Women of the Festival at Laguna Beach Cultural Art Center

In celebration of Women’s History Month, the Festival of Arts has unveiled its newest offsite exhibition, Women of the Festival: Celebrating Women’s History Month, now on view at the Laguna Beach Cultural Arts Center through April 30, 2026. Curated from the Festival of Arts Permanent Art Collection, the exhibition highlights the lasting influence of women artists who have contributed to Laguna Beach’s rich artistic legacy and the Festival’s nearly century-long history. Featuring 28 artworks by 17 women artists, the exhibition spans nearly a century, from early pioneers of Laguna Beach’s art colony in the 1920s to contemporary artists exhibiting with the Festival today. Through paintings, prints, drawings, and sculpture, Women of the Festival showcases the evolving styles, mediums, and perspectives of women who helped define the cultural fabric of Laguna Beach. “Women have always played a vital role in the Festival of Arts, from the early Laguna Beach art colony to today’s artists and leaders,” said Sharbie Higuchi, PR, Marketing and Merchandising Director for the Festival of Arts. “This exhibition celebrates their creativity, determination, and vision, honoring those who shaped our community and continue to inspire future generations.” Highlights from the exhibition include works by contemporary Festival artists such as  Sandra Jones Campbell, Jessica DeStefano, Susan Hoehn, Kathy Jones, Pegah Samaie, Vinita Voogd, Ishii Mariko, and Kirsten Whalen. Historical figures include Elanor Colburn, Anna Althea Hills, Joane Cromwell, Alice Verema Fullerton, Louise Leyden, Elsie Palmer Payne, Virginia Woolley, Miriam Shelton, Mia Krantz, Julita Jones, and Jacquie Moffett. Among the featured works are Joane Cromwell’s Festival in Laguna (c.1935), depicting one of the Festival’s earliest locations and the vibrant artistic community of the time, and Virginia Woolley’s Flower Stalls (1932), the first documented artwork purchased from the Festival.Contemporary highlights include Pegah Samaie’s Heart of Gravity (2019), reflecting themes of identity and resilience, and Sandra Jones Campbell’s Every Soul is a Circus (2009), which captures layered social narratives through dynamic expressionist-inspired compositions. Women of the Festival: Celebrating Women’s History Month is on display through April 30th at the Laguna Beach Cultural Arts Center located at 235 Forest Avenue Laguna Beach, CA 92651. In addition to the exhibition, the Center will host a series of events throughout March in celebration of Women’s History Month. For more information and full schedule, please visit https://www.lbculturalartscenter.org.