Volunteer Project Catalog

The Center for the Arts

This is a great volunteer job for a friendly, responsible person who's interested in volunteering during the day. You'll welcome visitors to the Center, answer questions about our Gallery art, inform guests about upcoming concerts, help direct students who are coming in for classes, and prepare postering packets. Ideally, we'd love to have a committment for one shift a week, however, signing up for a single shift is much appreciated.

The Center for the Arts

We need some volunteers to attend the Grass Valley farmer's markets to talk about Open Studios Weekends and pass out flyers. If you're friendly, outgoing, and want to support local artists, this is for you. The shift on Tuesday mornings is posted from 9 am to 1 pm, which are the hours of the market. Volunteers can choose what time they start in the morning, as long as they allow at least two hours prior to the end of the market in order to have enough time to walk around a few times, talking to market-goers and vendors and offer flyers to anyone interested. Once the flyers are all passed out that day, the volunteer is done, however, we request that the volunteer who signs up is able and willing to spend time engaging market goers and vendors in short, pleasant conversation about Open Studios, not just passing out flyers quickly. The volunteers will pick up a bundle of 20 flyers for each shift. The pick up can be any time before the morning of the assigned shift and the flyers will be available at The Center during Box Office hours which are Monday through Friday from 12:30 pm to 5:30 pm.

The Center for the Arts

We need some volunteers to attend the Grass Valley farmer's markets to talk about Open Studios Weekends and pass out flyers. If you're friendly, outgoing, and want to support local artists, this is for you. The shift on Saturday mornings is posted from 8 am to 1 pm, which are the hours of the market. Volunteers can choose what time they start in the morning, as long as they allow at least two hours prior to the end of the market in order to have enough time to walk around a few times, talking to market-goers and vendors and offer flyers to anyone interested. Once the flyers are all passed out that day, the volunteer is done, however, we request that the volunteer who signs up is able and willing to spend time engaging market goers and vendors in short, pleasant conversation about Open Studios, not just passing out flyers quickly. The volunteers will pick up a bundle of 20 flyers for each shift. The pick up can be any time before the morning of the assigned shift and the flyers will be available at The Center during Box Office hours which are Monday through Friday from 12:30 pm to 5:30 pm.

The Center for the Arts

Genre: Stand Up Comedy Competition The San Francisco Comedy Competition is an annual, multi-week, judged, stand-up comedy contest. Over thirty comedians, out of hundreds who apply, perform in shows held in comedy clubs, bars, restaurants, casinos and theaters in San Francisco and around the Bay Area. Contestants perform 3-7 minute long sets in one of two preliminary weeks. The top five from each preliminary week will meet in the semi-finals week, which requires them to perform 8-12 minute long sets for another six shows. The top five from the semi-finals move on to the finals. In the finals, they will perform 12-15 minute long sets in five more shows…and, a winner is crowned. This is a judged contest. Each contestant will perform for a unique group of judges for every show they do. Judges score each contestant in seven categories. No other festival or TV show can claim to have discovered as many future comedy superstars as the annual San Francisco Comedy Competition. The list begins with the likes of Louis C.K., Dana Carvey, Ellen DeGeneres and Robin Williams.

The Center for the Arts

Genre: Rock As a longtime favorite of Martin Gore (Depeche Mode) and Iggy Pop, the Haitian vodou priestess Moonlight Benjamin explores the roots of blues and rock. Carried by a deeper and darker sound and by her unique voice , influenced by Alabama Shakes, Oumou Sangaré, and Dr John, Moonlight’s concert is a primal scream, a mystifying and mystical musical mixture, almost shamanic, an incantation of liberation in the midst of raging guitars and propulsive drumming. Nicknamed “The Caribbean Patti Smith” by The Guardian (UK), Moonlight Benjamin plays a powerful and original music blending Caribbean voodoo melodies and a 70s blues rock inspired by Dr John, Alabama Shakes, the Black Keys or Oumou Sangaré … The encounter between Moonlight's powerful and rebellious voice, and the tension of saturated guitars, turns the voodoo trance into a new and explosive style. Between 2018 and 2021, she’s been named by Martin Gore (Depeche Mode) as his 2020 favorite, been airplayed by Iggy Pop himself at the BBC, been featured on both Songlines and FRoots magazine's cover (Uk), and reviewed by major media such as The Guardian (Uk), The financialTimes (Uk), The NY Times (US) … She also performed 65 gigs in 2019 in 15 countries, on major festivals or venues in Europe and North America.

