The Big Idea

The Carl Cherry Center is a Big Idea!! The venerable Carmel arts center is more than an institution; it’s the beating heart of our community. Just the awareness and assurance the Cherry Center has been in existence for seventy-seven years is good for our spiritual health, even if we only set foot through its doors once a year. The Cherry has offered a sanctuary of creativity, inspiring countless individuals and enriching our lives. Each year, thousands of visitors find solace, inspiration, and connection within its walls. From world-class exhibitions showcasing local and international talent to dynamic workshops fostering artistic growth, the Cherry Center is a catalyst for cultural transformation. It’s a place where art ignites dialogue, challenges perspectives, and builds bridges between artists and the community. By supporting the Cherry Center, you invest in the soul of our community—you invest in a big idea.

The Cherry Center impacts all areas of the Central Coast, from Monterey to Big Sur, Castroville, Salinas and King City. Programs such as a Cell Phone Film Festival, Solo Performance Programs and the High School Poetry Awards, reach across broad swaths of the county, age groups and ethnic populations. The Cherry Center is good for the community because of the unrivaled equanimity and insight art can bring into our turbulent lives. And it’s good to have an arts center that has presented programs, art exhibitions, plays, workshops and readings that support creative expression on the Central Coast.

So today, we invite you to do something creative: support the Carl Cherry Center for the Arts by making a gift through Monterey County Gives! When you donate through MCGives!, the Cherry Center receives 100% of your contribution plus a pro rata match that increases the impact of your generosity. The program is open now through Wednesday, December 31, 2025.