ReFrameVC Arts Summit
Calling all artists, cultural leaders and creatives!
April 12, 2026
9:30am-5:30pm
Studio Channel Islands
2222 Ventura Blvd
Camarillo, California
Presented By
Calling all artists, cultural leaders and creatives!
About ReframeVC
ReFrame brings together artists, culture-makers, and innovators to share strategies, connect with peers, and shape our region’s creative future. Through a series of lightning talks, hands-on workshops, strategic planning sessions, and dedicated IRL connection time, our program has been designed to not only advance your creative practice, but also build meaningful relationships and help craft a bold vision for Ventura County’s creative economy.
ANCHORING ARTS AND CULTURE AS A CREATIVE & ECONOMIC DRIVER FOR VENTURA COUNTY.
- Learn how your work contributes to the creative economy and how to use this knowledge to advocate for yourself and your organization.
- Whether you’re starting out or starting over, learn valuable tools to help you reframe and thrive in your career and in your life.
- Share how your work is transforming this community.
- Develop your network of creative and business partners.
WHO’S IT FOR?
- Artists
- Culture bearers
- Business owners in the creative sector
- Employees of arts and culture organizations
2026 Schedule
9:30am
Networking and Coffee
Get to know new friends over coffee – sponsored by Five07 and OPAC
10:15am
Welcome Remarks
Land acknowledgement and Chumash blessing with Raudel Bañuelos, Barbareño and Ventureño Band of Mission Indians.
Opening comments from Ventura County Supervisor Kelly Long.
10:30am
Multi-Artform Immersive Experience
10:45am
Panel Discussion: VibeWell
Mental health is more than just being free from a diagnosis. It’s also about safety, well-being, and space to be yourself. As creative and cultural workers, we already know the arts support our mental health and allow us to not only heal but also thrive. This is why we feel the need to create, and why we’re connected with the creativity of others. Reflecting on their experiences with the VibeWell Ventura County Arts and Mental Health campaign, this panel will explore the impact of related projects and imagine new possibilities for healing and thriving through the arts.
Panelists
- Cheyanne Proctor – Artist
- Maribel Hernandez – Bell Arts Factory
- Isha Ferraz – Dance Ojai
- Casey Comstock-Mills – TOArts
- Facilitated by David Yoshitomi – Arts and Culture Manager for the County of Ventura
11:30am
Focus Group: Taking it to Sacramento
Join Tracy Hudak from Californians for the Arts for a guided conversation capturing Ventura County’s arts priorities to bring directly to our State Representatives at the April 17th, 2026, Arts & Culture Summit in Sacramento.
12:30pm
Lunch
Enjoy a taco lunch (included with your ticket) while connecting with local creatives.
2:00pm
Panel Discussion: Experiential Art
As experiential entertainment reshapes how audiences engage with art, immersive experiences have moved from the fringe to the forefront of cultural programming. This dynamic panel will demystify the art of immersive design, offering practical insights for artists, nonprofit leaders, and creative practitioners ready to transform their work.
Join Graham Wetterhahn, Founder and Artistic Director of After Hours Theatre Company, alongside his collaborative team of tech directors, designers, and writers, as they pull back the curtain on their creative process. From conceptual frameworks to technical execution, this session explores how to craft meaningful immersive experiences that resonate with diverse audiences—regardless of budget or organizational size.
Whether you’re looking to integrate interactive elements into existing programming, create site-specific installations, or develop fully immersive productions, this panel provides actionable strategies for bringing these innovative approaches into your own practice or organization. Discover how to leverage space, technology, narrative, and audience participation to create unforgettable moments that blur the line between observer and participant.
Perfect for artists, arts administrators, educators, and anyone curious about the future of audience engagement.
3:15pm
Workshops (Choose One)
Inspired to get to work? We’ve crafted three unique workshops to help you succeed in your creative and cultural work. You can only attend one workshop.
Breaking Into the Public Realm: Opportunities in Commercial & Civic Spaces
With Peter Tyas
As the traditional shopping plazas struggle for foot traffic and large housing developments continue to create ‘copy and paste’ communities, there is a growing role for artists to reinvigorate public spaces and shape our built environment.
This workshop will describe this opportunity-rich environment and what artists need to do to position themselves to benefit from the commissioning process. The public realm is a broad term and encompasses a wide range of creative opportunities, from pop-up venues in malls to public realm performances and installations. Cities and developers are striving to make their spaces unique and attractive for communities to live in and for visitors to spend their leisure time.
Objectives
Participants will:
- Understand the sector and how to research opportunities
- Understand what they need to do to develop their skill set and demonstrate their competencies
- Understand what they need to do to build capabilities (this might include growing your team, building partnerships, and developing your networks)
Nonprofit ≠ Non-Revenue: Rethinking How We Fund and Do the Work
With Niki Richardson, Carolyn Mullin, Nan Young, Michael Shanklin, And Sarah Cohen
Flipping the script on why NOT doing things the way they’ve always been done is the new norm.
Learn how to reframe nonprofits: Identifying efficiencies, sources of revenue, nonprofit as a business. Earned revenue vs. contributions, a diverse revenue stream, when to merge, when to fold. Work as value that needs to be quantified and communicated to donors/funders.
Objectives
Participants will learn how to:
- Make their organizations relevant
- Customize what you offer to fill a community need
- Leverage creativity for the sustainability and resilience of your organization
- Look at your business model and identify a key revenue stream that is actionable
Micro-Arts Practices for Workplace Well-Being: Creative Pathways to Reflection and Flourishing
With Patricia Friberg
Workplace surveys indicate increasing levels of stress, disconnection, and disengagement, highlighting the urgent need for accessible tools that support well-being and sustainable collaboration. Traditional reflective practices are often underutilized due to their perceived abstractness or time-consuming nature. Micro-arts practices, such as brief sessions of music, movement, virtual museums, or drawing, offer a practical and engaging alternative.
This workshop builds on recent research into the creative arts and human flourishing. It demonstrates how even small-scale artistic engagements can enhance empathy, perspective-taking, and relational trust. By combining creative expression with guided reflection, micro-arts practices provide a simple yet effective way to improve reflection and co-creation in professional environments.
Objectives
Participants will:
- Understand how micro-arts practices can contribute to workplace well-being and relational trust
- Develop practical skills to apply creative micro-practices in coaching, leadership, and team settings
- Learn strategies for integrating creative reflection into your daily work routine
4:15pm
Happy Hour and Creative Finale
Register Today!
Join us for a transformative experience that will elevate and inspire your artistry. Save your spots, and prepare for an unforgettable experience!
Sponsors
ReFrame VC 