SoCal Creative Collective Chroma Marks One Year of Artistic Synergy

Chroma, a dynamic creative collective based in Southern California, recently celebrated its first anniversary with a sold-out event that showcased the region's rich artistic talent.

 

The "Chromaversary," held on November 13, transformed a local venue into a hub of creativity, featuring live jazz performances, interactive art installations, and a variety of engaging activities.

 

Attendees enjoyed an open wine bar, gourmet pizza, and even had the opportunity to get tattoos, all while networking with fellow artists and enthusiasts.

 

Organized by Sophia Limon and Ian Salas from Cal State Fullerton, along with Nicholas Pigeon from Cal State Long Beach, Chroma was founded to provide a platform for artists across all mediums to collaborate outside traditional party or club settings.

 

"We don't want it to just be known as a music booking company," said Limon, a third-year environmental studies major.

 

"That's why tonight is so important because we invited people of all creative fields to come in and get to know each other.

 

You can be an artist and be inspired by a musician, and vice versa."

 

Salas, a fourth-year business administration major, explained that the name "Chroma" reflects their mission to create vibrant, inclusive spaces.

 

"The actual definition of the word means saturation and vividness," Salas said.

 

"So we want to make that a metaphor for creativity in this local scene."

 

Since its inception, Chroma has hosted six events over the past year, featuring musicians from genres ranging from hardcore to indie.

 

Before Chroma's launch, Limon organized backyard concerts to showcase her musician friends, which led to her meeting Salas.

 

Pigeon, a local musician, joined the Chroma team after connecting with Limon through their work at the Collective.

 

To foster a conversational atmosphere at the anniversary event, live jazz music was a key component.

 

"We didn’t want to have people necessarily coming for the music; we wanted more of an emphasis on the networking, and jazz seems to be more of a cocktail party—it's ambient music in the background," Salas said.

 

The jazz ensemble featured Matthew Esqueda on keys, Christopher Astoquillca on saxophone, Andrew Yanes on drums, and Ameer Williams on double bass.

 

The group met the organizers at another local show and formed their quartet specifically for Chroma’s anniversary celebration.

 

Esqueda, a third-year jazz commercial music major, expressed his appreciation for performing at local venues.

 

"I think it's great being able to interact with the local area and talk to different people, meet new people.

 

All that is great, and that's part of why I love playing local areas in general," Esqueda said.

 

"I've never played music to people getting tattooed.

 

That's freaking awesome."

 

For Jas Yalung, a folk and indie singer-songwriter, the event provided a unique opportunity to connect with other artists.

 

"I want to meet different people and learn from different people, and just have a fun night to see what other people do because I never usually have the opportunity to go around like this, and I’m a very shy person," Yalung said.

 

Chroma's mission echoes Limon's intentions with her original DIY concerts: to foster a welcoming space for people to form connections and bond over a shared love of music.

 

"I just love music, but it's not even about the music; it's about giving people this sense of community that I once was kind of seeking in my younger days," Limon said.

 

"We (the Chroma organizers) found each other by chance, and we want to be able to give people the opportunity to meet each other through a shared space."