Sawdust Festival Corporation

The specific and primary purposes of this corporation are to provide to the general public the opportunity to enjoy and appreciate the art and culture produced in the communities in which this corporation is active, through public meetings and art exhibitions, in a charitable manner and not for profit.

In the mid 1960’s, the culture in America changed dramatically. Personal freedom of expression broke out among the nation’s youth, including a vibrant arts and crafts movement. Here in Laguna Beach, that creative energy brought together an influx of young artists. Fueled by a passionate desire for artistic independence and wanting something fresh and exciting, the Sawdust Festival was born.

When we look to the future, we know that Art is essential. Art lifts our spirits, affects our emotions and is a form of expressing our sense of Self. Art influences society and has always been crucial to our development. Sawdust Art Festival is and has always been an experience. Whether you are a tourist from across the globe, or a local collector, you are part of the exhilarating experience which is the Sawdust Scene. Thank you and the hundreds and thousands who attend the Sawdust each year. We look forward to welcoming you and joining together in creating an artful future for generations to come.

Since the early 1900s, Laguna Beach has been a haven for artists, quickly becoming one of the most famous art colonies on the West Coast. The Sawdust Art Festivals entrance into the community in the late 1960s was an organic movement by local artists to help sustain the vibrancy of the Laguna arts scene to make sure local artists were not crowded out of other juried art shows in town. To that end, the Sawdust Festival showcases over 180 local, Laguna-based artists, to help deliver its mission of arts education to the public. The Sawdust is a mosaic of art, not just in the various media on display but in the support of musicians who play daily during the festivals to the crowds of people from all parts of Southern California that are treated to a symphony of sights and sounds.

The Sawdust Festival is in the preliminary planning stages of a $20 million combined capital/endowment campaign. The many of facilities on the 5-acre grounds are in need of significant updates or re-building, including the expansion of classroom, meeting, storage, and office space. In addition, the grounds require re-grading, new retaining walls, upgraded electrical, water, and internet infrastructure. The endowment portion of the campaign will ensure that funds are set-aside to maintain the new capital projects, increase support for local arts and artists through the Sawdust Art Enrichment Fund and the Sawdust Artists Benevolence Fund.

Laguna Beach, Orange County, Southern California, and beyond