Welcome to Murals & Public Art of San Diego, A Visual Art Exhibition & Catalog, a project proudly presented by UC San Diego Park & Market. The San Diego region is a vibrant tapestry of creativity, where every neighborhood is a canvas for innovative and expressive works of art.
The Murals & Public Art of San Diego initiative aims to spotlight and celebrate the murals and public art that enrich our communities and shape the cultural landscape of the region. The community is invited to be a part of this exciting project through two key components:
Public Call for Participation
Community members are encouraged to contribute to this collective effort by documenting the inspiring murals, sculptures, and other public expressions of creativity in their neighborhoods. Simply use the provided form by clicking the button below to share your discoveries and help create a comprehensive showcase of San Diego’s creative treasures.
Visual Art Exhibition & Catalog
Experience the culmination of this project at the Murals & Public Art of San Diego Visual Art Exhibition. The richness of San Diego’s visual culture as captured in a meticulously curated catalog will be available both online and at the exhibition.
To further elevate the experience, and in celebration of the San Diego Tijuana World Design Capital project in 2024, Park & Market will launch pop-up programs that invite you to explore the Visual Art Exhibition and embark on an “ARTventure” to discover creative projects in East Village, Barrio Logan, and beyond.
Don’t miss the opportunity to be a part of this extraordinary celebration of creativity. Capture, catalog, and explore the Murals & Public Art of San Diego with Park & Market!
Special thanks to UC San Diego Park & Market’s Murals & Public Art of San Diego partners, including East Village Association, Downtown San Diego Partnership, Chicano Park Museum and Cultural Center, City of San Diego Commission for Arts and Culture, and San Diego Tourism Authority.
FAQ
What is the Murals & Public Art of San Diego project?
- The Murals & Public Art of San Diego project is an effort to spotlight and celebrate the murals and public art in our neighborhoods and around the region.
- This project is led by UC San Diego Extended Studies and is produced in coordination with community partners.
- Content is generated by both the staff and public contributions.
What are the acceptance criteria?
- Only submit subject matter that is considered to be art or has creative or cultural merit.
- Consists primarily of murals and or sculptural works.
- Works are considered to be on public display and are publicly accessible.
- The submitting party authorizes the use of their photography and written contributions.
What is the definition of public art?
- Public art is art in any media whose form, function, and meaning are created for the general public through a public process. It is a specific art genre with its own professional and critical discourse. Wikipedia
- g. the La Jolla mural project, Chicano Park murals, and “underground murals”
- Subject matter is considered to be art or have creative or cultural merit.
- Consists primarily of murals and or sculptural works.
- Works are considered to be on public display and are accessible.
Is there a defined geographic area works can come from?
- Works may be submitted from any San Diego County and Tijuana region. Works featured may be prioritized based on staffing resources.
- The Art Exhibition to be held at UC San Diego Park & Market will primarily focus on works relating to San Diego’s East Village and Barrio Logan neighborhoods.
- The web-based catalog will highlight various neighborhoods in the region based on public submissions.
Does the artist who created the work need to be acknowledged?
- The Murals & Public Art of San Diego project aims to credit both the creator/owner of the public art as well as the photographer submitting their work.
- No, publicly accessible spaces may be photographed and shared by any photographer.
- If parties owning or representing public works prefer their work not to be included or are represented differently from the submitting party, staff will attempt to accommodate those preferences.
Will all works submitted be used?
- The Murals & Public Art of San Diego project reserves the right to not include any submission (e.g. lack of clearly outlined submission information, staff’s inability to independently verify work information, and representation of profanity and/or hate speech).
What information does the submission form ask for?
- Submissions must include detailed information about how to locate the work, the submitter’s name and email, a photo of the work, photo credit (if not the submitter), the location of work (address, intersection, coordinates, and/or landmark), the artist attribution/owner’s website (if known), and a statement from the submitter about why the work stood out.
Will you return to the location to re-photograph or use their submitted images?
- Most highlights will rely on user-generated content; some works may be professionally photographed.
How can the community support the Murals & Public Art project?
- The success of this project relies on community interest and support.
- The Murals & Public Art of San Diego team welcomes community partnerships to share the call for content, processing of content, hosting of special events, and any other unique opportunities. Interested parties should contact Andrew Waltz at awaltz@ucsd.edu.