Santa Cruz County, California - The City of Watsonville has been named one of 10 new Cultural Districts identified by the California Arts Council (CAC) for 2026. Citing the region's diversity, innovation, artistic and cultural expression, the CAC sources areas across the state through a multi-step process. 
 
The program helps communities harness their unique cultural assets to stimulate local economies, attract tourism, preserve historic sites, and support vibrant, inclusive creative economies. Districts are selected through a rigorous, equity-centered application process that emphasizes authentic community partnerships, vision clarity, and demonstrated cultural depth. 
 
Each region that applies to be named as a cultural district must have an application reviewed by the CAC and undergo a peer panel review, site visits for semi-finalists, and a finalist selection process. The program is highly competitive and receives interest and submissions from dozens of communities across the state.   
 
These new districts will receive $10,000 over a two-year period, official state certification, technical assistance, and access to joint marketing and branding resources. The designation period began on January 1, 2026 and will continue through December 31, 2030.   
 
Along with Watsonville, the other nine districts which have been chosen for 2026 include: The American Indian Cultural District, Yelamu - San Francisco County; The Arts and Culture District, Riverside – Riverside County; Arts District Liberty Station, San Diego – San Diego County; Black Arts Movement Business District, Oakland – Alameda County; Dos Rios Arts and Culture District, Modesto – Stanislaus County; Downtown Merced Cultural District, Merced – Merced County; Downtown Oxnard Cultural District, Oxnard – Ventura County; Historic South Los Angeles Black Cultural District, Los Angeles – Los Angeles County; San Jose Japantown, San Jose – Santa Clara County. 

The California Cultural Districts program was established through Assembly Bill 189 and signed into law in 2015, granting the CAC the authority to identify, designate, and promote areas of concentrated cultural activity.  

In December, the California Arts Council released The Future of California Is Creative, the first strategic plan for the Creative Economy in California. 

For more information, visit SantaCruz.org.

### 

Getting There:  

Located along the Central Coast, Santa Cruz County, California, is approximately 70 miles/113 km south of San Francisco and 349 miles/562 km from Los Angeles. Many visitors choose to take scenic Highway 1 along the California coastline to Santa Cruz or Highway 17 through the Santa Cruz Mountains. Visitors can also choose to fly into San Francisco International Airport or San Jose Mineta International Airport.  

Press Contact: 

Christina Glynn, Director of Communications 

Visit Santa Cruz County  

Phone:  +1.831.429.7281 ext. 111

Email:  cglynn@santacruz.org. 

Mail:  725 Front Street, Ste 200, Santa Cruz, CA  95060 

About VSCC: A private, non-profit corporation, Visit Santa Cruz County (VSCC) exists to enhance tourism and the economy by positioning Santa Cruz County as a visitor, conference, and film destination. For more information, contact VSCC at +1.831.425.1234 or visit VSCC's website at SantaCruz.org.