The Center for the Arts

Genre: Indie Pop Geoff Eido is a musical artist, activist, and voice for humanity, creating work rooted in his self-described philosophy, Love OS—a way of living that dissolves division and invites us into spaces grounded in love. His voice carries raw power and fierce compassion, blending the outrageous with the deeply heartfelt. During the “No Mine” movement here in Grass Valley, Geoff wrote and released the song “Wells Run Dry” to voice the outrage of locals at the prospect of the Idaho-Maryland Mine reopening. The accompanying music video reached tens of thousands and served to bring awareness to the plight of our community to achieve ultimate victory. https://youtu.be/R4W08pYKmmw?si=Dd8WbA7Hjwkyfu57 For Geoff, music is a lifeline—an antidote to depression, cynicism, and resignation. His songs are personal notes to self, each one a step in understanding the mystery of life more deeply. Through his lyrics, Geoff invites listeners to question the nature of reality and explore love, truth, and consciousness together. His music isn’t just sound—it’s a call to awaken, to feel, and to remember who we are beneath the noise.

The Center for the Arts

MIM Youth Concert - Bar Cashiers Only Needed

The Center for the Arts

Genre: Folk, Indie Rock About new album, SOMETHING IS WORKING UP ABOVE MY HEAD One night in the middle of the night there were a series of noises coming from above which lead to a series of thoughts. It sounded like something was working. Building something… A nest for its family? A trap for its prey? This led to more thoughts about unseen things at work. A God? A voice in your head? It all feels kind of made up until someone responds to it. Less means more. That’s kind of always how it’s been with us. This time the rules were simple: we can only use what we work with live and whatever we put down on tape must be accomplishable on a stage in a live setting. That’s always seemed to be when we’re at our best. Or most twitchy. Many times we’ve made records that we loved and then, after figuring out how we’d perform it live, we end up falling in love with the live arrangement because being a 2 piece band, it took some real risk and struggle which led to innovation, which gave it a whole new life. (Consider the tortured grape.) So with this one we just started there and worked backwards. The result encapsulates, more than anything we’ve done before, the sound of our live performance. Resulting in what one might consider by definition, a definitive album.

The Center for the Arts

Genre: Rock Tribute From the bombastic and epic, to the folky and mystical, Get The Led Out (GTLO) have captured the essence of the recorded music of Led Zeppelin and brought it to the concert stage. The Philadelphia-based group consists of six veteran musicians intent on delivering Led Zeppelin live, like you’ve never heard before. Utilizing the multi-instrumentalists at their disposal, GTLO re-create the songs in all their depth and glory with the studio overdubs that Zeppelin themselves never performed. When you hear three guitars on the album...GTLO delivers three guitarists on stage. No wigs or fake English accents, GTLO brings what the audience wants...a high energy Zeppelin concert with an honest, heart-thumping intensity. Dubbed by the media as "The American Led Zeppelin," Get The Led Out offers a strong focus on the early years. They also touch on the deeper cuts that were seldom, if ever heard in concert. GTLO also include a special “acoustic set” with Zep favorites such as “Tangerine” and "Hey Hey What Can I Do." GTLO has amassed a strong national touring history, having performed at major club and PAC venues across the country. GTLO’s approach to their performance of this hallowed catalog is not unlike a classical performance. "Led Zeppelin are sort of the classical composers of the rock era," says lead vocalist Paul Sinclair. "I believe 100 years from now they will be looked at as the Bach or Beethoven of our time. As cliché as it sounds, their music is timeless." A GTLO concert mimics the “light and shade” that are the embodiment of "The Mighty Zep." Whether it's the passion and fury with which they deliver the blues-soaked, groove- driven rock anthems, it's their attention to detail and nuance that makes a Get The Led Out performance a truly awe-inspiring event! Paul Sinclair – Lead Vocals, HarmonicaPaul Hammond – Electric and Acoustic Guitars, Mandolin, Theremin Tommy Zamp – Electric and Acoustic Guitars, Vocals Eddie Kurek – Keyboards, Guitar, Vocals, Percussion Derek Smith – Drums, Percussion Seth Chrisman – Bass, Vocals

