You’ve heard that watercolor is daunting, but it’s still fascinating you. Come to be introduced to the personality and potential of this tricky but dynamic painting medium. Learn the ways watercolor is apt to flow (or not), and how you and those colors can start a tango that will unleash a new relationship with your artistic visions.

Join Poet Laureate Caleb Nichols and SLO County Arts Executive Director Jordan Chestnut for a generative workshop that explores the short poem. We'll talk about what makes effective short poetry, and you'll have the opportunity to respond to prompts on the theme of place and belonging, and to ask questions about the open call for the SLO Poetry Walk.

Cambria Center for the Arts is proud to present Still, a Jury Awarded Exhibit. This exhibit allows artists to submit any piece of art, in any medium with the theme and word “Still” in the title. Central Coast’s Watercolor artist and teacher, Jan French, will judge the exhibit with cash prizes awarded.

Come meet the artist Juan Fuentes on the last day of his show in our area. Powerful, Relevant and Amazing Fine art works in Printmaking!

Art After Dark (AAD), hosted by SLO County Arts, is a monthly event held on the First Friday of each month. Participating businesses transform into vibrant creative spaces, showcasing local art, music, performances, and more in a free, community-centered walking tour that highlights the artistic heart of San Luis Obispo.

We invite you to join us for another evening of poetry on Thursday, April 30, 2026, 5:30 p.m, at the Los Osos Library. Featured poets will be Roger Carmody and Kevin Drabinski. An open reading will follow a short intermission. The evening’s theme will be “Kindling.” As usual, no one should feel bound by it.

Hosted by SLO Book Bike, this free poetry workshop is being held at Gala Pride and Diversity Center in San Luis Obispo.

Phoebe Vlassis invites you to witness the act of weaving as song and story, and to participate in its co-creation. From Greek love songs and industrial protest chants to pulsing electronic beats, the audience will journey through the ancient tale of textiles with humor and heart. With the final revelation of the completed cloth, woven live throughout the performance, you will behold your own role in the weaving. This event is all ages.

Experience this beginner friendly method of printmaking as Carolina guides you through different ways you can use gel plates and mixed media to create a one-of-a-kind design. These prints would be perfect as cards, decor, gifts or just an open canvas for the curious mind to explore. All materials provided. No experience necessary - come, play and let your creative spirit flow! Email Carolina at lunacarolina@outlook.com to sign up.

Learn some watercolor basics while making greeting cards for your loved ones. Carolina will teach you basic watercolor techniques, then you will get free time to create and get one on one help. She will have multiple examples but encourages students to bring in their own ideas to bring to fruition! This is open to all skill levels and is perfect for new or beginner artists. In honor of Earth Day—we will focus on florals and botanicals!
Most materials provided.

Class Fee: $35
Cal Poly and Cuesta Students $10 off with student ID
Register: Email Carolina at lunacarolina@outlook.com

Creative Quills Community Poetry Collective provides a supportive and inclusive environment for local aspiring poets, both amateur and published to share their creative works.

The culturally and relevant artwork of Juan Fuentes (printmaker) held over til May 2. The Pocket Gallery will be showing his work, April 11, April 18 and May 2. Hope you will swing by and see this powerful body of work.

Join Jessamyn Lynn for her class series: Paint in the Style Of...

In this first session, learn to paint in the style of Georgia O'Keeffe, an American artist best known for her paintings of flowers and desert landscapes. All artist levels welcome.

SLO EarthFest inspires and empowers our community to take bold climate action through education, connection, and celebration. By bringing together local leaders, sustainable innovators, and passionate individuals, we create a fun and engaging space to explore solutions, support climate-friendly initiatives, and build a more resilient future—right here in San Luis Obispo.

Enjoy live music, a sustainable makers market, and more! Tickets are free but registration is required. Visit sloearthfest.org to learn more.

California Sculptors Symposium will hold its annual week long workshops at Camp Ocean Pines, 1473 Randall Drive, Cambria, CA and welcomes the public to their Sculpture Show and Sale on Saturday, April 18 from 11am until 2pm. Works on display are from artists attending the week long symposium. Select works will be for sale. The public is invited to visit Camp Ocean Pines to view the show, walk around and visit the various sculpture work stations and meet with the artists working on their projects.

Check out all that is happening in upcycled clothes. This partnership with SLO Climate coalition will inspire!

Join the Harold J Miossi Art Gallery as they celebrate the fantastic work of our Cuesta student artists. There will be food and art and tunes by Cuesta Music combo The New Choice. It is always a festive occasion.

Jurors Christina McPhee and Katie Herzog had their work cut out for them as they narrowed down the 180+ submitted works down to the final 55 pieces selected to be in the exhibition.  The art that you will find represent just a fraction of the incredible work being done in the Fine Arts Department, but it is a diverse sampling of the talent, skill and creativity of Cuesta College students.

The Creative Kids series is designed to ignite your child's imagination and inspire creativity. Each workshop focuses on a different medium and is a great way to see what subject(s) sparks your child’s interest! Check out artcentralslo.com for specific weekly projects.

Hear from the artists in The Bunker SLO’s Earth Month show about how they use upcycled materials in their work.

Out of Bounds! is an open juried international exhibition offered by the Pastel Society of the West Coast of works in pastel (and other mediums) going beyond the traditional use of the pastel medium. Breaking the 80% rule for traditional pastel exhibits, this competition is one that requires the entries to be approximately 30-50% pastel to be combined with one or more other mediums creating two-dimensional works of art. If you relish experimental art and love art that moves outside of the usual boundaries of traditional pastel competitions, this show is for you!

Film screening with introduction by Dr. John Goodby, professor of arts and culture at Sheffield Hallam University in the UK. The leading authority on Dylan Thomas, Dr. Goodby has written extensively on his work and edited his Collected Poems.

Opening April 5 and running through April 26, 2026, the exhibition will feature the personal collection of Andrea Wasko and Meaghan Gilbert. The show highlights a curated selection of fine art, decorative objects, and unique collectibles, offering visitors an engaging and meaningful gallery experience. On April 12th, the community is invited to enjoy an afternoon of art, DJ and dancing, food and drinks, and a silent auction benefiting financial education for women.

Cruise Control Contemporary is pleased to announce Cat’s Cradle, a presentation of new works by Cambria-based artist Vicky Lawson, opening April 11, 2026.

Lawson’s practice is playful, tactile, and unguarded—moving fluidly between painting and object, between surface and structure. Her compositions favor bold color relationships, loose mark-making, and an almost conversational sense of form. Shapes appear, overlap, and resolve in ways that feel less designed than discovered, as if each work is the result of a sequence of small decisions made in real time.

The culturally and relevant artwork of Juan Fuentes (printmaker) held over til May 2. The Pocket Gallery will be showing his work, April 11, April 18 and May 2. Hope you will swing by and see this powerful body of work.

Back by popular demand! Create one of a kind tribute to your furry friends while enjoying a fun day with your human pals! Anyone can create a pet portrait, regardless of art experience. In this 4 1/2 hour workshop, you will be guided through a fun process of using hand painted papers selected exclusively for your pet. The 11“ x 14“ canvas board is available at Art Central, all other supplies will be provided. This event will fill up fast so make your reservations soon.

Readings, performances, and strangeness from local poets and artists. Zine proceeds benefit 805 Undocufund. Free entry!