Our Mission


The Miners Foundry Cultural Center is a living historic treasure serving Nevada County as a cultural arts and community events center.

More than a venue, the nonprofit’s mission is to preserve, enhance and utilize the historic Miners Foundry for cultural, educational and social activities in Nevada County.

It is a symbol of California’s rich historical heritage, providing an educational and social bridge from our past to the present and future.

Our Manifesto


We believe history is important AND cool!

We believe you cannot forge a positive, bright future without paying homage and respect to the past.

We believe Cultural Centers create smarter kids, happier adults, and stronger economic and social communities.

We believe Art, Music, Theatre, and Dance matter.

We believe supporting other non-profits in our community is not only the right thing to do, it’s THE thing to do.

We believe your wedding should be one of the happiest days of your life.

We believe there is magic between our Stone Walls.

We believe we are in honorable competition with our ancestors to preserve and keep this great building intact to hand down to the next generation.

Our Board of Directors


John Paul, President
Glady Birdsong
Doug Fleming
Loretta Gardner
Heather Heckler

Grass Valley-Nevada City Cultural District

In 2017, the California Arts Council selected 14 districts to serve as California’s inaugural state-designated Cultural Districts. Nevada County was bestowed the great honor of being home to 2 of the 14 districts – Grass Valley/Nevada City and Truckee.

Steeped in history and with the most famous gold-mining district in California, the District experienced a ‘cultural revolution’ from the mid-20th Century that has reshaped the local economy and which continues to influence the statewide arts scene. Starting in the ’60s, Beat Generation and deep ecology poet Gary Snyder, singer Utah Phillips and a host of authors and musicians settled here. Now, for over 50 high-tech companies – including a virtual and augmented reality hub – creativity occurs in peaceful, natural environments far from major urban centers.

Between them, Grass Valley and Nevada City are home to the Nevada Theatre, the oldest theater in California, and over 100 arts-related organizations producing upwards of a thousand events a year, scores of annual festivals, street fairs, art walks and studio tours, and a generous base of artists and makers.

As well as for their arts, Grass Valley and Nevada City are known for their expanding vineyards, wineries and tasting rooms, and a trail network of outstanding natural beauty. The Nisenan lived here for thousands of years before their incorporation as part of a perfectly balanced ecosystem thriving on the Yuba, Bear and American river watersheds – and, over time, their sacred places are being rediscovered and cherished. Click here to learn more about the Grass Valley-Nevada City Cultural District.

Our Staff

Gretchen Bond, Executive Director | [email protected]

Kat Kress, Assistant Director | [email protected]

Danielle Hubbard, Operations Manager | [email protected]

Dienne Kelly, Finance Manager | [email protected]

David Lloyd, Programming Manager | [email protected]

Kristian Ryan, Bar Manager | [email protected]

Eileen Mello, Fund Development & Marketing | [email protected]

Skip Siversten, Facilities Lead | [email protected]

Scott Steuer, Lighting Engineer | [email protected]

Greg Cameron, Audio Engineer | [email protected]