Autumn is here and while the heat of mild summer days lingers, October welcomes the ‘cultural return.’
Known as ‘Rentrée Culturelle,’ this is the dynamic post-summer shift when (historically) the mid-summer lull ends and the artistic avant-garde ‘return to the city,’ and cultural institutions launch their premiere programming. Congruously, the month kicks off National Art and Humanities Month ahead of the bustling art season, while honoring culture, creativity, and community.
Every October, National Art and Humanities Month, previews how the arts enrich our daily lives throughout the year. It’s an opportunity to take part in arts events in your own neighborhood and throughout the region. A core activity and goal of National Arts and Humanities Month, coordinated by Americans for the Arts, is community participation: “encouraging local organizations, artists, and citizens to host events, share personal stories on social media, and increase equitable access to culture.” National Arts and Humanities Month is a collective celebration of culture in America.
A quick rundown of issues causing devastating effects on culture in America — the Kennedy Center debacle where the president’s escalating legal battles sparked takeover of the board of trustees, in only one issue at the institution; the censorship of the Smithsonian Institution exhibits, billionaire Robert Kraft curtailing freedom of expression by removing Macklemore from Ed Sheeran’s tour, with little consequence, because the artist called for a free Palestine, to name just a few — show that the “United States” is in need of a collective celebration of culture.
I can’t imagine a moment more in need of an arts movement than the one we are living through now.
It’s for good reason that National Arts & Humanities Month has become the largest annual celebration of the arts and humanities in the nation. Americans for the Arts states that the arts and humanities play a crucial role in promoting individual well-being, addressing trauma, and highlighting inequities. The arts connect people across cultures, engender self-expression and core values, and make our communities healthier and stronger.
So, this October, step out and witness how the Harbor Area galleries and museums are rising to the occasion.
Here is your look ahead at the arts landscape in the Harbor region throughout October and beyond.
San Pedro
When the Sun Goes Down at solo. Gallery
The show features select prints from Guillaume Zuili’s acclaimed series, a selection of high desert landscapes dating from 2021, showcasing his mastery of lith printing, a creative process using vintage black-and-white darkroom printing papers.
The show is on view now through Oct. 24.
Details: solosanpedro.com
Rooted In What Carries Us at Angels Gate Cultural Center
“DORMIDERA #3 LAW” from Rooted In What Carries Us at Angels Gate Cultural Center. Photo courtesy of AGCC.
Rooted In What Carries Us is a major group exhibition featuring Native and Indigenous perspectives from Southern California and beyond, depicting the original peoples of this land as multidimensional individuals, each with unique traditions and stories that comprise the multifaceted identity of Turtle Island.
Juried by Joe D. Horse Capture, chief curator at The Autry Museum of the American West, Emma Robbins, founder and director of Chapter House in Los Angeles, and Laurie Steelink, artist, cultural practitioner, and founder of Cornelius Projects in San Pedro. Painting, drawing, fiber, ceramics, basket weaving, beadwork, and photography are represented by thirty-eight contemporary Native and Indigenous working artists.
The show runs to Oct. 24.
Details: https://tinyurl.com/rooted-what-carries-us
Teen Mural Club with Angels Gate Cultural Center
Join artist Rebekah Rose this fall in a 10-week mural painting program with Angels Gate Cultural Center. This program is designed for San Pedro teens and will follow the entire process of creating a large-scale public art, from brainstorming to painting.
Class times are from 4 to 5:30 p.m., Oct. 7 to Dec. 2
Details: https://tinyurl.com/AGCC-teen-mural-class
Excavations: traces beneath surface by Nida Amin at Collage: A Place For Art and Culture
This solo exhibition featuring charcoal and pencil drawings explores memory, change, and the traces left behind through making and unmaking. Created before and after a 10-year break from artmaking, these works reflect growth, loss, resilience, and renewal.
Amin is holding a class on pencil drawing techniques on Saturdays at College, now through Oct. 31.
Details: https://tinyurl.com/Excavations-Nida-Amin
Why Do I Care? At Gallery Azul
Why Do I Care? is an exhibition recognizing the intersections of culture, queerness, and care. The show is curated by Harmony Azul Vasquez, who is also holding a beginning and intermediate painting class at The Artistry Gallery, 479 W. 6th St., San Pedro
Check out Why Do I Care? During October’s first Thursday from 6 to 9 p.m.
Details: www.galleryazul.com
106th International Open Exhibition, The National Watercolor Society
The National Watercolor Society’s flagship exhibition is an internationally acclaimed event, widely recognized for presenting innovative and accomplished work in contemporary watermedia. The show brings together exceptional artists from across the globe, creating a carefully curated collection that exemplifies technical mastery, artistic vision, and the evolving possibilities of watercolor. The International Open Exhibition is also featured as one of the stops during October’s FirstThursday guided tour happening from 5 to 9 p.m., Oct 1.
Details: https://nationalwatercolorsociety.org/
Art of the Annex at Grand Annex Art Saloon
Enjoy an evening of art and music during First Thursday, featuring art curated by fINdings Art Center and live music.