The Center for the Arts

Genre: Comedy Jon Lovitz is a comedy legend and Emmy-nominated Saturday Night Live alum, known for iconic characters like Tommy Flanagan, Master Thespian, and Hanukkah Harry. He’s appeared in over 40 films, including A League of Their Own, The Wedding Singer, and Big, working with directors like Woody Allen, Rob Reiner, and Penny Marshall. A regular in Adam Sandler’s films, Lovitz recently wrapped the lead in The Toast and returns in Happy Gilmore 2. He’s voiced memorable characters on The Simpsons and starred in the cult hit The Critic. He’s performed on Broadway, sung at Carnegie Hall, and was the first celebrity guest star on Friends. Since 2003, he’s toured nationwide as a headlining stand-up, proving once again—yeah, that’s the ticket—that Jon Lovitz is still one of the funniest names in the game.

The Center for the Arts

MIM Two Pianos Concert - Bar Cashiers Only Needed Vijay Venkatesh – An immersive and versatile soloist, Vijay has performed extensively across the United States and Europe as soloist with the symphony orchestras of Seattle, Vienna, Sarasota, Pasadena, Columbus, Cincinnati, Bangor, Redlands, Roanoke, LaGrange, Rogue Valley, Santa Monica, and the Brevard Music Center. Hailed by the Herald-Tribune for his “dazzling pianism verging on the impossible, effortless technical command and authority with a sense of poetry and refinement that belies his years,” Indian-American pianist Vijay Venkatesh has been recognized on three continents as a pianist with profound musicianship, sparkling pianism and an innate sense of partnership. He has also been a Davidson Fellow Laureate at the Library of Congress, USC Thornton’s Discovery Scholar, Grand Prize Winner of the Los Angeles Music Center’s Spotlight Awards and featured on Performance Today with host Fred Child, “What Makes It Great?” with host Robert Kapilow, and NPR’s “From the Top.” Eva Schaumkell – German pianist Dr. Eva Schaumkell is established on three continents as a brilliant soloist and collaborator praised for her “astonishing combination of depth of expression and thrilling virtuosity” A charismatic soloist, Dr. Schaumkell’s career has led to dozens of concerts throughout the US, Europe, and the Middle East. She frequents recital series at Walt Disney Concert Hall, Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Steinway Hall London, Luton Music Club, Buckingham Palace, and at the City of London Festival. Dr. Schaumkell earned her Doctorate with distinction under the guidance of renowned pedagogue Daniel Pollack at the USC Thornton School of Music, where she was also a Teaching Assistant. She holds a Masters of Music degree under Winifried Apel from the Hochschule für Musik Dresden, and a Bachelors of Music under Peter Bithell from the Guildhall School in London.

The Center for the Arts

Music and Dance After premiering Off-Broadway last season, A Taste of Ireland: The Irish Music & Dance Sensation returns to stages across the USA in 2025, performing the show that has entertained thousands around the globe. Laugh, cry and jig into the night with a production that is Celtic, for this generation. Performed by former World Irish dance champions, and featuring dancers from Lord of the Dance and Riverdance, A Taste of Ireland transports the audience through the story of Ireland's tumultuous history delivered with a pint of Irish wit. Watch world-class performers blend melodic folk mash-ups, live jaw-dropping acapella tap battles and heartwarming story telling.

