San Jose Standard

San José Mayor Matt Mahan expressed the city's commitment to carbon neutrality by 2030, stating, “San José is the first U.S. city to pledge to be carbon neutral by 2030, and that pledge isn’t just rhetoric — we are working hard to get there for the good of our residents and future generations.”

San José City Manager Jennifer Maguire highlighted the importance of involving the arts and culture community in sustainability efforts, saying, “As a City, we are continuously looking at forward-thinking ways to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030. This one-of-a-kind program allows the San José arts and culture community to take part in making an impact through their sustainability efforts to achieve this goal.”

Kerry Adams Hapner, Director of the Office of Cultural Affairs, emphasized the role of art in spreading awareness about climate issues, stating, “Art helps get the message out, and access to climate-focused ideas and solutions from artists, cultural provocateurs, and creative thinkers will help activate a broader cultural shift in the public.”

The San José Climate Art program, funded by the California Arts Council through the Bay Area Creative Corps and administered through the San Francisco Foundation, aims to reduce the cultural sector’s carbon footprint and become a model of sustainability within the arts. The program involves a cohort of artists engaging with sustainability programs and organizations to measure, modify, and reduce the environmental impact of their practices.

The Resilient Artist cohort is currently visiting San José’s arts and cultural spaces implementing climate initiatives, with plans to start workshops in June to assist in measuring and reducing environmental impacts. The program will eventually expand to include educational tools, incentives, or grants to further its impact.

The program is a part of the city's broader Climate Smart San José initiative, which focuses on key areas such as buildings, transportation, and power sources to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

For more information about the Climate Art program, interested individuals can visit the Office of Cultural Affairs website at www.sanjoseculture.org.