A year in Monterey County arts coverage.

What’s not to like about year-end reviews? Revisiting significant stories with the perspective of time and distance; circling back on stuff that might have been missed the first time around. Here is a select list of the Weekly’s 2015 arts and culture coverage, with bonus insights. Enjoy.

Jan. 17

“The Arts Council for Monterey County shines a spotlight on a few arts heroes.”

At the Champions of the Arts gala, music reigned supreme, with awards going to avant-garde composer Philip Glass, music writer and promoter Mac McDonald, promoter and Guitars Not Guns honcho Steve Vagnini and Monterey Jazz Festival education director Paul Contos. I hit up six of the honorees, asked what they would say in their speech, and relayed their responses.

Jan. 17

“A fan-turned-photographer stocks The Press Club’s first art opening with his music heroes.”

That photographer was Jason DeBord, who keeps up an obsessively detailed blog about the concerts he photographs. When he saw the Pixies at Henry Miller Memorial Library, he posted photos of everything from the coffeemaker in his room at the Portola Plaza Hotel to the cows grazing along Big Sur’s coast.

March 12

“Actors channel words from women’s movement activists, past and present.”

Showing the arc of history, various actors recite historic speeches from women who propelled suffrage forward, from slave-turned-abolitionist Sojourner Truth to Nobel Prize-winning Pakistani activist Malala Youssafzai. A month later, Hillary Rodham Clinton announced her candidacy for president.

March 26

“The revered expert of the external challenges and the inner resolves of the underdog hits MPC to talk writing.”

A “Face to Face” (Q&A) with legendary writer Joyce Carol Oates gleaned insights into her thoughts, politics and writing. It took some doing to get there, as one email exchange shows. Weekly: “Martin Scorsese has said that his asthma, which kept him from participating in vigorous sports or other kid adventures in Brooklyn, made his filmmaking more visceral. Do you have a similar predecessor for your delving into violence, strife and the macabre?” Joyce Carol Oates: “Not that I know of… ”

May 19

Arts & Culture blog.

The A&E blogs are home to an interesting stream of stories. You never know where they’ll come from, where they’ll go, or who will write them. On May 19, then-Weekly Assistant Editor Kera Abraham took a turn with “Mad Men ended where the ’70s mindset began: Big Sur’s Esalen Institute.”

June 24

“Wading the knickknacks, gewgaws and tchotchkes at the Cannery Row Antique Mall’s first annual book sale.”

An online photo slideshow of one of the most bountiful assemblages of relics on the Peninsula provided fertile ground to riff on hidden treasures like a 1911 edition of Treasure Island.

July 2

“New poet laureate Juan Felipe Herrera comes to CSUMB, writes us a poem.”

There are pros and cons to conducting interviews by email. One pro: It gives the subject more time to compose their thoughts. Or, in the case of newly crowned U.S. poet laureate Juan Felipe Herrera, to compose an original poem in response to a question. Go to the Arts & Culture blog to read the poem.

July 23

“Osio Cinemas, after long feeding local culture with discerning films, closes.”

It was our beacon of art, indie and foreign film; a hub of higher culture in downtown Monterey; a cool place to meet and spark memories. Its closing initiated a flood of passionate comments. A stalled Kickstarter campaign shows people aren’t ready to let it go yet.

Aug. 27

“PBS and BBC collaborate on a live nature show shot in the Monterey Bay.”

With all due respect to Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, for a few days this summer the two highly respected public media institutions, in Big Blue Live, gave us the greatest show on earth.

Sept. 3

“Carmel’s Sunset Center was the latest venue for the iconic meeting of minds.”

In May, TEDWomen landed in Monterey. Later in the year, TED held a Fellows Retreat in Pacific Grove with a big presentation in Carmel with musician and singer Meklit Hadero, TED curator Chris Anderson, hundreds of TED fellows and guests, and the Weekly. The emcee wore a Boy Scout uniform and tap dancing figured prominently.

Oct. 1

The Artifacts column.

This column allows me more voice to make comment, like in this item about Black Lives Matter co-founder Alicia Garza speaking at CSUMB: “The phrase ‘black lives matter’ does not imply that non-black lives don’t matter. And it’s foolish or disingenuous to say that it does.”

Nov. 19

“Monterey County’s Esselen Tribal Council dictates its own story.”

The backstory of this ambitious play is a striking and convoluted saga of hope, betrayal and redemption that began more than a year ago. There was more story than time and space, and it evolved beyond the limits of newspaper deadlines. But that’s every story, isn’t it?

Nov. 26

Arts & Entertainment calendar.

Our A&E calendar has long been the definitive guide to what’s most worthy (imho) here in art, film, talks, festivals, music, etc. And sometimes, it does so with flair, as Victoria Stoker demonstrates with her write-up on Sky Country at Barmel: “The most magnificent whale calls for you to jump on his back. You surf on the back of the blue to Carmel beach, where Nico Georis, Mikey Selbicky, Adam Zerbe and Will Condon pick you up in a Volkswagen bus and take you up the road to Barmel.”

Dec. 17

“The second annual Salinas Valley Comic Con strikes back at the Steinbeck Center.”

This was one of the most anticipated events of the year for me and a lot of people. In the end, I was not able to attend. But much satisfaction comes from believing that – to paraphrase the Weekly’s motto – the story inspired you to go see it, to get involved, and to have the time of your life.