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Visiting Artist Shareout: Melanie Taing Join us on Saturday, July 11 from 1 p.m. – 4 p.m. at Revision La Mesa for an afternoon of storytelling, creativity, and community with visiting artist Melanie Taing (@olliepotstudios). Melanie's work explores personal and generational healing through clay, drawing on her Cambodian, Thai, and Chinese American heritage, tea culture, herbalism, and the belief that art and community can be powerful tools for connection and care. After developing chronic migraines and other disabling health conditions in 2022, Melanie found healing and resilience through Traditional Chinese Medicine, tea-making, and ceramics, with pottery becoming a space for creativity, reflection, and restoration. From 1 p.m. – 2 p.m., Melanie will share stories about her artistic practice, cultural heritage, disability journey, and the ways creativity, community, and care have shaped her work. From 2 p.m. – 4 p.m., participants are invited to create their own ceramic coasters inspired by Melanie's signature vinyl resist technique, which she uses throughout her work, including pieces from her Amrita collection and playful pop-culture-inspired ceramics. - Open to all - Drop-in, no RSVP required - Free to try, $10 to have your piece fired At Revision, our goal is to connect and center disabled artists through storytelling, community building, and creative practice. We're honored to welcome Melanie and celebrate the ways art can help us heal, connect, and imagine new possibilities together. Revision La Mesa, 8691 La Mesa Blvd Saturday, July 11 1 p.m. – 4 p.m. This program was made possible by funding from the Foundation for Developmental Disabilities (@foundationfordd), a a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation dedicated to creating opportunities for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDDs) and their families in San Diego and Imperial Counties. Revision Creative Workspace on Facebook / Instagram

Illustrators Patrick Ballesteros and Genevieve Santos collaborated on a Comic-Con print that reimagines beloved characters through the traditional Filipino dance tinikling.

Legislators introduced Senate Bill 420 in response to a KPBS investigation. It’s now headed to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk.

A pair of wildly different but equally engaging films open this weekend at Digital Gym Cinema.

José E. Feliciano and Kwanza Jones took their first news conference as majority owners of the San Diego Padres and announced ambitious World Series goals and shared motivations behind buying the team.

Join San Diego ART Matters and the San Diego County Arts & Culture Commission for the District 1 stop of the In Community series — a countywide initiative designed to bring together artists, cultural organizations, and creative partners through welcoming gatherings filled with conversation, collaboration, and inspiration. This event continues the series’ commitment to engaging communities across the region, including those in District 1 represented by Supervisor Paloma Aguirre. This District 1 gathering will take place at the Chicano Park Museum and Cultural Center on Tuesday, June 30, from 2– 4 p.m. The afternoon will be a relaxed and engaging gathering focused on connection and community. Guests will enjoy music and spoken word, along with opportunities to meet fellow artists, cultural leaders, and community partners from across the region. The program will include informal networking, a brief update on regional arts advocacy and resources, and an opportunity to connect with County Arts & Culture District 2 Commissioners Monica Hernandez and Marisa Rosalez, along with a special welcome to Christine Jones, the County’s new Manager of Art, Film and Creative Industries. In Community is presented by San Diego ART Matters through its Local Arts Agency Learning Network, sponsored by the Prebys Foundation. Admission is free and open to the public. Light refreshments will be provided. Come as you are. Bring a colleague or friend. Make new connections, share ideas, and be part of strengthening the creative ecosystem in District 1 and across San Diego County.

The event has been held in San Diego since 1970, growing from a small gathering of comic book enthusiasts into a global cultural phenomenon that attracts fans, creators and artists from around the world.

