The Humboldt Arts Council (HAC) is the official Humboldt County, California, USA arts council, and is located in the Morris Graves Museum of Art (MGMA). Organized in 1966 and incorporated in 1971 as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation dedicated to providing opportunities for artists, developing arts education, and making the arts accessible through innovative and multicultural programs. The Council, as Humboldt County’s largest multidisciplinary arts organization, focuses on working in partnership with artists, arts organizations, community groups, and schools to strengthen the arts’ accessibility and impact as aesthetic, personal and social resources. The Council envisions that the importance of art will be evident in all aspects of life in Humboldt County, including homes, schools, businesses, and government. The Council is dedicated to providing leadership in support of the rich heritage of the arts on California’s North Coast, and to bringing this legacy fully into community life. In 1987, HAC became the State Local Partner for the California Arts Council and the community representative for the California State Summer School for the Arts Program.
In 1996 the Humboldt Arts Council accepted an offer from the City of Eureka to undertake the effort to save the historic 1904 Carnegie Library building, which was destined for demolition. The former Carnegie Library had been a symbol of community pride and local culture for over 100 years. After the successful Carnegie Capital Campaign to raise $1.5 million from the local community, foundations and corporations, the Council began the restoration process in 1999 to convert the historic Carnegie building into a regional art museum and art center. On January 1, 2000 the Humboldt Arts Council and the community celebrated with a ribbon cutting ceremony to dedicate the Morris Graves Museum of Art (MGMA) for its new “Century of Service” to the community.
