The Pleasanton CA Arts Foundation (PCAF) has a long and illustrious history. It all began in the early 2000s when the city of Pleasanton, California, established the Art Club to promote the arts in the community. This club's first program was to present the Amador-Livermore Symphony to the public, which featured a variety of performing arts, such as painted pianos, professional and amateur chalk art, craft and art vendors, and a combination of bouquets of flowers with works of art at the Harrington Gallery. The Art Club also invited Sawsan Wolski, vice-president of the Dublin Arts Collective, to its meeting to exchange ideas and find opportunities for collaboration. This collaboration eventually led to PCAF donating seed money for the creation of the Pleasanton Cultural Arts Foundation (PCAF), which raised more than a million dollars in support of the Firehouse Arts Center. The Firehouse Arts Center is a new public art installation being built on the city-owned site of the historic fire station on Railroad Avenue in downtown Pleasanton.
Dr. Sarah Wang, owner of the Happy Valley School of Art in Dublin, has been an integral part of this initiative as senior advisor to the Art Club. The Art Club later became the Civic Arts Commission, under the Department of Parks and Recreation, which represented the city of Pleasanton for the arts. Today, PCAF continues to be an essential part of Pleasanton's cultural landscape. It provides funding for local artists and organizations, as well as hosting events and workshops that promote art appreciation and education.
PCAF also works with other organizations to create opportunities for collaboration and growth in the arts community.