Curated by Dinah Poellnitz Space 4 Art is pleased to present "PHOSPHENE," a group exhibition curated by Dinah Poellnitz and featuring the work of Bryttney-Mischele Salvant, Mark Chamness, Pastelle, and Akiko Surai. The exhibition opens with a public reception on Saturday, July 18, 2026, from 4 to 7 p.m. and remains on view through August 15, 2026, at Art Produce Gallery. Named for the phenomenon of seeing light without an external source, "PHOSPHENE" (phos·phene (noun)/ˈfäsˌfēn/) refers to the colors, patterns, and luminous sensations perceived behind closed eyes. The exhibition uses this phenomenon as a metaphor for artistic intuition, exploring the inner vision that emerges before conscious thought and the creative instincts that guide artistic practice. Developed through Poellnitz's curatorial residency with Space 4 Art, the exhibition began with a studio visit to S4A resident artist Bryttney-Mischele Salvant and expanded into a conversation among four artists whose practices embrace intuition, material exploration, and personal transformation. Though their approaches differ— from painting and fiber to illustration, embroidery, and found materials —they share a commitment to trusting the creative process before certainty. “There is a moment every artist knows and rarely names. It arrives somewhere between the first mark and the last, when the mind finally stops negotiating with the hand,” Poellnitz commented. “These artists did not plan their way to that moment. They surrendered to it. And in that surrender, something was made that could not have been made any other way.” Salvant's expressive paintings privilege emotional truth over technical perfection, while Mark Chamness transforms discarded plastic bags into richly textured fiber works that investigate color, place, and environmental memory. Pastelle's vibrant illustrations celebrate confidence, identity, and unapologetic self-expression through radiant color and fantastical imagery. Akiko Surai's embroidered and beaded sculptures draw from Black revolutionary thought and craft traditions across the African diaspora, creating works that speak to resilience, inheritance, and collective imagination. Together, these artists invite viewers to consider the moment when instinct overtakes intention—when making becomes less about knowing and more about trusting. "PHOSPHENE" celebrates the quiet inner light that artists follow and asks audiences to reflect on the creative spark that exists within us all. Exhibition Details Title: "PHOSPHENE" Curated by: Dinah Poellnitz Presented by: Space 4 Art Venue: Art Produce Gallery, 3139 University Ave., San Diego Opening Reception: July 18 | 4-7 p.m. Closing Reception and Artist Talk: August 15 | 12-3 p.m. Exhibition Dates: July 18 - August 15 Gallery Hours: Fridays 1-7 p.m.; Saturdays 12-6 p.m.; and by appointment All events are free and open to the public. For more information, visit Space 4 Art's website (www.sdspace4art.org) or follow @space4artsd on social media. About the Curator: Dinah Poellnitz is an interdisciplinary curator and writer whose practice centers artists who work at the intersection of material experimentation, intuition, and cultural memory. Developed through her curatorial residency with Space 4 Art, PHOSPHENE reflects her ongoing interest in how artists transform personal vision into shared experience. About Space 4 Art: Space 4 Art is a San Diego-based nonprofit arts organization dedicated to supporting artists and strengthening the region’s cultural ecosystem by providing access to affordable creative spaces, artist opportunities, exhibitions, public programming, and community engagement.

