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HomeMy WebLinkAbout4.6 - Debra Lucero - Fw_ Letter of Support for UCEF - Friends of the Arts.ATTENTION: This message originated from outside Butte County. Please exercise judgment before opening attachments, clicking on links, or replying.. From:Debra Lucero To:Ritter, Tami; Connelly, Bill; Kimmelshue, Tod; Teeter, Doug; Durfee, Peter; Clerk of the Board Subject:Fw: Letter of Support for UCEF - Friends of the Arts Date:Tuesday, April 14, 2026 8:17:21 AM From: Chico Art Studio <chicoartstudio@gmail.com> Sent: Tuesday, April 14, 2026 7:42 AM To: Debra Lucero <debra@debralucero.us> Subject: Re: Letter of Support for UCEF - Friends of the Arts April 10, 2026 Butte County Board of Supervisors 25 County Center Drive Oroville, CA 95965 Subject: Letter of Support for Upstate Community Enhancement Foundation (UCEF) – California Arts Council State/Local Partner Designation Dear Amazing Members of the Butte County Board of Supervisors, I am writing you this love letter to share parts of my story that intersect with Upstate Community Enhancement Foundation (UCEF) in hope that it will reveal my heart’s desire to have UCEF serve once again as the State/Local Partner for the California Arts Council. As a local activist, artist & entrepreneur, who is a Hispanic, dyslexic, mother; I value hard work, creativity & humanity, over money, fame & success. Unfortunately, my values don’t usually translate into what is valuable in real life, which is the currency that makes living sustainable. Because of this misalignment, I am continuously adapting to a quickly changing world where art is becoming less & less valued. One of my phases of adaptation started after the 2018 Paradise Camp Fire, where loved ones & neighbors lost everything, including their homes, studios, belongings, pets & community members. During the aftermath of the fire, my PTSD was climaxing into unsafe territory & I knew the only way I could reach out to my dear friends, without putting my own fragile nervous system in danger, was through art. I believed that it was my duty to share what had saved my life over a decade ago with any survivors that could benefit from surrounded by, I decided to meet with the Director of UCEF & shared my heart to provide a safe, creative environment for survivors, where I would facilitate workshops focused on visually processing loss of home & identity through art. After I shared my vision, she encouraged me to go to the California Arts Council website & look to see if there was a grant that reflected the core of what I wished to provide Butte County survivors & their loved ones with. I was really drawn to the Artists In Communities grant being offered by CAC & in 2019 UCEF’s Executive Director, Debra Lucero paired me up with a local artist, who had experience with grants to co-write a proposal. We discussed coming together through art & our collective studios to build a sense of place & belonging for Camp Fire survivors & then the three of us drafted a proposal for a program called Art Connections. UCEF applied for the grant & six months later we received CAC funding that employed two artists who hosted free art workshops, taught creative skills, encouraged exploration & fostered life long friendships. The scope of work originally proposed aimed to ease suffering & isolation by providing a safe space for collective self expression through art, but came to fruition during a time of literal pandemic lockdown. Fortunately UCEF encouraged us to do the initial outreach through virtual fellowship & we were still able to get art supplies out & extend Art Connections to support community members' in their mental health recovery. Thanks to the two artists' studio locations & the BCAC tv studio, we were able to jump through the COVID-19 hurdles & make classes safe & accessible to people virtually, as well as in person; one on one & in small groups. With support from the CAC, Upstate Community Enhancement Foundation helped ease some of the pain of Camp Fire survivors through artistic connections, as they settled into their new communities. They received funding that paid artists/instructors, studio fees & supplies so people who were suffering & artists who had lost everything, could access meaningful art experiences. The implementation of the project overlapped with a worldwide pandemic crisis & the need for more art in our community couldn’t be ignored. In trying to meet some of these mental health needs we sought to widen our scope, demographic & timeline by asking North Valley Community Foundation to match CAC’s grant. We were honored to receive the funding & through our programming, outreach & partnership we collaborated in a way that created both short term & long term impacts within the Butte County community & beyond. Participants learned artistic skills, visual storytelling & creative coping mechanisms while they built their sense of place & belonging through re-establishing cultural ties. Together we utilized the Art Connections program to have a profound impact on mental health & social well being in a way that I’ve watched grow exponentially over the years. Access to art experiences provided a non-verbal outlet to process emotions, reduce stress & manage challenges like anxiety & depression. In 2023 my path crossed with UCEF again when I wanted to apply for the Upstate Creative California Corps grant funding & they were hosting fee grant writing workshops. After attending one in person session & one on zoom, I felt confident enough in the program I had designed & wanted to implement that I decided to apply. I, along with a few other local artists received guidance on the proposals we had written & applied with UCEF as our fiscal sponsor. I remember the day I found out my proposal was not chosen was such a roller coaster because it was also the day I found out that I had been employed as an artist. One