SANTA ANA ARTS

08/14/2026

Attn OC Animators!!! Media Arts Santa Ana (MASA) invites you to share your work and network with other animators at our monthly AniMeet meetup, the last Tuesday of every month @ 7:30pm at our TVGB Digital Maker Space, located at 1666 N Main in Santa Ana, at 17th St across from Norms and inside the Santa Ana Arts Collective building!

Were you animating in the 1970s? 80s? 90s? 21st Century? We want to meet you!

* Network with OC Animators
* Discuss Tools & Techniques
* Participate in the Animation Slam!

For more information, please visit www.masamedia.org or email [email protected].

Free Street Parking is Available on 16th & Bush Streets, and in teh Dollar Tree parking lot (1514 N Main). Metered Parking on Main and Sycamore Streets is Free after 8pm!

07/26/2026

Looking for a great film to watch today? AMERICAN PACHUCO: THE LEGEND OF LUIS VALDEZ is playing at AMC Orange 30 now throuh July 29, with two screenings a day, 7:45pm and 10:35pm. It's on a pretty big screen. Do yourself a favor and check out this Sundance Award-winning film about the director of Zoot Suit and La Bamba!

https://www.amctheatres.com/movies/american-pachuco-the-legend-of-luis-valdez-84107/showtimes

A must see for students and practitioners of Chicano teatro, film, music, activism, popular culture and documentary!

An auteur emerges from America's underclass: from migrant farmworker to revolutionary artist, Luis Valdez changed American culture. In the 1960s, his El Teatro Campesino performed on flatbed trucks and helped mobilize workers to win the first farmworker union contract. His Zoot Suit was the first Chicano play on Broadway. Despite critical rejection that killed the show, he persevered, creating La Bamba—a breakout blockbuster that authentically depicted Mexican American life to the world. Now in its 60th year, El Teatro continues to be a beacon for Latino/a creators. This is the story of an artist who gave voice to the overlooked and opened pathways for generations.

Against political resistance and industry skepticism, legendary writer/director LUIS VALDEZ pushes Chicano storytelling from the fields to the film screen with ZOOT SUIT and LA BAMBA, crafting iconic works that challenge, celebrate, and expand America's story.

Featuring Lou Diamond Phillips, Cheech Marin, labor activist Dolores Huerta, Linda Ronstadt, and Edward James Olmos (who narrates the film, reprising the role of Zoot Suit's El Pachuco). Music by Eduardo Arenas of Chicano Batman.


"NECESSARILY DEFIANT, ESPECIALLY IN 2026" -Variety

"A STYLISH, CONSIDERATE, WELL-CRAFTED PORTRAIT." -POV Magazine

"RIVETING" -The Film Stage

"OSCAR-WORTHY" -Gold Derby

"INVENTIVE AND ENGAGING" -The Playlist

"ENLIGHTENING AND ENTERTAINING" -The Hollywood Reporter

Co-Presented by Media Arts Santa Ana. Email [email protected] for more info! Schedule subject to change.

07/25/2026

AMC Orange 30 has posted the ticket links for July 24-29 AMERICAN PACHUCO: THE LEGEND OF LUIS VALDEZ screenings from July 24-29 @ 7:45pm & 10:35pm. Watch this Sundance Award-winning documentary about the legendary Writer/Direcot of Zoot Suit and La Bamba and founder of El Teatro Campesino. To buy tickets, click the link below or visit https://www.amctheatres.com/movies/american-pachuco-the-legend-of-luis-valdez-84107/showtimes?date=2026-07-25

07/24/2026

Thank you to Kristina Garcia and Culture OC for this wonderful article on Media Arts Santa Ana (MASA) celebrating the completion of our 10th Anniversary year! Here's to the next 10! To learn more about Media Arts Santa Ana and our programs, please visit www.masamedia.org

https://www.cultureoc.org/post/looking-forward-and-back-with-masa-as-it-wraps-its-10th-anniversary-year?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_term=2026-07-24&utm_campaign=Story+of+the+Day+July+24+Looking+Forward+and+Back+with+MASA+as+It+Wraps+Its+10th+Anniversary+Year

Media Arts Santa Ana, a digital media arts organization, focuses on providing a creative space, programs and events for individuals of all ages.Presenting more than 1,100 artists and screening more than 650 films in the last decade, Media Arts Santa Ana, founded by Creative Capital Award-winning art...

