The Arts are Alive in Oakland

The arts are alive in Oakland, California! When people ask me why they would want to purchase a home in Oakland, I list many statistics about rising home values to entice them. But what truly captures their heart is when I show them the arts and culture that abounds in the “Sunny Side of the Bay.”

The other day I had the opportunity to witness just that at a recent event. I attended an unveiling of a mural, “The Vendor” at the Haley Law Offices in Oakland. The artists, Mike and John Manente, were at the event to discuss the third and latest addition to their mural series, the “People of Oakland.” This father and son duo paint murals that document the homeless people who they encounter in their daily lives as artists in West Oakland. Their series has graced the outside of the Haley Law Offices building, generating appreciation for art, and a conversation about our city’s homeless population. Catherine Haley, of Haley Law Offices, toasted the artists and expressed her gratitude for the ability to share the mural with the community.

As a proud board member of the Oakland Ballet Company (OBC), I am always promoting Oakland’s talented company. Apart from celebrating the mural at the event, we also provided information about the OBC to the many patrons of the arts who attended. Our board is getting geared up for the exciting holiday season when the Oakland Ballet Company performs Graham Lustig’s “The Nutcracker” with the Oakland East Bay Symphony at Oakland’s historic Paramount Theater. The OBC is dedicated to sharing dance with the community and bringing ballet to new audiences. They have a tradition of inviting students from the Oakland School District to attend dress rehearsals of “The Nutcracker” to experience the magic firsthand. As Artistic Director Graham Lustig explains, “I don’t want anybody to feel that what we’re doing is something elitist, that you have to have a degree to understand it. I think that that’s the greatest power of this art form – you don’t have to be verbally proficient to understand The Nutcracker.”  The company also provides thousands of tickets each year to families who otherwise would not have the opportunity to see the ballet; they aim to make the ballet accessible to the community.

There is a plethora of art, music, dance and culture in Oakland. There is a true sense of community among the residents here. The diverse and creative people who make up this city add to the allure of owning a home here.