GC-2-KQED-1024x1536.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1333px) 100vw, 1333px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sharmi Basu, Vital Arts director, poses for a portrait in downtown Oakland on May 11, 2026. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Artist Space Trust has $15 million in properties that have either been donated or will be in the coming years. Some are single-family homes while others are more unconventional, including a property with a house, a warehouse and enough room to build another unit. So far, in partnership with the Northern California Land Trust (NCLT), the organization has helped artists purchase homes by helping them take advantage of the CalHOME downpayment-assistance program. This year, Artist Space Trust will sell the first property from its own portfolio: a duplex in San Francisco’s Mission District that will go to two artist households.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The nonprofit is currently doing outreach at community events to educate local artists on different pathways to affordable housing; their \u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/holding-ground-models-for-artist-housing-in-a-time-of-displacement-tickets-1987660345600\">next resource fair\u003c/a> is on May 19. “The idea is that we start to get individuals, families and cooperatives ready for the opportunities that are coming,” Shiffler said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Artist Space Trust is a partnership of NCLT and Vital Arts, an economic justice organization for artists that formed after the Ghost Ship fire. Vital Arts Director Sharmi Basu lost over a dozen friends in the tragedy; in the aftermath, they poured themself into organizing mutual aid for survivors.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Today, Vital Arts tackles affordability at several different levels. The organization helps artists cover basic living expenses through its \u003ca href=\"https://www.vitalarts.org/adpg\">Artist Displacement Prevention Grant\u003c/a>, which gives out $3,000 in emergency assistance to artists facing eviction, homelessness and sudden rent increases. At its free \u003ca href=\"https://www.vitalarts.org/alc\">Artist Legal Cafe\u003c/a>, next happening on May 19, lawyers advise artists on tenants’ rights and other issues.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For Basu, helping artists get permanent housing through Artist Space Trust is a crucial part of the solution. While Artist Space Trust helps artists navigate the complicated financial logistics, Vital Arts will come in when it’s time to select potential homeowners for each housing opportunity.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There are the features of the property to consider — ceramicists will be prioritized for a home with a pottery studio, for example — but Basu also sees this as an opportunity to address inequality. They want to make sure these housing opportunities don’t just reach people from well-off backgrounds, but go to people from Black and brown communities who have historically been locked out of homeownership because of redlining and other racist policies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“[We’re] making sure that equity is built from the foundation up in that selection process,” Basu said.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>A movement for artist housing grows\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The need for artist housing is inspiring efforts across the Bay Area.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Artists Hub on Market and Mercy Housing of California, two nonprofits, will soon begin construction on an 100% affordable \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13957645/100-million-gift-affordable-artist-housing-mcroskey-mattress-san-francisco\">San Francisco apartment building for artists\u003c/a> that will include nearly 100 units, plus workspaces, a community center and a theater. Another nonprofit, Unity Council, has plans to develop the former Ghost Ship site in East Oakland into affordable housing, with 10% of the units set aside for artists.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989667\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989667\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260514_ARTISTHOUSING_GC-18-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1307\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260514_ARTISTHOUSING_GC-18-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260514_ARTISTHOUSING_GC-18-KQED-160x105.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260514_ARTISTHOUSING_GC-18-KQED-768x502.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260514_ARTISTHOUSING_GC-18-KQED-1536x1004.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Rashida Chase, board chair of Vital Arts and cultural strategist for the city of Oakland, poses for a portrait in downtown Oakland on May 11, 2026. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Artists Hub on Market is slated for completion in 2028, and the Unity Council building is projected to begin construction that year. But building from the ground up is a lengthy process, so arts advocates are also exploring how to create affordable artist housing in existing properties.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Rashida Chase, board chair of Vital Arts, is a cultural strategist in Oakland City Councilmember Carroll Fife’s office. Chase lobbied the state to designate downtown Oakland’s Black Arts Movement and Business District as a California Cultural District, which opens up more housing opportunities.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Thanks to the 2023 state law AB 812, city governments can set aside 10% of locally required affordable housing units for artists within and around state-designated cultural districts, as well as within local cultural districts.[aside postID=arts_13988685 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/jewelry-making-1536x1024.jpg']The \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12016292/berkeley-wants-to-create-cultural-district-where-artists-afford-to-live\">city of Berkeley is using AB 812\u003c/a> to pursue similar strategies. Artist Space Trust is currently advising multiple housing developers building in cultural districts, with the goal of holding the master lease for the units designated for artists.