From Sidewalks to Classrooms: Chalk It Up’s Impact on Arts Education

What began as a gathering of local artists in 1991 has grown into Chalk It Up, a free Labor Day tradition that draws roughly 40,000 people to Midtown Sacramento. The festival features hundreds of chalk artists creating work in real time alongside local makers, food vendors, live music, family activities and a beer garden.

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But the festival is only part of Chalk It Up’s mission. The nonprofit uses the event to raise support for youth arts education, providing $12,000–$15,000 annually in grants to public school art teachers, with a focus on equitable access in Title I schools. Its programs also include an annual high school self-portrait exhibition, which this year awarded $6,000 in student prizes and teacher grants.

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Funded largely by volunteers, donors and sponsors, the roughly $130,000 festival is more than a community celebration. From helping teachers purchase basic classroom supplies to supporting young artists, Chalk It Up uses art to bring Sacramento together while expanding opportunities for students long after the chalk is washed away.