was founded in 1977 as the Local Arts Agency, a partnership between the County of Kern and the State of California. Two years later, ACK was incorporated as a public nonprofit 501(c)(3). The ACK was developed to advocate for and pay artists for work in and with our county’s communities, agencies, and commissions while also serving as a communication link between Kern’s creative community and State and County organizations on key issues facing the arts in our region.

Because of our long partnership with the County of Kern, the ACK serves as their regranting organization, dispersing funds for arts capacity building. The ACK also works closely with the City of Bakersfield and with other municipalities to bring arts and culture programs to underserved and culturally isolated populations. The ACK seeks to address its diverse population and to provide support for traditionally underrepresented groups in the arts community.