of the other people that applied for the same grant & was awarded funding, had listed me as an artist for her Creative Reuse project. UCEF was the fiscal sponsor for this project & emerging organization & they provided us with administrative guidance, payroll & insurance coverage. As an artist, who’s life was changed by UCEF, I would passionately urge the Board of Supervisors to support UCEF’s application, so they can continue supporting the people & programs that advance arts & culture. Through their support & direction, I learned how to extend mine to many underserved community members, in a meaningful & long lasting way. Becoming an independent arts facilitator & educator has freed me from curriculum restrictions & school district requirements, opening my classes to be all inclusive. I love the career I have been able to design & build for myself thanks to Debra believing in my vision & taking the time to teach me how to apply for funding. Thank you for your consideration. Sincerely, Tatiana (Tanya Allen) Owner Chico Art Studio & Co-Owner SkyCave Arts chicoartstudio@gmail.com (530)321-7880 On Mon, Apr 6, 2026 at 4:19 PM Debra Lucero <debra@debralucero.us> wrote: Hello Tatiana:     Upstate Community Enhancement Foundation - Friends of the Arts is applying once again to be the State/Local       Partner to the California Arts Council. We are in our 24th year as a partner. I would be incredibly grateful if you could write a letter of support for Friends of the Arts. STAGE Theatre in Oroville is appealing to the Butte County Board of Supervisors to say they deserve the designation (every State/Local Partner must have one and we’ve had this designation for 24 years). We didn’t even realize they were applying to do this and so are on a fast-track to get letters of support. I’ve attached a list of grants we’ve done, a list of special events and projects and I’ll send a two-pager to you, all, separately. Please email your letter to me by Friday, April 10. I will send it in with all the letters as a packet on the Monday prior to the meeting. Below is the type of letter that could work. Use what you want. Please explain how you’ve been affected by any of our work. Or why you would support continuing our work. Here’s a sample letter: DATE Butte County Board of Supervisors 25 County Center Drive Oroville, CA 95965 Subject: Letter of Support for Upstate Community Enhancement Foundation (UCEF) – California Arts Council State/Local Partner Designation Dear Honorable Members of the Butte County Board of Supervisors, I am writing to express strong support for the Upstate Community Enhancement Foundation (UCEF), also known as Friends of the Arts, in its application to once again serve as the State/Local Partner for the California Arts Council. As a local artist .... UCEF has … or as a local community volunteer, etc. For more than two decades, UCEF has demonstrated exceptional leadership, consistency, and impact in advancing arts, culture, and community development throughout Butte County. With 24 years of experience as a California Arts Council State/Local Partner, UCEF brings a depth of institutional knowledge and proven capacity that is unmatched in the region. UCEF’s mission—to promote communication, education, economic development, appreciation, and collaboration through arts and culture— has translated into tangible outcomes for residents across all five cities in Butte County. Their work spans seven artistic disciplines and reaches thousands of community members through programming, outreach, and partnerships. One of UCEF’s most significant contributions is its role as a technical assistance and fiscal sponsor organization, providing free grant-writing workshops, administrative guidance, and insurance coverage to emerging artists and organizations. This support structure is critical in rural and underserved areas, where access to resources can be limited. Through these efforts, UCEF has helped launch and sustain numerous initiatives that might otherwise not exist. Their impact is further reflected in the scale and diversity of events and projects they have produced or supported over the years. These include large-scale, community-building events such as the Salmon Festival in Oroville (serving tens of thousands annually), the Nor-Cal Jazz Festival, Silent Film Festival, and Artoberfest—each contributing to regional tourism, economic vitality, and cultural identity. UCEF has also demonstrated a strong commitment to equity and community engagement. Recent initiatives include arts programming for formerly unhoused individuals in transitional housing, youth-focused programs like Creative Futures, and partnerships with schools and community organizations to expand access to arts education. These efforts reflect a deep understanding of how arts and culture can serve as tools for healing, workforce development, and social connection. In addition, UCEF has successfully brought significant funding into Butte County. For example, through its participation in the California Arts Council’s Upstate Creative California Corps in 2024, UCEF helped secure over $334,000 in grant funding for local applicants, further demonstrating its effectiveness as a regional arts leader. Given its long-standing track record, broad community reach, and demonstrated ability to deliver meaningful outcomes, UCEF is exceptionally well-qualified to continue serving as the California Arts Council’s State/Local Partner. Their work not only enriches the cultural landscape of Butte County but also drives economic development, supports education, and strengthens community resilience. I respectfully urge the Board of Supervisors to support UCEF’s application and affirm its continued role in advancing arts and culture throughout our region. Thank you for your consideration. Sincerely, [Your Name] [Your Title / Organization, if applicable] [Contact Information] THANK YOU!!!