About Frank Bette Center!

Photo by Chris Rochette. Paper-mache' armature by George SimmonsWhat we're about here at Frank Bette Center for the Arts isn't all that complicated. Most importantly, we're committed to fanning the flames of creativity where ever we find it. We honor the healing and reenergizing power art has on everyone.  I believed my job is to say yes to the creative energy in each person willing to make the effort to connect with it.  Creativity is every where and in everyone. Frank's dream of an art center is a place where people join Frank to fulfill their own creative dream.

What you'll find here is a warm and friendly place where all the arts make an ever changing palette of exhibits, programs, classes and workshops, demonstrations, performances, niche groups and conversational lectures.

Every month we change the galleries, front to back! It takes a week and it's a huge job! Wonderful people come in to make it happen. If you think installing an exhibit might be satisfying work, give us a call! We celebrate the new exhibits with our now famous First Friday Gala Openings.  Mark every First Friday on your calendar and show up!

The Showcase Gallery challenges artists to think outside the box and stay productive with our Thematic Exhibits. The Signature Salon hosts solo exhibits by respected artists, as well as special exhibits to stretch our minds and open our hearts. We have three artist studios upstairs; Gema Lopez - painting stunning realistic pastels, Susan Hackett -  known for her figurative watercolor in delicious colors and impetuous stokes, Sheila Patterson - photographer capturing the eye candy that usually gets away from us. 

Our exhibiting artists are from all over the Bay Area, mostly from the East Bay, including Alameda artists. We have artists from San Francisco, Marin, San Jose, Livermore, Santa Cruz, Benecia, Point Reyes, Santa Rosa. We also have artists regularly coming from the Central Valley, up and down the coastline and both ends of California.  We have artists from all the Western States and from as far away as Connecticut. We brag that we've even had exhibiting artists from Mongolia, France and Italy, too! Frank would get a kick out this.

We're not just busy changing exhibits at the Frank Bette!  Our Literary Arts Director, Patricia Edith keeps Frank Bette with a full schedule of ongoing Poetry Readings, Storytelling, a Writing groups, and small press books. Writers are also challenged to submit poems for the monthly thematic exhibits competition... one is selected and framed and the poet is honored with a reading on First Friday!

Come in, enjoy!
Debra Owen
FBCA Executive Director

debra@frankbettecenter.org


                                                                                        Read Frank's Story
                                                                                         (Franz Josef Bette)
Frank Bette as a young man. Frank Bette during his military years Frank Bette showing one of his many sculptures  Sculpture by Frank Bette 
 

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Gallery hours:

Wed - Sat
11-7 pm

Sunday
11-5 pm

FBCA is
Wheelchair Accessible