By Jennifer Baldwin, Bakersfield Express Founder and Editor

Over the past couple of years, the arts scene in Bakersfield – both visual and performing – has gained momentum from a crawl to a jog. And even though the jog seems a little two-steps-forward-one-step-back at times (galleries do tend to come and go here), it is clear the arts scene is headed toward a tipping point.

The growing Downtown Arts District, and its pinnacle First Friday event each month, is a testimony to our community’s desire for a cultural center of activity. The arts broaden our experiences through creativity, diversity, understanding and knowledge. They are an expression of community.

And that is why one of our main missions with Bakersfield Express is to inform the public about our arts and culture scene. Without information, the community cannot be engaged. Our tagline sums up our mission clearly: “Expressing community through arts, culture and civic involvement.”

If the service that Bakersfield Express provides to the community is important to you, please show us our value by joining our team or sponsoring our walkers at the Walk for the Arts on Saturday, May 15. This event is being organized by the Arts Council of Kern, to not only raise money for the many programs it provides around the county, but to also give local arts organizations a chance to raise pledge money that directly benefits them.

The walk is a 5K ramble (not a race) around downtown Bakersfield, starting at 8 a.m. at the Betty Younger Sculpture Garden at 1440 Truxtun Ave. and ending at noon at the Rabobank Arena Pavilion at 1001 Truxtun Ave. A finish line celebration with prize drawings and a concert will last until 1 p.m. All along the route there will be musical and theatrical performances, free entrance to all museums and galleries, and the opportunity to enjoy the many public murals on buildings and electrical boxes around downtown. Walkers are encourage to decorate their shoes, hats, umbrellas, strollers – anything that can be turned into a work of art – for a “creative flair” contest.

Bakersfield Express is one of more than two dozen teams so far that are registered to walk, including youth and high school groups, performing arts groups, museums, and more. You don’t have to be part of a team to participate in the walk. But we would love for you, our readers, to join us, meet our volunteer staff, and walk in solidarity with BE to support the arts and our website’s mission.

Over the past five months, I have been helping the Arts Council of Kern with marketing and publicity of their events. I have come to intimately see how hard the nonprofit’s small staff work to provide arts programs and to advocate for the arts in Kern County. In one staff meeting, they listed an astounding 38 programs they administer. This includes public murals to deter graffiti, theater and visual arts workshops for the developmentally disabled, and a grant program for local musicians to reach new audiences.

The Arts Council of Kern has also been a strong supporter of Bakersfield Express, giving us rent-free office space inside its Younger Gallery, as well as meeting space for our board of directors and book club.

Bakersfield Express is proud to walk in support of the arts on May 15 and we hope that you will join us in expressing community through arts, culture and civic involvement.

How to get involved:

Registration: Download the registration form from www.kernarts.org. Fill out the top part of the registration form with your participant information and fill in “Bakersfield Express” as the registered nonprofit you are walking for. For a guaranteed T-shirt, you must turn in your form by Monday, May 10. You may turn in your form to the Arts Council of Kern, 2000 K St., Suite 110, Bakersfield, CA 93301, or fax it to 661-324-1136. You may also pay online at www.kernarts.org. The cost to walk is $5 pre-registration or $10 for a T-shirt; at-the-door cost with no T-shirt guaranteed is $10. Children under 2 receive free admission.

Pledges: Download the nonprofit pledge form from www.kernarts.org. Use the pledge sheet to gather donations on behalf of Bakersfield Express. You do not have to gather pledges if you would rather make an individual donation. This money directly benefits Bakersfield Express, so please make checks out to “Bakersfield Express.” You may turn in your pledge forms and donations to the team captain, Jennifer Baldwin, anytime before or during the event. If you are unable to attend Walk for the Arts but would like to make a pledge for our team, please mail your check along with your name, address, phone number and email address to Bakersfield Express, P.O. Box 2221, Bakersfield, CA 93303.

Contact: If you have any questions, please call Jennifer Baldwin at 661-246-6387 or send an email to editor@bakersfieldexpress.org.