Art exhibits, classes, workshops, and demonstrations for everyone

—The large purple building with its iconic mural of Morro Rock in downtown Morro Bay is a must-visit for art appreciators and artists. Art Center Morro Bay (MBAA) has been offering art exhibits and art-related activities since 1951. This nonprofit, volunteer-run art center is a destination for emerging and professional exhibitors and art collectors who appreciate compelling exhibits filled with a vast array of quality art.

Art all year

Art Center Morro Bay presents eight exhibits annually with two spacious galleries and a classroom. Special juried exhibits have included the Pastel Society of the West Coast, featuring award-winning, national and international artists.

Current and upcoming exhibits include:

• Estuary and Marsh—Through March 31, this exhibit celebrates the Morro Bay National Estuary Program’s 30th anniversary. Artists explore the rich and dynamic themes of the vital ecosystems where the land meets water in estuaries and marshes. Their work captures the teeming life, contrasts and transformations between the stillness and movement, resilience and fragility of these landscapes.
• Central Coast Watercolor Society: Aquarius 2025—Through March 31, this premiere juried show is presented by Central Coast Watercolor Society. This annual exhibition features excellence in watermedia painting, from traditional to experimental, and encourages appreciation for watermedia painting as a vital, enduring, and expressive art form.

Check the website for dates and times for receptions.

Mark your calendars for the annual Art in the Park weekends. Every year Morro Bay Art Association holds Art in the Park Festivals on Memorial Day, July 4, and Labor Day weekends as their annual fundraisers. This year, 2025, marks 70 years of Art in the Park. The proceeds help fund children’s art classes and provide scholarships and other programs. The 2025 schedule is:

• Memorial Day weekend: May 24, 25 26–Saturday, Sunday, Monday.
• Independence Day weekend: July 4, 5, 6–Friday, Saturday, Sunday.
• Labor Day weekend: August 30, 31, and September 1–Saturday, Sunday, Monday.

Art in the Park is held at City Park at Harbor in Morro Bay. Accepting vendor applications now! Apply on the website at artcentermorrobay.org.

Classes, workshops, and demonstrations

Free demonstrations by talented artists are presented on the second Monday of each month from 3 -5 p.m. This event is free and open to the public.

Adult art classes and workshops are offered throughout the year, and summer art camp is designed for children over the age of six. Drop-in figure drawing is offered every Wednesday evening from 6-9 p.m. for a minimal fee to cover the cost of the model.  Fine art classes and workshops may include, plein-air painting, portrait painting, sketching, and digital drawing. Craft classes include clay sculpture and jewelry.

Classes are available throughout the year so check the website regularly.

A history of art and community

Beginning in 1951, seventeen artists met in local homes, hanging their paintings on neighborhood trees, using whatever space was available for shows. The association acquired its current home in 1971 and has become an integral part of the community since opening its doors.

Art Center Morro Bay works with local high schools and the Cuesta College Art Department to provide internship programs and scholarships to deserving youths. The MBAA established and is still responsible for the three annual summer Morro Bay Art in the Parks, the second-oldest park show in California!

A board-of-directors-operated, member-supported nonprofit organization, Art Center Morro Bay is completely operated by volunteers. Members are the heart of the organization and membership is open to all. Visit the website to join.

Art Center Morro Bay is located at 835 Main St., Morro Bay, CA, open 12-4 p.m. daily. For more information call (805) 772-2504 or visit artcentermorrobay.org.