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This summer, Chase is spearheading a survey to find out whether there are city-owned properties, foreclosed homes or vacant lots that could be converted into affordable housing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Chase, who grew up in West Oakland, namechecks born-and-raised Oaklanders Ryan Coogler, Zendaya and Alysa Liu when she talks about the importance of creating policy that makes it easier for artists to stay in Oakland. “Culture is our main export,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We can hope [the Bay Area] won’t keep skyrocketing, but prices typically don’t come down,” Chase said. “And so we just wanna make sure that there’s enough housing available for the artists who are still here, but also artists who wanna come back.”\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Experts from Artist Space Trust and other nonprofits are hosting \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/holding-ground-models-for-artist-housing-in-a-time-of-displacement-tickets-1987660345600\">\u003cem>Holding Ground\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>, a panel discussion and resource fair, on May 19 at 6:30 p.m. at Root Division (1131 Mission St., San Francisco). Also on May 19, Vital Arts has its free \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.theselc.org/legalcafe_20260519\">\u003cem>Artist Legal Cafe\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> from 3:30-5:30 p.m. at Bandaloop Studios (1601 18th St., Oakland).\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cem>This story is part of \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/affordability\">\u003cem>How We Get By\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>, a KQED series exploring how people are coping with rising costs in the Bay Area and California. Find the \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/affordability\">\u003cem>full series here\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Jaelynn Walls thought it would take years of saving before they could buy their own \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/housing\">home\u003c/a> in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/oakland\">Oakland\u003c/a>. But after seeing an Instagram post from \u003ca href=\"https://www.artistspacetrust.org/\">Artist Space Trust\u003c/a>, home ownership went from dream to reality for the 27-year-old fiction writer, curator and visual artist.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Artist Space Trust, a new Bay Area organization that helps artists secure affordable housing, helped Walls secure $168,000 in downpayment assistance from CalHOME, a state program for first-time homebuyers. After a whirlwind three months of compiling financial paperwork and spending their free time at open houses, Walls and their wife got the keys to a cozy East Oakland three-bedroom.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Just having a place to land, and not feeling like I could have the rug pulled out from under me at any moment by the greater powers that be, such as a landlord or a housing company, is very assuring,” Walls said during a video call from their fabric- and plant-filled home studio.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Walls used to live in a cramped Tenderloin studio apartment where most of their income went to rent. Now, a much smaller portion of their paycheck goes to their mortgage.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They have more space to focus on their next young-adult novel and quilting projects, and can even set aside some savings. Walls’ wife has a music studio where friends collaborate. Out-of-town artists sometimes crash with the couple when they’re in the Bay Area for gigs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This is pretty much the greatest thing that has ever happened to me in terms of my creative practice,” Walls said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989670\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989670\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260511_ARTISTHOUSING_GC-11-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260511_ARTISTHOUSING_GC-11-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260511_ARTISTHOUSING_GC-11-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260511_ARTISTHOUSING_GC-11-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260511_ARTISTHOUSING_GC-11-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Jaelynn Walls, fiction writer and artist, holds their book “The Queer Girl is Going to be Okay” at their home in Oakland on May 11, 2026. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Bay Area artists have always been resilient, but in recent years, economic upheaval, the worldwide pandemic and federal funding cuts have put a financial strain on artists, and forced some to leave the region altogether.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As housing costs continue to rise, artists, policymakers and nonprofit leaders are testing new models to make sure the people who give the Bay Area its creative identity can afford to stay. Artist Space Trust uses a community land trust model to take homes off the for-profit real estate market and make them permanently affordable for artists. It’s part of a larger movement to create artist housing throughout the Bay Area, including projects underway in San Francisco, Berkeley and Oakland.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989671\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989671\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260511_ARTISTHOUSING_GC-17-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260511_ARTISTHOUSING_GC-17-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260511_ARTISTHOUSING_GC-17-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260511_ARTISTHOUSING_GC-17-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260511_ARTISTHOUSING_GC-17-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Jaelynn Walls’ handmade quilt at their home in Oakland on May 11, 2026. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Walls sees the Bay Area as their long-term home, and they’re relieved they can remain here. “I’m surrounded by artists who have unstable housing, who are not sure of \u003cem>where\u003c/em> they’re going to create, or \u003cem>how\u003c/em> they’re gonna create their work,” Walls said, “and even beyond that, where they’re going to live.