07/21/2026

Hello, Friends, the AMC Orange 30 website just posted the ticket link to the July 28, 7pm screening of AMERICAN PACHUCO: THE LEGEND OF LUIS VALDEZ with special Q&A with Director David Alvarado in person moderated by MASA's Victor Payan! Get yours before they sell out! Here is the link: https://www.amctheatres.com/showtimes/145325271/seats

07/14/2026

MASA AT THE MOVIES! Don’t miss the special Orange County theatrical screening of the new Sundance Award winning Luis Valdez documentary “American Pachuco” at the AMC Orange 30 Theatres, July 24-28! Special Q&A with Director David Alvarado moderated by MASA’s Victor Payan on Tues., July 28 @ 7pm!

Against political resistance and industry skepticism, legendary writer/director LUIS VALDEZ pushes Chicano storytelling from the fields to the film screen with ZOOT SUIT and LA BAMBA, crafting iconic works that challenge, celebrate, and expand America’s story.

Narrated by Edward James Olmos and featuring interviews with Dolores Huerta, Lou Diamond Phillips, Cheech Marin and more!

Co-Presented by Media Arts Santa Ana. Email [email protected] for more info!

The AMC Orange 30 Theatres are located at 20 City Blvd W, Ste E, Orange, CA 92868.

Schedule subject to change.

06/25/2026

The OC Film Fiesta Returns Oct. 8-18, 2026 SUBMIT YOUR FILM TODAY! Earlybird Deadline: Fri., June 26, 2026. Submit your film today at https://filmfreeway.com/ocfilmfiesta!

Don't miss your chance to be part of the premier cinematic celebration of the nation's diversity and multicultural heritage! Features, documentaries, shorts, animation, experimental, student and web-based works accepted!

Now in its 17th year, the OC Film Fiesta features an amazing array of films that connect county residents with their dynamic international film heritages. The OC Film Fiesta is a hybrid festival with in-person events and virtual screenings available throughout the U.S.

Each year, the Film Fiesta presents an award-winning selection of feature films, documentaries, short films and activities for a diverse audience of families, students, artists, professionals and lovers of cinema from throughout the county. The festival also features parties, workshops and networking opportunities.

The festival enjoys a national presence, with exciting partnerships and a mix of virtual and in-person screenings and discussions, parties, workshops and networking opportunities.

We encourage films dealing with the multicultural history of Santa Ana, Orange County and the US, including films by and about the diverse US Latino and immigrant communities. This year, we are including a focus on films about animating democracy and creating a new Dreamocracy.

The festival is open to international submissions, and we encourage films dealing with the multicultural history of Santa Ana and Orange County, including films by and about the diverse US Latino and immigrant communities.

All languages and international films are welcome, and we request English subtitles for films in a language other than English. Other criteria include: Originality, Artistic Quality and Multicultural Perspective.

We Are Accepting:

Features
Short Films
Narrative
Documentary
Animation
Experimental Works
Student Films

CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT YOUR FILM

MASA is a project of Community Partners, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, and donations are tax deductible. For more information, please email [email protected] or visit www.masamedia.org.

Thank You,

Victor Payan
Executive Director
Media Arts Santa Ana (MASA)
www.masamedia.org

06/12/2026

Media Arts Santa Ana's Santa Ana MultiMedia Institute (SAMMI) Class starts TOMORROW @ 11am. Sign up TODAY at www.masamedia.org

FREE Classes Start, Sat., June 13 @ 11am at MASARTE Gallery
1666 N Main, Santa Ana.

