Wayne Thiebaud (b. 1920)

In 1994, the state of California passed legislation in partnership with the California Arts Council and the Department of Motor Vehicles to establish a specialty license plate to raise funds for arts education programs across the state. The California Arts Plate is the first nationwide program of its type devoted to raising funds exclusively for the arts. Proceeds account for approximately sixty percent of the state’s arts budget and an excess of $30 million has been raised to date. The specialty plate adorned with Wayne Thiebaud’s iconic drawing Coastline is a frequent occurrence on roadways across the state.