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Meg Shiffler, the director of Artist Space Trust, said her organization is looking generations ahead.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If you lift up and look down at the Bay Area, 10, 20, 50, 100 years from now, there are gonna be artists permanently embedded all over the Bay Area,” Shiffler said.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>The Great Wealth Transfer creates an opening for artist housing\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>While there isn’t enough recent data available to paint a complete picture of Bay Area artists as a workforce, it’s safe to say they’re struggling to get by.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/10960748/survey-confirms-market-forces-pushing-artists-out-of-san-francisco\">last large-scale survey of artists in San Francisco\u003c/a>, from 2015, found that 70% had been or were being displaced from their home, workspace or both. A \u003ca href=\"https://berkeleyca.gov/sites/default/files/2022-02/Berkeley%20Affordable%20Housing%20for%20Artists.pdf\">2021 survey of artists in Berkeley\u003c/a> found that the majority were low-income, and 77% were either “rent burdened” or “severely rent burdened.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989668\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989668\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260514_ARTISTHOUSING_GC-19-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1354\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260514_ARTISTHOUSING_GC-19-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260514_ARTISTHOUSING_GC-19-KQED-160x108.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260514_ARTISTHOUSING_GC-19-KQED-768x520.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260514_ARTISTHOUSING_GC-19-KQED-1536x1040.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">From left, Artist Space Trust team, Qiana Ellis, Programs Manager, and Meg Shiffler, Director, pose for a photo in Berkeley on May 14, 2026. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In the past decade, Bay Area artists have faced setback after setback. In 2016, the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/ghostshipmemorial\">Ghost Ship fire\u003c/a> at a live-work artist warehouse in Oakland, during which 36 people died, prompted a wave of evictions from makeshift dwellings where artists lived because they couldn’t afford anything else.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Then came the 2020 pandemic shutdowns, which cut off performance income, and another wave of displacement when state and city governments lifted eviction moratoriums. In more recent years, surging gas, food and rent prices have kept artists and other workers stuck in financial precarity.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Advocates say that securing permanently affordable housing for artists is key to ensuring that the Bay Area can remain a cultural hub. Qiana Ellis, Artist Space Trust’s programs manager, sees a rare opportunity for artists to secure a permanent place in the region. “They’re calling it the Great Wealth Transfer,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Over the next two decades, an estimated $124 trillion will change hands nationally as Baby Boomers and members of the Silent Generation die and pass on their assets, according to the consulting firm Cerulli Associates. “We’re really in this point that may not happen for another 100 years,” Ellis said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s mostly members of these generations who are bequeathing their homes to Artist Space Trust. Some of them are artists and most aren’t wealthy themselves; they bought their homes decades ago, when \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12078615/how-skyrocketing-housing-costs-and-policy-choices-reshaped-the-bay-area\">houses in the Bay Area went for around $23,000\u003c/a>. Today’s average home price is over $700,000 in Oakland and over $1.3 million in San Francisco.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“They’re looking back on their lives and saying, ‘Wow, I see how difficult it’s gotten for artists,’” Ellis said. “‘I’m in conversation with younger generations, and I know that they cannot make their work in the same way that I could and be able to afford housing anymore.’”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Assessing artists’ needs\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Artist Space Trust is the first organization in the nation to use a community land trust model to create permanently affordable housing specifically for artists.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Berkeley nonprofit takes properties off the for-profit real-estate market and sells them well below market rate. Prices are set so that an individual making 60% to 80% of the area median income — roughly $65,000 to $87,000 — would spend no more than 30% of their monthly income on housing expenses. The organization is also working to create other home ownership opportunities, such as tiny homes and condos, for artists making below 60% of the area’s median income.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989663\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\" style=\"max-width: 1333px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989663\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260511_ARTISTHOUSING_GC-2-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1333\" height=\"2000\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260511_ARTISTHOUSING_GC-2-KQED.jpg 1333w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260511_ARTISTHOUSING_GC-2-KQED-160x240.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260511_ARTISTHOUSING_GC-2-KQED-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260511_ARTISTHOUSING_GC-2-KQED-1024x1536.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1333px) 100vw, 1333px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sharmi Basu, Vital Arts director, poses for a portrait in downtown Oakland on May 11, 2026. