Ventura County’s Downtown Oxnard Named Among California’s Newest Cultural Districts 

In a notable recognition of Ventura County’s cultural diversity, the California Arts Council (CAC) has named Downtown Oxnard as one of California’s newest state-designated cultural districts.

On December 12, 2025, the CAC announced 10 new cultural districts in California. The CAC-administered program supports “vibrant, inclusive creative economies,” according to its website.

The cultural districts “amplify the program and expand the original cohort” established in 2017, further representing the “creativity, diversity, and unique artistic identities of communities” across California, the CAC said.

Considered the charm of “Old Town Oxnard,” downtown Oxnard hosts a thriving cultural arts community, including the Carnegie Art Museum, Heritage Square, Historic Plaza Park, and Plaza Stadium Cinemas, according to the Downtown Oxnard website.

The recognition “shines a spotlight on the artists, small businesses, nonprofits, culture bearers, and residents who bring Downtown Oxnard to life every day,” Visit Oxnard said in a social media post on December 16, 2025.

Here are the 10 new cultural districts in California: 

• American Indian Cultural District, Yelamu (San Francisco) – San Francisco County 
• The Arts and Culture District, Riverside – Riverside County
• Arts District Liberty Station, San Diego – San Diego County 
• Black Arts Movement Business District, Oakland – Alameda County 
• Dos Rios Arts and Culture District, Modesto – Stanislaus County 
• Downtown Merced Cultural District, Merced – Merced County 
• Downtown Oxnard Cultural District, Oxnard – Ventura County 
• Historic South Los Angeles Black Cultural District, Los Angeles – Los Angeles County 
• San Jose Japantown, San Jose – Santa Clara County 
• Watsonville Cultural District, Watsonville – Santa Cruz County

Each district will receive $10,000 over a two-year period, official state certification, technical assistance, and access to joint marketing and branding resources, according to the CAC website.

The districts’ designation period will extend from January 1, 2026, to December 31, 2030.

About the California Cultural Districts

Created through Assembly Bill 189 and authored by Assemblymember Richard Bloom, the California Cultural Districts Program was signed into law in 2015, according to the CAC website.

The program authorizes the CAC to identify, designate, and promote areas of “concentrated cultural activity.”

The recognition helps communities harness their cultural assets to boost local economies, attract tourism, preserve historic sites, and support creative industries.

Districts are selected through an equity-centered application process emphasizing authentic community partnerships, clear vision, and demonstrated cultural depth.

Selection involved a multi-step process, including an open application phase, peer panel review, site visits for semi-finalists, and final selection. Dozens of California communities applied, according to the CAC website.

“Cultural Districts are an integral part of our economic, civic, and cultural ecosystem that fuels innovation, reflects California’s diversity, and shapes the stories we tell and export across the globe,” said CAC Executive Director Danielle Brazell.