Cruise Control Contemporary

Cruise Control Contemporary (CCC) is an innovative and welcoming art gallery located in the picturesque coastal town of Cambria, California. Established in December 2021 by Charles Smith, CCC provides a unique platform dedicated to celebrating the diversity and vibrancy of California’s artistic community across all disciplines. The gallery’s mission is to serve as a bridge between the state’s thriving metropolitan art hubs and its quieter, often underrepresented voices, fostering an inclusive space for exploration and discovery.

Strategically situated halfway between Los Angeles and San Francisco, Cambria is a serene town with a population of just 6,000, offering an ideal blend of accessibility and intimacy. This setting allows CCC to be a destination space for established talent, while preserving the creative freedom to champion overlooked and underserved California artists. The gallery’s ethos centers on offering these artists a space to innovate, take risks, and connect deeply with their audience.

A key feature of Cruise Control Contemporary is its exhibition model. Every five weeks, the gallery transforms to spotlight a single artist, granting them full creative control of the main exhibition space. This singular focus enables each artist to craft an installation that fully inhabits the gallery, inviting visitors into a world that reflects their vision. By dedicating itself to one artist at a time, CCC fosters a profound engagement between the artist, their work, and the audience.

Through its commitment to showcasing the breadth of California’s artistic talent, CCC seeks to enrich the cultural fabric of the region while providing an approachable and dynamic gallery experience. Collectors, emerging artists, and the simply curious are invited to explore, connect, and be inspired in a setting as distinctive as the works it displays.