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Artist Space Trust has $15 million in properties that have either been donated or will be in the coming years. Some are single-family homes while others are more unconventional, including a property with a house, a warehouse and enough room to build another unit. So far, in partnership with the Northern California Land Trust (NCLT), the organization has helped artists purchase homes by helping them take advantage of the CalHOME downpayment-assistance program. This year, Artist Space Trust will sell the first property from its own portfolio: a duplex in San Francisco’s Mission District that will go to two artist households.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The nonprofit is currently doing outreach at community events to educate local artists on different pathways to affordable housing; their \u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/holding-ground-models-for-artist-housing-in-a-time-of-displacement-tickets-1987660345600\">next resource fair\u003c/a> is on May 19. “The idea is that we start to get individuals, families and cooperatives ready for the opportunities that are coming,” Shiffler said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Artist Space Trust is a partnership of NCLT and Vital Arts, an economic justice organization for artists that formed after the Ghost Ship fire. Vital Arts Director Sharmi Basu lost over a dozen friends in the tragedy; in the aftermath, they poured themself into organizing mutual aid for survivors.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Today, Vital Arts tackles affordability at several different levels. The organization helps artists cover basic living expenses through its \u003ca href=\"https://www.vitalarts.org/adpg\">Artist Displacement Prevention Grant\u003c/a>, which gives out $3,000 in emergency assistance to artists facing eviction, homelessness and sudden rent increases. At its free \u003ca href=\"https://www.vitalarts.org/alc\">Artist Legal Cafe\u003c/a>, next happening on May 19, lawyers advise artists on tenants’ rights and other issues.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For Basu, helping artists get permanent housing through Artist Space Trust is a crucial part of the solution. While Artist Space Trust helps artists navigate the complicated financial logistics, Vital Arts will come in when it’s time to select potential homeowners for each housing opportunity.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There are the features of the property to consider — ceramicists will be prioritized for a home with a pottery studio, for example — but Basu also sees this as an opportunity to address inequality. They want to make sure these housing opportunities don’t just reach people from well-off backgrounds, but go to people from Black and brown communities who have historically been locked out of homeownership because of redlining and other racist policies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“[We’re] making sure that equity is built from the foundation up in that selection process,” Basu said.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>A movement for artist housing grows\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The need for artist housing is inspiring efforts across the Bay Area.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Artists Hub on Market and Mercy Housing of California, two nonprofits, will soon begin construction on an 100% affordable \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13957645/100-million-gift-affordable-artist-housing-mcroskey-mattress-san-francisco\">San Francisco apartment building for artists\u003c/a> that will include nearly 100 units, plus workspaces, a community center and a theater. Another nonprofit, Unity Council, has plans to develop the former Ghost Ship site in East Oakland into affordable housing, with 10% of the units set aside for artists.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989667\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989667\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260514_ARTISTHOUSING_GC-18-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1307\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260514_ARTISTHOUSING_GC-18-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260514_ARTISTHOUSING_GC-18-KQED-160x105.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260514_ARTISTHOUSING_GC-18-KQED-768x502.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260514_ARTISTHOUSING_GC-18-KQED-1536x1004.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Rashida Chase, board chair of Vital Arts and cultural strategist for the city of Oakland, poses for a portrait in downtown Oakland on May 11, 2026. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Artists Hub on Market is slated for completion in 2028, and the Unity Council building is projected to begin construction that year. But building from the ground up is a lengthy process, so arts advocates are also exploring how to create affordable artist housing in existing properties.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Rashida Chase, board chair of Vital Arts, is a cultural strategist in Oakland City Councilmember Carroll Fife’s office. Chase lobbied the state to designate downtown Oakland’s Black Arts Movement and Business District as a California Cultural District, which opens up more housing opportunities.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Thanks to the 2023 state law AB 812, city governments can set aside 10% of locally required affordable housing units for artists within and around state-designated cultural districts, as well as within local cultural districts.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12016292/berkeley-wants-to-create-cultural-district-where-artists-afford-to-live\">city of Berkeley is using AB 812\u003c/a> to pursue similar strategies. Artist Space Trust is currently advising multiple housing developers building in cultural districts, with the goal of holding the master lease for the units designated for artists.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This summer, Chase is spearheading a survey to find out whether there are city-owned properties, foreclosed homes or vacant lots that could be converted into affordable housing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Chase, who grew up in West Oakland, namechecks born-and-raised Oaklanders Ryan Coogler, Zendaya and Alysa Liu when she talks about the importance of creating policy that makes it easier for artists to stay in Oakland. “Culture is our main export,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We can hope [the Bay Area] won’t keep skyrocketing, but prices typically don’t come down,” Chase said. “And so we just wanna make sure that there’s enough housing available for the artists who are still here, but also artists who wanna come back.”