The Millard Sheets Art Center + Art Programming
Through exhibitions, educational programs, events, and workshops, the Millard Sheets Art Center offers the community meaningful and inspiring experiences in the visual arts. As part of the Fairplex Learning and Development Center, we engage learners of all ages and celebrate the rich, diverse cultures that make up Los Angeles County and Southern California.
Today, the Millard Sheets Art Center is deepening its connection with the community by showcasing culturally relevant and significant artists—both during the LA County Fair and through our year-round exhibitions. In the Pomona Valley and surrounding areas, access to art of this caliber is often limited, with many major cultural institutions located more than an hour away in Los Angeles. We’re proud to help fill that gap by bringing world-class art experiences closer to home.
Who is Millard Sheets?
Millard Sheets (1907–1989), born in Pomona, showed early artistic talent—beginning lessons at seven and winning his first competition at twelve. Mentored by Theodore Modra, he later succeeded him as Director of Fine Arts for the L.A. County Fair.
A Chouinard Art Institute graduate, Sheets traveled widely before settling in Claremont, where he taught at Scripps College and Claremont Graduate School and helped shape several major art schools. During World War II, he worked as an artist-correspondent for LIFE Magazine.
Sheets created over 200 architectural designs and murals, with his work held in 46 major museums. His legacy is especially visible across Southern California.
As Director of Fine Arts at the LA County Fair for 25 years, he curated landmark exhibitions and oversaw the WPA construction of the Fair’s 12,000-square-foot art gallery—the county’s first major visual-arts space.
To honor his contributions to California art and his long relationship with Fairplex, the art gallery was dedicated as the Millard Sheets Art Center in 1994.
Events
Upcoming Events
Fair Day Art Studio Wednesdays & Thursdays from 1-5pm.
A free open studio for artists and the broader Los Angeles Creative community.
Experience a dedicated space where artists can focus on their craft – ceramics, sewing, 2D/3D drawing, painting and more – free from distractions! This physical environment fosters creativity, allowing for experimentation, and the pursuit of artistic vision and practice. Stay for an hour, stay for two – it’s up to you. It’s a place for artists to meet, share resources, collaborate and grow.
Contact
Lacy Flippin
Email: flippin@fairplex.com
Fairplex is a nonprofit, 501(c)5 organization that leads a 500-acre campus proudly located in the City of Pomona. Fairplex exists in a public-private partnership with the County of Los Angeles and is home of the LA County Fair and more than 500 year-round events.
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