The January Truckee Turntable

JANUARY 2026

Read along monthly as we celebrate creativity, local events, shared stories, opportunities and artist spotlights.

As we close out 2025 within the Truckee Cultural District, we pause to celebrate the evolving cultural fabric of our small mountain town nestled in the High Sierra. This past year was filled with big ideas, meaningful collaboration, and growing momentum across our creative community. Highlights range from capturing the magic and intensity of our Dark Skies to enjoying downtown galleries and local artist demonstrations during Saturday Art Walks, participating in a first-time Truckee Literary Crawl, enjoying our local theatre companies entertaining performances, and supporting youth at the legendary Moody’s Jazz Camp.

Looking back on 2025, it’s hard to pick a single highlight. In partnership with the Nevada County Arts Council and the Grass Valley–Nevada City Cultural District, we launched MUSE 2025, a free annual publication celebrating local voices and the creative economy. We expanded the reach of the Cultural District through programs like Art at the Airport, Truckee Thursdays, and continued advocacy for arts, culture, and creativity at both the local and state level, including showing up at Arts Advocacy Day to bring Truckee’s creative voice to Sacramento. At the same time, we invested close to home through youth internships, creative meetups with the Truckee Tahoe Arts Alliance, artist research, and career-building programs that support our cultural ecosystem behind the scenes.

We also want to take a moment to celebrate the people who make this work possible. Program Coordinator for the Truckee Tahoe Arts Alliance, Carrie Haines, was recently honored with the 2025 Juniper Award for Arts & Performing Arts from the Jeff Hamilton Legacy Fund—a well-deserved recognition of her dedication to uplifting the arts in our community. Haines also serves as the Artistic Director of the Truckee Community Theater and continues to wear many hats in service of Truckee’s creative life.

January is jam packed with incredible opportunities and ways to engage, expand our creative footprint, and grow professionally. We are launching Culture Forward, a first-ever countywide Arts & Culture Action Plan, read more in this Sierra Sun article. Alongside Nevada County Arts Council we’ll host an Artist Accelerator Series, and a Creative Economy Town Hall in partnership with the California Arts Council. Check out our Artist Directory, Business and Events Directory in MUSE 2026, featuring stunning literary and visual content hitting local coffee shops mid-January.

Stay tuned for a February update on a TCD Mini Grants Cycle intended to support the efforts of local artists and arts organizations actively curating next-level 2026 programming and bringing world-class talent to our local venues. We will keep you updated on advocacy efforts, the announcement of ten new California Cultural Districts being designated statewide in 2026, and our intern Alexis Cota’s journey in applying to be the California Youth Poet Laureate. And always feel free to contact us directly at kellie@nevadacountyarts.org.

Happy New Year from our team here in Truckee,

Kellie, Truckee Cultural District Program Manager
Carrie, Truckee Tahoe Arts Alliance Program Coordinator
Molly, Communications

Join the California Arts Council and peer county arts agencies as we take the new California Creative Economy initiative on tour! We want to hear from those working in arts and culture - in both creative and "non-creative" roles — about what it will take to keep California the world leader in a thriving creative economy. Your input will shape policy, programs, and resources. We will also be collecting stories to share through the campaign.

RSVP & MORE DETAILS

ART AT THE AIRPORT
Call to Artists

Kicking off the 2026 season this month, Art at the Airport continues its quarterly exhibition series in collaboration with the Truckee Tahoe Airport District. We are looking forward to bringing another year of creative energy into this shared public space.

Call to Artists: interested in being featured in the first Art at the Airport exhibition of 2026, Sunrise to Sunset? We invite artists who live or work within the Truckee Cultural District to submit their work for consideration. All mediums are welcome. Artwork must be original, for sale, professionally framed, wired, and ready to hang. Please email a short bio and 3–5 JPEG images of your work to piperjgallery@gmail.com by January 15.

IN THE HEART OF TRUCKEE

CELEBRATING CREATIVITY
The Duo Behind Truckee Art Walks

In the heart of downtown Truckee, California, two passionate art leaders, Sara Dube and Piper Johnson, have helped transform the community’s cultural landscape through the creation of the monthly Truckee Art Walk.

Sara Dube, owner of Gallery 5830’, has deep roots in both art and community engagement. Originally from New Hampshire and a longtime Truckee resident, Dube brings her experience as an artist, educator, and gallery owner to her downtown space, which showcases a wide range of local artistic talent.

Piper Johnson, owner of Piper J Gallery and co-founder of the Ridgeline Gallery, is a seasoned gallery director known for her keen curatorial eye and commitment to celebrating mountain-inspired art. Her galleries feature rotating exhibits, artist receptions, and community-focused events that highlight both established and emerging creators.

Together, Dube and Johnson launched the Truckee Art Walk, a free monthly event held on the first Saturday of every month throughout downtown Truckee. During the walk, visitors can stroll through Commercial Row and the Brickelltown Historic District, explore participating galleries, enjoy live artist demonstrations, and meet the creators behind the work. Local merchants also join in by sponsoring featured artists and opening their doors to art lovers. What began as a grassroots initiative to bring more visibility to Truckee’s vibrant creative community has become a beloved tradition that draws both locals and visitors to experience the town’s thriving arts scene.

JANUARY EVENTS
& Local Happenings

Truckee Art Walk

Jan 3 | 4:00 - 7:00pm

Stroll through downtown Truckee and explore local galleries, meet artists, and enjoy live art demos during this monthly celebration of creativity.
Follow Along

"Truckee 1927" Model Railroad Train Talk

Jan 9 | 2:00 - 5:00pm

The Truckee 1927 model railroad will be on display through January 11, 2026 at the Steve Randall Community Recreation Center, located at 10981 Truckee Way in Truckee. Catch the train in action with an interactive talk about Truckee's railroad history on Friday, Jan 9. Learn More

MUSE Launch Party

Jan 16 | 5:00 - 7:00pm

We celebrate the third annual issue of MUSE—the definitive Guide to Arts & Culture in Nevada County. MUSE celebrates the people and place that shape our two California Cultural Districts, Grass Valley-Nevada City and Truckee.

Join the many contributors, artists, photographers, and writers who brought this year’s MUSE to life, and be among the first to pick up your copy at the 2026 Launch Party! Stay tuned for details on the upcoming Truckee Launch Party.

SAVE THE DATE: Wild & Scenic Film Festival

Feb 19-23 | On Sale Now

The 2026 edition will feature a program including 15 features and 102 short films, while bringing together top filmmakers, activists, and social innovators to inspire environmental awareness and action.
Get Tickets

THE ARTIST ACCELERATOR

A Career Intensive

Artist Accelerator is ideal for emerging or established artists and cultural producers who are ready to level up their creative careers.

This 8-week hybrid program blends practical tools with peer connection so you can strengthen the business side of your creative practice without losing sight of your artistic core.

Submit Your Application by Monday, January 5!

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