Search results for

Ready to explore? These staff picks will motivate you to hit the trails, hop on a bike or reconnect with nature.

Art Through the Glass: Winter Edition Opening Reception Date: Jan. 18, 2025 from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Theme: "Unity in the Time of Uncertainty" Location: Chula Vista Center, 555 Broadway Avenue Suite 1021, Chula Vista, CA 91910 (Outdoor Hall behind Macy's and Burlington Co) Join us for a captivating afternoon celebrating the power of art to inspire connection and hope during challenging times. The Winter Edition of Art Through the Glass showcases diverse works by talented artists, exploring themes of resilience, togetherness, and creativity. Discover stunning art installations, meet the artists, and immerse yourself in a community united by the transformative power of art. We look forward to seeing you there!

San Diego came alive in 2024 with festivals celebrating dance, food, film and quirky traditions.

Join us for the opening reception of 25 years of The Drawing Show, and enjoy art, a live DJ set by Itza Vilaboy, and small bites in our Valerias Sculpture Garden! A drawing's most profound potential lies in its ability to shape how we perceive and understand the world around us. Few means of expression can rival its directness. Drawing is personal, immediate, intentional, and reveals an artist’s state of mind. The Judith Harris Art Gallery at the Central Library is pleased to present The Drawing Show, a 25th anniversary exhibition championing skilled San Diego artists. The Visual Arts Program founder, Mark Elliot Lugo, curated the first inaugural Drawing Show which has included over 92 local artists in invitationals over the years. Lugo believed drawing is not just a skill, but an exercise in teaching the eye to “see” a process that transcends mere observation and encourages a deeper, more insightful perception. This year’s invitational features Celeste Byers, Hugo Crosthwaite, Steve Gibson, Amanda Kazemi, Neil Kendricks, Joshua Moreno, Annalise Neil, David Peña, Melanie Taylor, and Eden de la Vara—ten local artists who show us how they “see” through their exemplary mark making. From traditional figure renderings to imaginative constructs of landscape and abstraction, drawing remains a space of open experimentation, where the hand decides whether a piece is meant to convey deeper meaning or exist for mere play. Each mark sends a message—where past, present, and futures coexist. The Drawing Show invites the viewer to engage with drawing as more than just a tool or technique—it's a vital method of communication. A narrative serving a profound social function. The Visual Arts Program provides access and connection to the arts and culture landscape in San Diego, offering unique opportunities to local and regional artists. Exhibitions at the Central Library are made possible through a collaboration between the San Diego Public Library and the City of San Diego Commission for Arts and Culture. Gallery Hours: Monday and Tuesday, 1 p.m. – 7 p.m. Wednesday – Saturday, 12 p.m. – 5 p.m. Sunday, 1 p.m. - 5 p.m. Visit: https://sandiego.librarymarket.com/event/hold-25th-anniv-invitational-drawing-exhibition-415414

Front Porch Gallery starts the celebration of its 20th anniversary with the opening of the “Save the Ocean 5” art & poetry exhibit. The show, which runs from March 26 to May 28, 2025, will explore urgent environmental themes, climate change, expressions of beauty and the rejuvenation of the spirit that can be found in nature. The exhibition is free and open to the public. Reception with Super Wave - Surf guitar band with poetry reading and makers table March 29 from Noon to 2 p.m. Front Porch Gallery on Facebook / Instagram

How has the Italian language historically been used and how is it used today in a complex audiovisual medium such as comics? This presentation by Dr. Antonio Iannotta (USD, San Diego Italian Film Festival) will discuss some of the authors, stories, heroes, magazines, and books that created the illustrated imagery of Italians. Since right after WWII, Italian comics have become an extraordinarily important medium in Italian culture, a fertile and vibrant environment for authors, stories, and characters translated all over the world. Join this presentation with Q&A for an exciting journey into the Italian language used in Comics, with its relationships to Cinema, Literature, Art, and other media. Italian bites and drinks to follow Antonio Iannotta is the Artistic Director of the San Diego Italian Film Festival, a Professor in the Department of Languages, Cultures, and Literatures at USD, and an instructor of Italian language, culture, and cinema at ICC.

Kiefer is a central figure in the diverse independent music scene of Los Angeles. His sound fuses various modalities of Black American Music, from jazz and R&B to hip-hop and electronic music. Kiefer grew up in San Diego, California, immersed in jazz by his father at a young age, and later experimented with hip-hop-inspired beats in high school. While studying jazz piano at UCLA, Kiefer got his education in beats from attending shows at Low End Theory and collaborating with other artists in the scene. Hard-hitting beats, complex jazz voicings and sentimental melodies all fed into Kiefer’s debut, Kickinit Alone, released on Leaving Records in 2017. Soon after, Kiefer signed to Stones Throw and released two LPs: "Happysad" (2018), and "When There’s Love Around" (2021). Outside of his solo work, Kiefer has recorded with artists such as Drake, Kaytranada, Sir, and Terrace Martin, and produced for Anderson .Paak on his Grammy Award winning record, “Ventura”. Kiefer at his core is both emotional and an optimist, which is why his songs resonate on a wide spectrum of emotion. His ethos is about feeling encouraged, empowered, and full of gratitude, reminding listeners through his music, “this is a beautiful life.” Visit: Kiefer Trio Kiefer on Instagram

In this hands-on professional development workshop, educators will learn two creative projects, based on contemporary art practices, that integrate Social Emotional Learning (SEL). Participants will explore how these art forms can encourage self-expression, emotional processing, and social connection in the classroom. The session will also introduce the ArtReach Learning Portal, offering resources and tools to support SEL-focused art education. Educators will leave with ready-to-implement projects and access to a rich digital platform for continued learning and inspiration. *At checkout, use CODE: PD10 to get $10 off of a bundle of three sessions! Visit: Creative Connections: SEL Through Contemporary Art with the ArtReach Learning Portal ArtReach San Diego on Instagram and Facebook

Front Porch Gallery presents "Tiny Creative Habits: Celebrating Life in the Everyday" During 2024 through multiple art making programs, we invited the community to uncover the profound impact of small changes on a path to fulfillment. We asked them to discover how inventing in tiny habits of creativity can enrich lives and lead to significant transformation. Explore the magic that occurred when ordinary moments were ignited with creative sparks and experience a gallery full of the resulting creations of the community. Throughout the year Front Porch Gallery worked with partners to implement meaningful, arts-based workshops to produce this exhibition. This interactive program served as a platform for every participant, regardless of their age or abilities, to create, share and connect through art. The results are spectacular! Gallery Hours: Wednesday – Friday (11 a.m. – 5 p.m.); Sat (11 a.m. – 4 p.m.) Front Porch Gallery on Facebook / Instagram

Labor unions are trying once again to regulate self-checkout lanes at California stores. This year’s bill waters down a version that died last session, but businesses still warn it will increase costs and lead to consumer frustration.