The San Luis Obispo Museum of Art was founded in the 1950s as the San Luis Obispo Art Association by a small group of artists and educators to establish a collective space for artists and creatives. Soon, the Art Association evolved into the San Luis Obispo Art Center and began offering youth education classes and a small exhibitions program. In 2011, the Art Center became the San Luis Obispo Museum of Art, with the goal of fulfilling its mission to show that Art Matters: We enrich our community by using art as a doorway to deeper insight and connection.
If you are interested in meeting fellow regional artists, visit the Central Coast Artists’ Collective website or send them an email. The Artists’ Collective is a great way for photographers, craftmakers, sculptors, and painters to network, collaborate, and exhibit. Individual groups are listed below.
CENTRAL COAST CRAFTMAKERS
Focuses on contemporary fine crafts including clay, glass, fiber, metal, paper, and wood.
CENTRAL COAST PHOTOGRAPHIC SOCIETY
Shares artistic and technical experiences with photographers.
CENTRAL COAST PRINTMAKERS
Concentrates on a variety of printmaking processes including etching, lithography, and silk-screening.
THE PAINTERS GROUP
Supports painters at every level and in any style, using acrylic, oil, encaustic, pastel, watercolor, collage, mixed media, and digital.
CENTRAL COAST SCULPTORS
Promotes sculpting and the exhibition of sculpture on the Central Coast. Presents opportunities for members to sell artwork, tour member studios, and join public presentations of member artworks.