On display will be Art of the Annex: From the Collection of Liz Schindler Johnson, a one-night pop-up exhibition presented by fINdings Art Center in partnership with Grand Vision Foundation.
The exhibition features notable artists including graphic designer and artist John Van Hamersveld, known around the world for his iconic The Endless Summer poster and album art. Also featured are acclaimed sculptor Ann Weber, recognized for her large-scale, abstract cardboard sculptures, and artist Regina Argentin, whose expressive canvases explore form, color and mystery. Other featured artists are: Candice Gawne, Nadiya Nikolaeva, Muriel Olguin, Harold Plople, Margie Rust, Luis Sanchez and Pooral.
Adding to the event, local father-daughter musical duo, Chris and Emily Huff, will host and provide live music during the show.
Details: https://tinyurl.com/Art-of-the-Annex
Long Beach
Off the Wall at Rod Briggs Gallery
Off The Wall, curated by Walter Focht, is an exhibition focused on three-dimensional art of all kinds, including, but not limited to, sculpture, assemblage, ceramics and fiber arts. It includes art that embodies the great diversity of techniques, materials, and concepts driving contemporary 3D art. The exhibition will be presented from Oct. 3 through Nov. 14.
Details: longbeachcreativegroup.org
Peter Carr: This Is How We Will All Be Saved at Carolyn Campagna Kleefeld Contemporary Art Museum
Harry Lawson “Peter” Carr produced a prolific body of work that advocated for people-powered movements fighting against war, U.S. imperialism, corporate greed and environmental plunder. Carr’s poetry, art books, political posters and paintings advanced his urgency to collectively organize for survival in the face of capitalist and militarist destruction. In conjunction with the special collections and university archives, the exhibition explores the history of campus protest and peace activism at Cal State Long Beach. The show runs to Dec. 10.
Details: https://tinyurl.com/How-We-Will-All-Be-Saved
The 2026 Long Beach Open Studio Tour
In celebration of Long Beach Arts Month as well as the National Arts and Humanities Month, artists will be opening their studios to visitors for the Long Beach Open Studio Tour or LBOST during four weekends in October.
The LBOST is a free, self-guided, at-your-own-pace event. Drive, ride a bike, or walk, and if you want, buy some art.
The website includes new interactive maps of the studio locations as well as artist information to help you plan your studio visits. The participating studios and neighborhoods are marked with lawn signs bearing the LB Open Studio Tour logo.
The 2026 Tour will be held on the following weekends:
Oct 3-4 Belmont
Oct 10-11 Uptown
Oct 17-18 Downtown
Oct 24-25 Eastside
Details: https://lbopenstudiotour.com
Torrance
Bakers Dozen 2026 at Torrance Art Museum
Baker’s Dozen acts as a review of sorts — a survey exhibition featuring thirteen artists whose work made a positive impression on the curators over the past year. These thirteen artists reflect current directions in Southern California’s contemporary art practices.
Historically, a “baker’s dozen” refers to thirteen instead of twelve, originating in 13th-century England, when bakers would include an extra loaf of bread to avoid punishment by King Henry III for selling underweight loaves. This exhibition draws on that idea, acknowledging the curators’ own preconceptions and biases, while centering artistic endeavors rooted in the present moment. The show is on view to Nov. 7.
Also at showing TAM is B-LA-M
A three-year exchange between Berlin, Los Angeles, and Mexico City artist-run initiatives featuring artists from UOOORS (Los Angeles), Venice Institute of Contemporary Art (ViCA) (Los Angeles) and Die Möglichkeit einer Insel (Berlin).
Details: www.torranceartmuseum.com/bakers-dozen
Rancho Palos Verdes
Palos Verdes Art Center 95th Anniversary Open House
Join this Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 3 and 4, to celebrate PVAC’s 95th anniversary with free art activities for children and adults. Art projects will be presented by members of PVAC’s seven artist groups (PVACA), along with instructors from our art in the schools program, Art At Your Fingertips, and volunteers from Earth Studio @PVAC, a new community outreach garden program. Art supplies are free and will be provided with instruction.
Palos Verdes Art Center / Beverly G. Alpay Center for Arts Education is a nonprofit community visual arts school and gallery, which provides opportunities to create, appreciate, be inspired, and celebrate art. Founded on May 11, 1931, PVAC’s exhibition, education and outreach programs have grown to make the visual arts available, accessible and affordable.
Details: https://tinyurl.com/95th-anniversary-open-house
Studio School Faculty Show at Palos Verdes Art Center
This show displays current works by PVAC art instructors. The Studio School at Palos Verdes Art Center believes in the power of art to ignite the imagination and be an agent for change. The Studio School stands united with its artists, educators, and students to provide an environment that celebrates diversity, promotes understanding, exhibits compassion, and nurtures the creative spirit of its community.
Details: https://pvartcenter.org
Wilmington
If you are up for a Creative Circle Mixer on Oct 2, the Wilmington Art Walk doors will be open to the entire community with an emphasis on the creative community to meet and greet, hangout, collaborate and vibe together.
Musicians, artists, sculptors, chefs, designers, architects, carpenters, teachers, students, film makers, photographers, martial artists, athletes and more are invited to assemble.