\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Experts from Artist Space Trust and other nonprofits are hosting \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/holding-ground-models-for-artist-housing-in-a-time-of-displacement-tickets-1987660345600\">\u003cem>Holding Ground\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>, a panel discussion and resource fair, on May 19 at 6:30 p.m. at Root Division (1131 Mission St., San Francisco). Also on May 19, Vital Arts has its free \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.theselc.org/legalcafe_20260519\">\u003cem>Artist Legal Cafe\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> from 3:30-5:30 p.m. at Bandaloop Studios (1601 18th St., Oakland).\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"order": 1
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"id": "code-switch-life-kit",
"title": "Code Switch / Life Kit",
"info": "\u003cem>Code Switch\u003c/em>, which listeners will hear in the first part of the hour, has fearless and much-needed conversations about race. Hosted by journalists of color, the show tackles the subject of race head-on, exploring how it impacts every part of society — from politics and pop culture to history, sports and more.\u003cbr />\u003cbr />\u003cem>Life Kit\u003c/em>, which will be in the second part of the hour, guides you through spaces and feelings no one prepares you for — from finances to mental health, from workplace microaggressions to imposter syndrome, from relationships to parenting. The show features experts with real world experience and shares their knowledge. Because everyone needs a little help being human.\u003cbr />\u003cbr />\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510312/codeswitch\">\u003cem>Code Switch\u003c/em> offical site and podcast\u003c/a>\u003cbr />\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/lifekit\">\u003cem>Life Kit\u003c/em> offical site and podcast\u003c/a>\u003cbr />",
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"meta": {
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"id": "commonwealth-club",
"title": "Commonwealth Club of California Podcast",
"info": "The Commonwealth Club of California is the nation's oldest and largest public affairs forum. As a non-partisan forum, The Club brings to the public airwaves diverse viewpoints on important topics. The Club's weekly radio broadcast - the oldest in the U.S., dating back to 1924 - is carried across the nation on public radio stations and is now podcasting. Our website archive features audio of our recent programs, as well as selected speeches from our long and distinguished history. This podcast feed is usually updated twice a week and is always un-edited.",
"airtime": "THU 10pm, FRI 1am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Commonwealth-Club-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
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"meta": {
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"source": "Commonwealth Club of California"
},
"link": "/radio/program/commonwealth-club",
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"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5jb21tb253ZWFsdGhjbHViLm9yZy9hdWRpby9wb2RjYXN0L3dlZWtseS54bWw",
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},
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"id": "forum",
"title": "Forum",
"tagline": "The conversation starts here",
"info": "KQED’s live call-in program discussing local, state, national and international issues, as well as in-depth interviews.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 9am-11am, 10pm-11pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Forum-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Forum with Mina Kim and Alexis Madrigal",
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"order": 9
},
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"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkM5NTU3MzgxNjMz",
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"id": "freakonomics-radio",
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"officialWebsiteLink": "http://freakonomics.com/",
"airtime": "SUN 1am-2am, SAT 3pm-4pm",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "WNYC"
},
"link": "/radio/program/freakonomics-radio",
"subscribe": {
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"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/freakonomics-radio/id354668519",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/podcasts/WNYC-Podcasts/Freakonomics-Radio-p272293/",
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},
"fresh-air": {
"id": "fresh-air",
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"info": "Hosted by Terry Gross, \u003cem>Fresh Air from WHYY\u003c/em> is the Peabody Award-winning weekday magazine of contemporary arts and issues. One of public radio's most popular programs, Fresh Air features intimate conversations with today's biggest luminaries.",
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"meta": {
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"link": "/radio/program/fresh-air",
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"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=214089682&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
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"info": "A live production of NPR and WBUR Boston, in collaboration with stations across the country, Here & Now reflects the fluid world of news as it's happening in the middle of the day, with timely, in-depth news, interviews and conversation. Hosted by Robin Young, Jeremy Hobson and Tonya Mosley.",
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"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510051/podcast.xml"
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},
"hidden-brain": {
"id": "hidden-brain",
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"info": "Shankar Vedantam uses science and storytelling to reveal the unconscious patterns that drive human behavior, shape our choices and direct our relationships.",