Santa Ana MultiMedia Institute (SAMMI) Session 2 Call for Students! Free 8-Week Class Starts Sat., June 13! Sign up at www.masamedia.org or https://forms.gle/9F2AU2onjTuvEvBk8.
For more information, email [email protected].

NEW SANTA ANA MULTI-MEDIA INSTITUTE (SAMMI) CLASS
Starts Sat., June 13 @ 11am

Learn how to make movies with MASA Artist in Residence POCHA PEÑA, an award-winning media artist, indie filmmaker and producer of projects for MTV, Fox Latin America, HBO Latino, and Telemundo. Sign up for this fun and FREE Saturday SAMMI class by registering at: www.masamedia.org

Starting on Sat., June 13, Media Arts Santa Ana (MASA) invites you to meetup Saturdays from 11am to 2pm for a free eight week class to produce a community interest show called "WHAT'S UP SA?"

The SAMMI program is offered free of charge by Media Arts Santa Ana, and will feature on-location meetups, guest instructors, and movie screenings in the TVGB Digital Maker Space on the ground floor of the Santa Ana Arts Collective building, located at 1666 N Main in Santa Ana (at 17th St, across the street from Norms).

Our first SAMMI class takes place on Saturday, June 13 at 11am in the Digital Maker Space. We'll have a quick orientation, learn the basics about cameras and movie magic. .Register for the SAMMI class and follow instructions to capture the best of OC for free!

WHAT'S UP, SA?

Media Arts Santa Ana invites you to sign up for our new FREE class, the Santa Ana Multi-Media Institute (SAMMI), which starts on Sat., June 13 and runs thru Sat., Aug. 1!

Sign up for a FREE 8-week digital media production class with award-winning producer POCHA PEÑA! Master filming skills, using production apps, recording interviews & dynamic storytelling!

SATURDAY SESSIONS from 11 am to 2 pm

• Starts Sat., June 13.
• Explore Genres like TeleNovelas, Documentary, Comedy & more!
• Great Guest Presenters!
• Ages 16 and up!

The Santa Ana Multi-Media Institute (SAMMI) is a free, multi-faceted intergenerational program that teaches artists and community members how to impact positive community change via digital production skills, citizen journalism, mini-documentaries, social media commentaries, podcasts, video poems and more!

Media Arts Santa Ana (MASA) is a project of Community Partners, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, and donations are tax deductible. For more information on MASA, please visit www.masamedia.org.

For more information, contact Victor Payan at [email protected] or 888-906-0340. This activity is funded in part by the California Arts Council, a state agency.

06/08/2026

Media Arts Santa Ana has some great events in June! Check them out! For more info, email [email protected].

Events take place at MASA's TVGB Digital Maker Space and MASARTE Gallery, located at 1666 N Main in Santa Ana.

• Every Thursday from 7:30pm-10pm - Cafe MASA - Free Coffee, Tea, Snacks, Networking and Wi-Fi! Be Part of Our Cultural Community!
• Saturdays at 11am Beginning June 13 - Free Santa Ana MultiMedia Institute (SAMMI) Class - Sign up at www.masamedia.org
• Sun., June 14 & 28 @ 2pm - Creative Sundays Community Work & Networking Sessions
• Wed., 6/24 @ 7:30pm - OC Indies Game Developer Meetup
• Sat., 6/27, 9am-pm - Game Training/Study with Max
• Mon., 6/29 @ 7pm - Santa Ana Sound Circle with Megan Francisco

PLUS

16th OC Film Fiesta Call for Entries - Earlybird Deadline: June 26. Submit Your Film at https://filmfreeway.com/OCFilmFiesta

05/06/2026

WELLNESS WEDNESDAY: Pop by Media Arts Santa Ana tonite for some Reiki and a Sound Bath. 🌷Free. Bring a yoga mat, towel or blanket for comfort. 1666 N Main, Santa Ana - Park at the Dollar Tree

💜