The City of Oakland announced that the Black Arts Movement and Business District (BAMBD) has been designated as a California Cultural District by the California Arts Council. Oakland is among 10 new districts chosen across the state, bringing the total number of cultural districts in California to 24. The designation aims to highlight Oakland’s efforts in promoting culture-driven economic development and will bring additional attention and resources to the Fourteenth Street corridor in Downtown and West Oakland.
Rashida Chase, a Cultural Strategist working with Oakland’s Cultural Affairs Division and Planning Department, led the application process in collaboration with several local organizations, including EvOak, BAMBD CDC, Uptown Downtown Association, and Malonga Arts Collective.
The California Cultural Districts program was created under Assembly Bill 189 to identify and support areas with significant cultural activity. The initiative seeks to preserve California’s diverse heritage, promote cultural tourism, and foster sustainable local economies through investments in vibrant cultural hubs. The selection process for new districts involved peer panel reviews and site visits.
Mayor Barbara Lee expressed her support for the designation: “I supported this designation because I believe in the power of this district. The Black Arts Movement and Business District represents Oakland’s creative identity, and this state recognition ensures that Black artists and entrepreneurs will have the resources and visibility they deserve. This is what investing in Oakland’s future looks like.”
District 3 Councilmember Carroll Fife emphasized ongoing efforts to support arts communities: “Since I took office in 2021, I made it a top priority to ensure the preservation and advancement of the dynamic arts and cultural fabric of the Black Arts Movement and Business District, the City’s first cultural district. The BAMBD is a living legacy of Black creativity, resistance, and excellence in Oakland and deserves true investment,” said Councilmember Carroll Fife. “This designation brings long-overdue visibility and resources so Black artists and institutions remain rooted and thriving in our city.”
Rashida Chase commented on BAMBD’s role: “The BAMBD serves as a space where Black art and culture thrive as a central pillar of community well-being and economic growth. This designation affirms what Oakland already knows about the Black creative genius and brilliance that emerges from our city, and I am elated that Oakland is being recognized by the California Arts Council as the cultural mecca that it has been and will continue to be.”
Ashleigh Kanat, Director of Economic and Workforce Development for Oakland, noted how arts-led investment can benefit local economies: “Arts and culture are central to Oakland’s economic vitality,” said Ashleigh Kanat. “This designation supports local wealth generation and drives long-term investment and growth by strengthening Black-led businesses, creating jobs, and driving foot traffic along a key business corridor.”
As part of its new status as a state-designated California Cultural District, BAMBD will receive continued support from Oakland’s Cultural Affairs Division within its Economic & Workforce Development Department alongside community partners.
Danielle Brazell, Executive Director of the California Arts Council added: “Arts, culture, and creative businesses employ people and strengthen social connection which are the conditions for vibrant communities,” said Danielle Brazell. “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.”