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"airtime": "SUN 7pm-8pm",
"meta": {
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"source": "NPR"
},
"link": "/radio/program/hidden-brain",
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},
"how-i-built-this": {
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"title": "How I Built This with Guy Raz",
"info": "Guy Raz dives into the stories behind some of the world's best known companies. How I Built This weaves a narrative journey about innovators, entrepreneurs and idealists—and the movements they built.",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/05/howIBuiltThis.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510313/how-i-built-this",
"airtime": "SUN 7:30pm-8pm",
"meta": {
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},
"link": "/radio/program/how-i-built-this",
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"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-built-this-with-guy-raz/id1150510297?mt=2",
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"hyphenacion": {
"id": "hyphenacion",
"title": "Hyphenación",
"tagline": "Where conversation and cultura meet",
"info": "What kind of no sabo word is Hyphenación? For us, it’s about living within a hyphenation. Like being a third-gen Mexican-American from the Texas border now living that Bay Area Chicano life. Like Xorje! Each week we bring together a couple of hyphenated Latinos to talk all about personal life choices: family, careers, relationships, belonging … everything is on the table. ",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Hyphenacion_FinalAssets_PodcastTile.png",
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"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/hyphenacion",
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"order": 15
},
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},
"jerrybrown": {
"id": "jerrybrown",
"title": "The Political Mind of Jerry Brown",
"tagline": "Lessons from a lifetime in politics",
"info": "The Political Mind of Jerry Brown brings listeners the wisdom of the former Governor, Mayor, and presidential candidate. Scott Shafer interviewed Brown for more than 40 hours, covering the former governor's life and half-century in the political game – and Brown has some lessons he'd like to share. ",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-Political-Mind-of-Jerry-Brown-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
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"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/jerrybrown",
"meta": {
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"order": 18
},
"link": "/podcasts/jerrybrown",
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},
"latino-usa": {
"id": "latino-usa",
"title": "Latino USA",
"airtime": "MON 1am-2am, SUN 6pm-7pm",
"info": "Latino USA, the radio journal of news and culture, is the only national, English-language radio program produced from a Latino perspective.",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/latinoUsa.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "http://latinousa.org/",
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"link": "/radio/program/latino-usa",
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"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=79681317&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
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"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510016/podcast.xml"
}
},
"marketplace": {
"id": "marketplace",
"title": "Marketplace",
"info": "Our flagship program, helmed by Kai Ryssdal, examines what the day in money delivered, through stories, conversations, newsworthy numbers and more. Updated Monday through Friday at about 3:30 p.m. PT.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 4pm-4:30pm, MON-WED 6:30pm-7pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Marketplace-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.marketplace.org/",
"meta": {
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"source": "American Public Media"
},
"link": "/radio/program/marketplace",
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},
"masters-of-scale": {
"id": "masters-of-scale",
"title": "Masters of Scale",
"info": "Masters of Scale is an original podcast in which LinkedIn co-founder and Greylock Partner Reid Hoffman sets out to describe and prove theories that explain how great entrepreneurs take their companies from zero to a gazillion in ingenious fashion.",
"airtime": "Every other Wednesday June 12 through October 16 at 8pm (repeats Thursdays at 2am)",
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"officialWebsiteLink": "https://mastersofscale.com/",
"meta": {
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"source": "WaitWhat"
},
"link": "/radio/program/masters-of-scale",
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"apple": "http://mastersofscale.app.link/",
"rss": "https://rss.art19.com/masters-of-scale"
}
},
"mindshift": {
"id": "mindshift",
"title": "MindShift",
"tagline": "A podcast about the future of learning and how we raise our kids",
"info": "The MindShift podcast explores the innovations in education that are shaping how kids learn. Hosts Ki Sung and Katrina Schwartz introduce listeners to educators, researchers, parents and students who are developing effective ways to improve how kids learn. We cover topics like how fed-up administrators are developing surprising tactics to deal with classroom disruptions; how listening to podcasts are helping kids develop reading skills; the consequences of overparenting; and why interdisciplinary learning can engage students on all ends of the traditional achievement spectrum. This podcast is part of the MindShift education site, a division of KQED News. KQED is an NPR/PBS member station based in San Francisco. You can also visit the MindShift website for episodes and supplemental blog posts or tweet us \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/MindShiftKQED\">@MindShiftKQED\u003c/a> or visit us at \u003ca href=\"/mindshift\">MindShift.KQED.org\u003c/a>",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Mindshift-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED MindShift: How We Will Learn",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/mindshift/",
