 The town of Carlsbad (link is to community profile with photos and virtual tours)has a fine reputation for its arts program, and is a model for other communities for the variety of programs that it offers.
[photo, left, is of the Carlsbad Sculpture Garden] Under the guidance and financial sponsorship of the Friends of the Arts, residents and visitors off all ages have a number of options depending on their interests. William D. Cannon Art Gallery - located adjacent to the Carlsbad Library in South Carlsbad (Dove and El Camino), this fine art gallery offers 5-6 shows per year of outstanding quality. Admission is free. In addition, with each show the gallery sponsors a Family Day (again, free for all) where residents (including children) can visit the current show and them get involved in making a variety of crafts related to the show (e.g., paintings, jewelry). Materials are all provided. School children can participate in a range of programs affiliated with the gallery. On Sunday May 20ththe gallery will be holding its Annual Fundraiser, the Plein Air Brunch - tickets are only $50 for a catered meal, champagne and the opportunity to help fund the gallery programs. Call the gallery at 760-602-2021 or stop by for tickets. TGIF Jazz in the Park - an annual event for many years, the town sponsors 9 concerts in the Carlsbad parkson Friday evenings in the summer, offering jazz, blues, latin and more. Concerts are free, and everyone is welcome to bring chairs and dinner and dine al fresco while enjoying the free music. It is common to have several thousand people in attendance at one of the 3 parks hosting the events. There are always a range of raffle prizes to raise money to support this program. 
The Carlsbad Sculpture Garden - located at the town offices just off the 5 at Carlsbad Village Drive, the sculpture garden is a whimsical collection (see photos above) by some well-known artists - Christie Beniston, Italo Scango, Lauren Jackson, Christopher Lee, Fritzie Urquhart, Nina Karavasiles and David Beck-Brown. There is no charge to stop by and wander through the garden, and occasional receptions are held, such as the recent one for members of the Friends of the Arts. Enjoy the visual tour of the Sculpture Garden below. 
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The other facility that should be mentioned that is part of the overall arts program is the Museum of Making Music. They have a terrific collection of instruments and everything related to the art of music making. Stop by and visit sometime.
Jeff