The heart of Marin County is amid an artistic renaissance, thanks to downtown San Rafael.
“San Rafael’s artistic culture is the heartbeat of Marin County, a vibrant blend of diverse arts offerings and contemporary creativity that brings the community to life,” said Elisabeth Setten, executive director of San Rafael’s Art Works Downtown. “From inspiring galleries like Art Works Downtown and Marin Society of Artists to Youth in Arts amplifying the next generation, the city brims with opportunities to experience the arts.”
“When I think about the artistic renaissance in San Rafael, I see it as a powerful revival of creativity that touches every part of our community,” noted Setten. “It’s about creating real opportunities for artists and ensuring they’re paid for their work—because making art is work. It’s about making artist housing and studio spaces affordable and engaging the public through vibrant events.
“Whether it’s buying a piece of art from a local artist, attending a theater performance or simply showing up for an event, the audience plays an incredibly important role in sustaining the arts. If you want art in your life—whether it’s music, visual art or theater—we must support it,” Setten continued.
San Rafael’s seemingly endless rollout of new murals and installations, museum exhibitions and gallery showcases—and more than a few citywide celebrations of all artistic mediums, from architecture to theater—can lead one to believe there’s something artsy in the air over there…or maybe the water of the iconic canal is imbued with creative juices strong enough to fuel the emergence of a modern Renaissance era.
But before diving into the topic (or a canal), it’s important to ask and answer one question—what exactly is a renaissance? Well, the term “renaissance” is used to describe a rebirth or revival of art, culture and appreciation for the people whose creativity makes such expressions of the human condition possible.
In historical terms, the “Renaissance” that most people know and love (arguably) took place between the 13th and 17th centuries in continental Europe.
While the exact timeline of the Renaissance is a little bit debatable, thanks to Dante and his Inferno spearheading the movement from Middle Age culture into its more modern artistic landscape in the 1300s, the impact of this centuries-long revival of the arts shaped the Western artistic canon of today. During this historical resurgence of classical art and artists, some people were able to carve out their place in history…literally, in the case of sculptors.
Many Renaissance artists’ works and reputations survived the ages, and they remain household names most everyone knows to this day: Leonardo da Vinci, Donatello, Michelangelo and Raphael, for instance (though their immortality may presently owe more to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles).
With all that added context, it’s time to trace this impromptu art history lesson forward a few centuries and back to the topic at hand: the here and now of San Rafael’s renaissance.
“There’s a lot to be excited about in San Rafael right now, with several fantastic projects underway,” Setten explained. “One that’s really creating a lot of attention is the Civic Wave installation by artist Raylene Gorum. This vibrant piece is the result of a collaboration between Raylene, Art Works Downtown, the City of San Rafael and the Downtown San Rafael Arts District. We took a building that was an eyesore and transformed it into something truly beautiful.”
Gorum is a great example of a modern, local Renaissance artist; her new installation, Civic Wave, recently celebrated its completion with a reception on Nov. 30.
“Renaissance is my word of the year,” Gorum exclaimed. “I’m honored to have this prominent 60-foot-long canvas smack in the middle of downtown San Rafael…It is kind of like my love letter to the vibrancy of San Rafael. My mission is to combine art and architecture to make cities a little more fantastical. I feel like this large, glowing version of stained glass art is an invitation to a colorful world of possibilities…it’s exciting to see that creative vitality take to the streets with support from the City. It feels like the precipice of something big.”
With San Rafael topping headfirst over the precipice of its renaissance right in time for the holidays, there’s no better time than the present to go out and experience the beginning of a new era in real time.
“It’s no surprise San Rafael was named one of just 14 California Cultural Arts Districts—a powerful testament to its creativity, diversity and vibrant sense of community,” said Setten.
“With renowned institutions like the California Film Institute, home of the legendary Mill Valley Film Festival, and the newly arrived Marin Museum of Contemporary Art enriching the scene, San Rafael celebrates artistic connection at every turn. Events like the 2nd Friday Art Walks, Día de los Muertos by Multicultural Center of Marin, PorchFest, Marin Shakespeare, Marin Ballet and more showcase a thriving cultural mosaic,” Setten continued.
San Rafael’s renaissance was and remains a labor of love, born from the hard work of locals who spent decades (if not full lifetimes) honing their crafts and cultivating a community where art doesn’t just survive—instead, their dedication and perseverance created room for the movement to inspire and thrive.
“San Rafael is gaining momentum as a thriving cultural hub, building on the legacy of creativity that Art Works Downtown founder Phyllis Thelen envisioned in the early 1990s,” said Setten. “For Phyllis, ‘Art Works’ wasn’t just a name—it was a call to action, a belief that art is alive, active and essential to our community.”
“This historical foundation of collaboration, community involvement and preservation is key to San Rafael’s artistic culture today,” Setten concluded. “The legacy of Phyllis Thelen’s work continues to shape the city, offering a model for communities everywhere to support the arts while meeting the needs of their residents.”
To learn more about the artistic scene in San Rafael, visit dsrad.org and/or artworksdowntown.org.