"meta": {
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"source": "kqed",
"order": 12
},
"link": "/podcasts/mindshift",
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"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkM1NzY0NjAwNDI5",
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}
},
"morning-edition": {
"id": "morning-edition",
"title": "Morning Edition",
"info": "\u003cem>Morning Edition\u003c/em> takes listeners around the country and the world with multi-faceted stories and commentaries every weekday. Hosts Steve Inskeep, David Greene and Rachel Martin bring you the latest breaking news and features to prepare you for the day.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 3am-9am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Morning-Edition-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/morning-edition/",
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"link": "/radio/program/morning-edition"
},
"onourwatch": {
"id": "onourwatch",
"title": "On Our Watch",
"tagline": "Deeply-reported investigative journalism",
"info": "For decades, the process for how police police themselves has been inconsistent – if not opaque. In some states, like California, these proceedings were completely hidden. After a new police transparency law unsealed scores of internal affairs files, our reporters set out to examine these cases and the shadow world of police discipline. On Our Watch brings listeners into the rooms where officers are questioned and witnesses are interrogated to find out who this system is really protecting. Is it the officers, or the public they've sworn to serve?",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/On-Our-Watch-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "On Our Watch from NPR and KQED",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/onourwatch",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 11
},
"link": "/podcasts/onourwatch",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1567098962",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5ucHIub3JnLzUxMDM2MC9wb2RjYXN0LnhtbD9zYz1nb29nbGVwb2RjYXN0cw",
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"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/show/on-our-watch",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510360/podcast.xml"
}
},
"on-the-media": {
"id": "on-the-media",
"title": "On The Media",
"info": "Our weekly podcast explores how the media 'sausage' is made, casts an incisive eye on fluctuations in the marketplace of ideas, and examines threats to the freedom of information and expression in America and abroad. For one hour a week, the show tries to lift the veil from the process of \"making media,\" especially news media, because it's through that lens that we see the world and the world sees us",
"airtime": "SUN 2pm-3pm, MON 12am-1am",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/onTheMedia.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.wnycstudios.org/shows/otm",
"meta": {
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"source": "wnyc"
},
"link": "/radio/program/on-the-media",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/on-the-media/id73330715?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/On-the-Media-p69/",
"rss": "http://feeds.wnyc.org/onthemedia"
}
},
"pbs-newshour": {
"id": "pbs-newshour",
"title": "PBS NewsHour",
"info": "Analysis, background reports and updates from the PBS NewsHour putting today's news in context.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 3pm-4pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/PBS-News-Hour-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.pbs.org/newshour/",
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"source": "pbs"
},
"link": "/radio/program/pbs-newshour",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/pbs-newshour-full-show/id394432287?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/PBS-NewsHour---Full-Show-p425698/",
"rss": "https://www.pbs.org/newshour/feeds/rss/podcasts/show"
}
},
"perspectives": {
"id": "perspectives",
"title": "Perspectives",
"tagline": "KQED's series of daily listener commentaries since 1991",
"info": "KQED's series of daily listener commentaries since 1991.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Perspectives_Tile_Final.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Perspectives",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/perspectives/",
"meta": {
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"source": "kqed",
"order": 14
},
"link": "/perspectives",
"subscribe": {
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"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/432309616/perspectives",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/perspectives/category/perspectives/feed/",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93dzIua3FlZC5vcmcvcGVyc3BlY3RpdmVzL2NhdGVnb3J5L3BlcnNwZWN0aXZlcy9mZWVkLw"
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},
"planet-money": {
"id": "planet-money",
"title": "Planet Money",
"info": "The economy explained. Imagine you could call up a friend and say, Meet me at the bar and tell me what's going on with the economy. Now imagine that's actually a fun evening.",
"airtime": "SUN 3pm-4pm",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/planetmoney.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/sections/money/",
"meta": {
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"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/planet-money",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/M4f5",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/planet-money/id290783428?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/podcasts/Business--Economics-Podcasts/Planet-Money-p164680/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510289/podcast.xml"
}
},
"politicalbreakdown": {
"id": "politicalbreakdown",
"title": "Political Breakdown",
"tagline": "Politics from a personal perspective",
"info": "Political Breakdown is a new series that explores the political intersection of California and the nation. Each week hosts Scott Shafer and Marisa Lagos are joined with a new special guest to unpack politics -- with personality — and offer an insider’s glimpse at how politics happens.",
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