The Center for the Arts

As part of The Center's county-wide Open Studios event, we display one artwork from each Open Studios participant in our Granucci Gallery. Patrons can use this "sampler" exhibit to decide which artists to visit during our Open Studios Tour. Volunteers for this exhibit will sit or stand in our gallery, greet gallery visitors, explain the dates when artists will be hosting guests in their studios, and pass out maps of all studios. In addition to educating patrons on how to see local art, these volunteers protect the art by gently reminding people not to touch it or place drinks nearby.

The Center for the Arts

Genre: Rock Tribute FOREJOUR pays tribute to the music of ‘80s mega bands (and Rock & Roll Hall of Famers!) FOREIGNER & JOURNEY, recreating the soundtrack of a generation with stunning accuracy. Forejour’s multi-media show transports audiences back to the heyday of MTV as the band performs the live soundtrack to cherished videos on screen. The group’s setlist includes the 20th century’s most down-loaded song, “Don’t Stop Believing”, as well as power ballads such as Foreigner’s “I Want To Know What Love Is”, and Journey’s “Faithfully”. “Amazing…my favorite in the Bay Area!” – Carolyn McArdle, 98.1 The Breeze “Incredible…Wow!” – John Young, 95.3 KUIC “I’ve seen a lot of tribute bands…these guys are awesome!” – Roman Guzman, 105.5 The River “Staggering talent!” – Greg Kihn, 98.5 KFOX

The Center for the Arts

Genre: bluegrass, rock, reggae, singer-songwriter Keller Williams, the genre-blurring multi-instrumentalist from Virginia, has built a loyal following with his signature solo looping shows and ever-evolving musical projects. Since his 1994 debut FREEK, Keller has released a steady stream of one-syllable-titled albums—each a unique sonic experiment spanning rock, funk, bluegrass, jazz, and what he dubs “acoustic dance music” (ADM). Known for his improvisational live sets and playful originality, Keller keeps audiences guessing with every performance, whether solo or alongside collaborators like Keller & The Keels, Grateful Grass, and his latest ensemble, DeadPettyKellerGrass. Relentlessly inventive and refreshingly unconventional, Keller continues to tour clubs and festivals nationwide, delivering joyfully unpredictable musical experiences.

The Center for the Arts

Genre: Experimental Transcending genres, the SIMRIT experience centers around lead singer – songwriter, Simrit, who is of Greek and North African origin. SIMRIT is creating waves with packed theaters and concert halls, chart-topping albums, and raving fans… all powering a palpable musical movement. Born in Athens, Greece, adopted by Greek-Americans into South Carolina as a toddler, she comes from a long line of matriarchal singers that span from her birth mother to her great grandmother, Tula Demetriou, who was a famous Greek singer and actress. At only 16 years old, Simrit’s birth mother was forced by her family to give Simrit for adoption. Over time, growing up steeped in the rich musical traditions of many cultures…Simrit’s own musical sensibilities emerged from a multiplicity of diverse influences starting with the dark, heavy, and mystical chanting of the Greek Orthodox church choir, in which she sang in starting at age five. During this same time period, Simrit began studying piano (where her piano teacher simultaneously instructed her in snare drum). Later, she studied West African drumming, and toured with the Odunde Drumming Company during her education at College of Charleston in South Carolina. Greek/Middle Eastern Folk music, Roots Reggae, R&B, The Grateful Dead, Motown, Led Zeppelin, among many others… proved deeply influential as Simrit developed her unique sound. Her studies in traditional Greek dance from first grade through the end of high school…proved to be just as influential, as Simrit studied and danced a variety of different time signatures and rhythms that the traditional Greek dances were performed in, while also learning to sing those songs. Simrit’s musical education is rich and diverse. From singing in the Orthodox church starting in grade school, all the way through high school where she was studying vocals at University of South Carolina with her childhood piano teacher…and then studying in the classical Indian system of music. She is known for her voice reverberating a sound that is simultaneously ancient and fresh. Decades of study and experimentation with Kundalini yoga deepened Simrit’s relationship to the quantum technology of Naad Yoga (the ancient science of using sound to impact the brain’s neural pathways and chemicals, eliciting altered states of reality); the effects of which influence her music. Alongside her band, Simrit creates vibrationally powerful and healing music to impact both positive internal & external change.

