Arts Leadership Award Program

Representing Alameda County Supervisorial District Three —

Janet Koike, of the City of Alameda, is the award recipient for the Third District of the Alameda County Board of Supervisors. Janet Koike is the founder and artistic director of Rhythmix Cultural Works in the City of Alameda. As an accomplished Taiko Drummer, Janet has long had a vision to bring people together through culture and the arts. Janet opened Rhythmix in June 2007 as Alameda’s only visual and performing arts community center with a beautiful 150-seat theater, art gallery and multipurpose classroom facilities. Rhythmix brings people of all ages together to experience and explore music, dance, visual art and cultural education opportunities. Janet curates the K Gallery presenting seven art exhibitions annually, as well as free artist lectures. Koike’s outreach efforts include providing free cultural arts performances for East Bay schools, sponsoring community fundraising efforts, and offering performances by Rhythmix artists at business mixers, street fairs, and other local events. Rhythmix has grown over the past 11 years to become the leading provider of arts programming in the City of Alameda. Through its “Love Our Island Art Walk” program, public art, storefront art installations, and music performances Rhythmix enhances Alameda’s historic downtown area. In 2016, Janet launched “Island City Waterways” a series of multidisciplinary site-specific free public art events that celebrate Alameda’s waterfront history.