Space 4 Art Presents "PHOSPHENE" Curated by Dinah Poellnitz Space 4 Art is pleased to present "PHOSPHENE," a group exhibition curated by Dinah Poellnitz and featuring the work of Bryttney-Mischele Salvant, Mark Chamness, Pastelle, and Akiko Surai. The exhibition opens with a public reception on Saturday, July 18, 2026, from 4 to 7 p.m. and remains on view through August 15, 2026, at Art Produce Gallery. Named for the phenomenon of seeing light without an external source, PHOSPHENE (phos·phene (noun)/ˈfäsˌfēn/) refers to the colors, patterns, and luminous sensations perceived behind closed eyes. The exhibition uses this phenomenon as a metaphor for artistic intuition, exploring the inner vision that emerges before conscious thought and the creative instincts that guide artistic practice. Developed through Poellnitz's curatorial residency with Space 4 Art, the exhibition began with a studio visit to S4A resident artist Bryttney-Mischele Salvant and expanded into a conversation among four artists whose practices embrace intuition, material exploration, and personal transformation. Though their approaches differ— from painting and fiber to illustration, embroidery, and found materials —they share a commitment to trusting the creative process before certainty. “There is a moment every artist knows and rarely names. It arrives somewhere between the first mark and the last, when the mind finally stops negotiating with the hand,” Poellnitz commented. “These artists did not plan their way to that moment. They surrendered to it. And in that surrender, something was made that could not have been made any other way.” Salvant's expressive paintings privilege emotional truth over technical perfection, while Mark Chamness transforms discarded plastic bags into richly textured fiber works that investigate color, place, and environmental memory. Pastelle's vibrant illustrations celebrate confidence, identity, and unapologetic self-expression through radiant color and fantastical imagery. Akiko Surai's embroidered and beaded sculptures draw from Black revolutionary thought and craft traditions across the African diaspora, creating works that speak to resilience, inheritance, and collective imagination. Together, these artists invite viewers to consider the moment when instinct overtakes intention—when making becomes less about knowing and more about trusting. "PHOSPHENE" celebrates the quiet inner light that artists follow and asks audiences to reflect on the creative spark that exists within us all. Exhibition Details: Title: "PHOSPHENE" Curated by: Dinah Poellnitz Presented by: Space 4 Art Venue: Art Produce Gallery, 3139 University Ave., San Diego Opening Reception: July 18 | 4-7 p.m. Closing Reception and Artist Talk: August 15 | 12-3 p.m. Exhibition Dates: July 18 - August 15 Gallery Hours: Fridays 1-7 p.m.; Saturdays 12-6 p.m.; and by appointment All events are free and open to the public. For more information, visit Space 4 Art's website (www.sdspace4art.org) or follow @space4artsd on social media. About the Curator: Dinah Poellnitz is an interdisciplinary curator and writer whose practice centers artists who work at the intersection of material experimentation, intuition, and cultural memory. Developed through her curatorial residency with Space 4 Art, "PHOSPHENE" reflects her ongoing interest in how artists transform personal vision into shared experience. About Space 4 Art: Space 4 Art is a San Diego-based nonprofit arts organization dedicated to supporting artists and strengthening the region’s cultural ecosystem by providing access to affordable creative spaces, artist opportunities, exhibitions, public programming, and community engagement.

The Annual Afghan Tea Party is the House of Afghanistan's signature lawn celebration — a public, family-friendly festival of Afghan culture, hospitality, food, music, poetry, art, and community. Bring a blanket, settle in, and expect a warm Afghan welcome. The name is a tribute to something deeply familiar in Afghan life: the way tea brings people together. Across Afghan homes and gatherings, tea is more than a drink. It is a gesture of welcome, a reason to sit, a pause before a story, and often the beginning of a long conversation. That spirit of hospitality is what inspired the name. But this is not a formal tea service. It is a full afternoon of live programming on the Prado lawn, created for Afghan families, neighbors, friends, and visitors of all backgrounds. From the stage, guests will experience live Afghan music and poetry — read aloud, then unpacked, so every guest leaves understanding why these verses have endured for centuries. There will be storytelling for children and a live demonstration of ta'arof — the intricate, affectionate ritual of Afghan courtesy that no visitor forgets. Guests will also go deeper into the culture itself: an introduction to Afghan food — what's on the table, how it's made, and what each dish means. Between programs, the lawn opens up: tea is poured, food is served, and vendor booths offer Afghan food, clothing, books, and artisan goods. The afternoon also carries a ceremonial heart. The house will present its inaugural Afghan Spirit Award, honoring an Afghan American whose life embodies the values of our people — resilience, bravery, leadership, and hospitality — along with a Community Service Award recognizing extraordinary service to the diaspora. For non-Afghan guests, it is an open invitation to experience Afghan culture in a warm, accessible, and joyful setting. For Afghan families, it is a day to see our heritage shared with pride — not only remembered, but brought to life in the heart of San Diego. Visit: https://www.afghanhouse.org/events/annual-lawn-program House of Afghanistan on Instagram