in the arts, design and architecture, I cannot overstate the influence that regional artists like Emile Norman had on my life. His work—and the artistic legacy of this spectacular coastal region—shaped my worldview, education and creative path. Emile’s influence was profound during his lifetime and continues to resonate today. The Emile Norman Arts Foundation is preserving and extending his vision, ensuring future generations can engage with his unique artistic, cultural and environmental legacy. His home and archive have already become a vital hub.” -Debra Nichols ENSEMBLE MONTEREY CHAMBER ORCHESTRA Year Founded: 1992 Paid Staff and Volunteers: 1 paid, 7 volunteers Budget: $125,000 (831) 333-1283 ensemblemonterey.org BIG IDEA: Ensemble Monterey Chamber Orchestra is a musician-led organization consisting of many artists who call Monterey County home. For its 2025-26 concert season, Ensemble Monterey has Big Ideas to expand youth outreach to include faceto-face mentorship with local music-education programs and to provide more opportunities for advanced young musicians eyeing professional-level performance. Existing partnerships with Youth Music Monterey’s South County Strings program are set to grow, including mini satellite concerts for local seniors. “My thanks to all of you and the magnificent music I’ve been exposed to and involved with. There isn’t a musician, concert or piece of music that hasn’t lodged in my soul.” -Dr. Leslie Foote, board member HENRY MILLER LIBRARY Year Founded: 1981 Paid Staff and Volunteers: 3 paid, 50 volunteers Budget: $515,024 (831) 667-2574 henrymiller.org BIG IDEA: This beloved bookstore and venue nestled in the redwoods is the beating cultural heart of Big Sur. It regularly hosts concerts, talks, films and performances, as well as providing a space for guests to gather, linger, talk about ideas and connect. MCGives! donors help keep programming vibrant and current, advancing the Library’s goal to remain a living, breathing cultural space rather than a static shrine. One example of evolution in programming is the four-day symposium “Henry Miller in the 21st Century,” which brought scholars together in October 2025 to discuss Miller’s legacy. “Volunteering at the Henry Miller Library changed my relationship with Big Sur. I came for the music and art, but I stayed because this space makes strangers into friends. Every concert under the redwoods reminds me that art and nature are inseparable here. Supporting the Library means preserving a little piece of magic for everyone.” -Dana Carnazzo HERITAGE SOCIETY OF PACIFIC GROVE Year Founded: 1975 Paid Staff and Volunteers: 0 paid, 14 volunteers Budget: $20,500 (831) 372-2898 pacificgroveheritage.org BIG IDEA: Pacific Grove’s Chautauqua Hall was built in 1881 to hold educational and cultural programs such as lectures and performances. The California registered historic landmark remains an impressive structure today, but it requires modernization. The Heritage Society of Pacific Grove would like to bring the Hall’s audiovisual system into the 21st century with this year’s Big Idea. By purchasing modern 34 Monterey County GIVES! 2025 mcgives.com ARTS & CULTURE DONATE ONLINE MCGIVES.COM HIDDEN VALLEY MUSIC SEMINARS Year Founded: 1963 Paid Staff and Volunteers: 35 paid, 15 volunteers Budget: $1,119,980 (831) 659-3115 hiddenvalleymusic.org BIG IDEA: Hidden Valley Music Seminars fill a unique niche in the local and national arts community with its Big Idea. This organization nurtures advanced and mid-career artists with programs like Festival of Winds and the Emerging Composers Intensive serving as bridges from conservatory training to professional readiness. Festival of Winds is a two-week seminar where the next generation of flautists and French horn fellows get a chance to work closely with five master teachers—tuition-free. The community is then invited to join in as audience members to cap the program. “There is a certain point where a student needs to be put into a high-pressure learning situation where they feel safe to make mistakes and learn from them, while also seeing what a professional does—that we, too, make mistakes and recover from them, what we choose to discuss and focus on in rehearsal, and how we treat each other. Nowhere else will students get to spend so much time working with the faculty in this manner.” -Harrison Miller SPOTLIGHT “I love having art class because it calms me.” -Cassie, 8, Marina Youth Arts
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