The Center for the Arts

Genre: Blues “Ingram plays guitar with drama, searing tone and sure-handed authority. And that’s just in the studio; he’s even scarier live.” –NPR Music “Muscular guitar and gorgeous vocals...[there is] an intense rolling melodicism in Ingram’s singing and soloing” –AllMusic “Christone ‘Kingfish’ Ingram has already made his mark as one of the best, and undoubtedly most excitng, blues guitarists in the world.” –Guitar World GRAMMY-winning guitarist, vocalist and songwriter Christone “Kingfish” Ingram has quickly become the defining blues voice of his generation. From his hometown of Clarksdale, Mississippi to stages around the globe, the young blues star has already headlined multiple U.S. and European tours, and amazed fans in Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Canada and India. Selected in summer 2022 to open for The Rolling Stones in London’s Hyde Park, Kingfish has also performed and toured with friends including Vampire Weekend, Jason Isbell, Steve Miller and Buddy Guy, a mentor of his, with whom he appeared on Austin City Limits. Since he burst onto the scene in 2019, Ingram has been nominated for 12 Blues Music Awards and won them all. Rolling Stone declared, “Kingfish is one of the most exciting young guitarists in years, with a sound that encompasses B.B. King, Jimi Hendrix and Prince.” In September 2023, Kingfish released his jaw-dropping, GRAMMY-nominated, third album, Live In London. Recorded on June 6, 2023, in front of a sweaty, sold-out, standing-room-only crowd at the famous UK club, The Garage, Live In London is the guitar-driven live album Kingfish’s fans around the world have been clamoring for since they first watched him perform as a teenager on YouTube. Sparked by his non-stop touring, writing and recording schedule, Kingfish’s natural talent just keeps growing. With his jaw-dropping guitar playing and his reach-out-and-grab-you-by-the-collar vocals, he performs every song with unmatched passion and precision. To see him live in person is an onstage snapshot of the young singer, songwriter and guitarist creating musical magic in real time, leaving his listeners spellbound and always wanting more.

The Center for the Arts

Gallery Reception **Bar Cashier Only Needed** The first “Altar Show in Nevada County” took place in 1997, inspired by the Sacramento art show, “Altares del Mundo.” Based on Indo-Hispanic “Dia de los Muertos” traditions, artists created beautiful altars to honor beloved people who had passed on. The show was so powerful for both altaristas and viewers that it has become an annual event with up to sixty altars. The altars have evolved to include contemporary three-dimensional art with diverse topics, techniques, and media, as well as memorials in the historic tradition. Each show also includes a “community altar”, where visitors may participate by leaving personal notes, photos and mementos. The show does not charge admission but tax-deductible contributions are welcome as the show is self-supporting. Join us to celebrate and reaffirm the human experience. We hope you discover in our altars, as we do when we create them, a sense of healing, solace, joy, insight, relief, refreshment, renewal – perhaps even truth.

The Center for the Arts

MIM Gala 2025 - Bar Cashiers Only Needed Fall Fundraising Gala with live auction and dinner catered by Antonio.

The Center for the Arts

Several times a year the Center offers our community this free, kid-friendly gathering with live performers, crafts, face painting, balloon animals, and more. Family Fun Day volunteers may help set up tables/decorations, greet and direct attendees, manage lines for activities and/or take down tables/decorations. Please dress according to the weather as some or all activities may be outside, including wearing hats/sunscreen.