chip

As if it were a drag on his boundless energy to get things done, Chip jettisoned his surname years ago, legally changing his name to the one syllable nickname applied to him by his sister when both were kids. Everyone on the Santa Cruz arts scene, however, seems to know that name. For more than 15 years now, Chip has dedicated his waking hours to establishing and maintaining a culture of creativity in downtown Santa Cruz. In recent years, he has partnered with artist Kirby Scudder to create the Santa Cruz Institute of Contemporary Arts, which has set up a series of galleries in the downtown area to spark what he hopes will turn into a thriving arts district, finding a home base at the Attic on Pacific Avenue. Before that, Chip was the director of the 418 Project on Front Street, bringing in adventurous and fringe artists and performers that otherwise would never play small-town venues. He's a longtime figure on the city's Arts Commission and has worked as a backstage presenter and organizer for countless performances. What's more, he's as familiar a presence downtown as the Town Clock, constantly working the streets in an effort, if not to keep Santa Cruz weird, at least to keep it fertile ground for the artistically inclined.