ARTREACH NEWSLETTER
April 27, 2026
Summer is on its way, and things are buzzing at ArtReach ☀️
Our team has been deep in prep for Golden Hour: Made in SD, our annual fundraiser and student exhibition happening May 7, and it’s all starting to come to life in the most exciting way. We’ve been collecting artwork from across our programs and can’t wait to share it all with you. The evening will be filled with art, food, music, and community, all in celebration of the young artists who make what we do so meaningful.
Behind the scenes, our space is transforming too. Our back lot just got a major upgrade, with a vibrant, play-centered mural designed by Studio Programs Manager Laurie Evans. What used to be a blank wall is now a colorful, interactive space made for creativity and connection. Inside, we’ve been adding new touches as well, including a fresh indoor mural designed by Marketing Coordinator Becca Dwyer and painted by our Mural Interns, Ale, K, and Ezra.
Golden Hour is where it all comes together. Tickets are almost sold out, so save your spot now!
Building Lowrider Piñatas, Building Community
Earlier this year, one of our ArtReach lessons featuring lowrider piñatas took off on social media, sparking excitement far beyond our studio walls. Since then, we’ve been thinking about how to bring that energy full circle, and we’re excited to share that these pieces are now part of our upcoming Golden Hour celebration.
At ArtReach, our teaching artists spend countless hours developing lessons that reflect the experiences, histories, and creativity of young people in San Diego. The lowrider piñata lesson is a powerful example of that work in action!
One of our most recent Free Family Workshops was led by our Education Resource Manager, Sierra Aguilar. With support from volunteers who helped prepare templates and assemble forms, families were able to focus on shaping, designing, and painting their own piñatas. This structure created space for experimentation with form, color, and storytelling.
Throughout the workshop, participants explored how lowrider culture connects to creativity, identity, and pride within Chicano and Mexican American communities. With guidance from Sierra, families were able to connect artmaking to culture, history, and place in a hands-on, meaningful way.
Using color, pattern, and texture, each family contributed their own story to the work, which now extends into our studio space for Golden Hour. We’ve transformed the environment into a winding San Diego road filled with vibrant lowrider piñatas, turning the installation into a shared celebration of community and expression.
In the Studio: Family Workshops + Summer Camp
It’s been a busy and joy-filled season in our space! We wrapped up Spring Break Camp, After-School Art Classes, and have been hosting packed drop-in play sessions and a full lineup of field trips. Our recent series of Free Family Workshops brought so much creativity into the studio, from tsikuri and ceramic vessels to piñatas, quilted memory pillows, and more. These sessions are all about hands-on artmaking and intergenerational connection, and we’ve loved seeing families create together in such a welcoming space.
This program is generously supported by the TahDah Foundation and the City of San Diego CPPS Grant (City Council District 3, Councilmember Stephen Whitburn). Our final workshop of the season is Beach Landscapes on May 16, and tickets go live on May 2, so make sure you’re following us on social media or subscribed to our email newsletter for first dibs!
Summer Camp at ArtReach
Summer Camp kicks off June 1, offering 9 weeks of creativity, connection, and hands-on artmaking. Each day is filled with playful themes, new materials, and space for kids to explore and make friends. Join for a single day or save $75 by booking a full week!
Inside Our Mural Internship Program
The ArtReach Mural Internship Program is in full swing! Our mural interns, Ale, K, Ezra, and Phoebe, have been helping to bring large-scale murals to life in schools and neighborhoods across San Diego County. Working closely with their mentors, the interns assist with preparing the materials, transferring mural design onto walls, working with students and community members, and painting the murals themselves.
Together, the interns played a key role in completing two recent murals in Chula Vista, supporting both the artistic process and community engagement. The first, at Clear View Elementary School, was designed by ArtReach Mural Artist Partner Lux Meteora and painted with the entire 6th grade. Located at the front of the school, it welcomes visitors while reflecting the Voyager identity through a visual journey of native plants, hummingbirds, and a ship rising into space—symbolizing imagination and possibility.
The interns also supported a second mural at Palomar Elementary School, designed by Josué Baltézar and funded through a California Arts Council grant. Centered on themes of family, nature, and transformation, the mural brought together over 100 community members during ArtReach paint days, with interns helping guide participants and carry the project from design to completion.
Thank you to The Ruth and Joseph C. Reed Foundation and Uptown Tavern for helping fund our youth interns! Their support truly inspires and nurtures creative passion in youth, and thereby transforming San Diego into a more diverse and vibrant city.
One of the current interns, K, shared, “One of the best things about working on community projects is the interaction with students, teachers, and community members. A lot of people thanked us and quite a few students said they were inspired by seeing the mural. Art is so dear to me and to be able to contribute to a community project that fosters creativity in our people makes my heart feel so full. I’m grateful for the opportunity to learn from and work alongside the Mural Team to help bring these projects to life!”
Vinyl Art Auction 2026
Thank you for being part of our Vinyl Art Auction! Whether you donated artwork, placed bids, or stopped by to see us during ArtWalk, it truly meant so much. Getting to connect with you in person and share these one-of-a-kind pieces made the whole experience unforgettable. Because of your support, we’ve reached 89% of our fundraising goal!
While the auction has officially wrapped, the story isn’t quite over. We still have 50+ vinyl records looking for their forever homes. If you missed your chance, or can’t stop thinking about a piece, now’s the time. Every purchase helps us bring free, high-quality visual arts education to thousands of K–12 students across San Diego County.
Thank you for showing up for art, for young artists, and for our community. We couldn’t do this without you!
Team Member Spotlight: Meet Esteban
This month, we’re spotlighting Esteban Sanchez, our Mural Program Coordinator and a key part of the team bringing large-scale artwork to life across San Diego. We sat down with him to talk about art, community, and what keeps him inspired.
What is your favorite thing about working at ArtReach? My favorite thing about working at ArtReach is getting to interact with so many amazing communities all around the county. It’s such a privilege to be able to make a living doing art, and I feel so honored to not only get to do that every day, but to also help create impactful and collaborative works of art that will (hopefully) last for years and years. These are the main reasons I always show up to work with a big smile on my face!
Where is your favorite place to work on your art/create? Whenever I’m designing a mural or working on a personal piece, I love working in my little studio at home. It’s small, but it has everything I need, and most importantly, it’s quiet. I can work pretty much anywhere as long as I have music on, but I find that I work most efficiently in my own space.
If you could give one piece of advice to a young artist who is afraid to make a mistake, what would it be? Don’t create with the goal of making something perfect, because it’ll never happen. If you never make mistakes, you can never grow! Art making is a lifelong journey, which is why it’s so amazing. You’ll never master it, you’ll always make mistakes, and the sooner you accept that, the happier you’ll be.
Are there any artists you feel inspired by currently and why? I’m inspired by SO many artists. I’m a big fan of Stevie Shao’s big bold colorful animals, I love César Canseco’s work for its composition, use of color and shading, and I’m obsessed with Mr. B Baby for her fun, unique, and consistent murals that have so much life in them. On the local level, I’m constantly inspired by the homies Regan Russell and Josué Baltezar. They have such unique and strong styles, and I feel like they’re always pushing their work forward in an amazing way.
Rapid Fire: Favorite ice cream, pizza topping, and condiment!
– Ice cream: Ube pandesal toffee/Milk & Cookies combo from Stella Jean’s
– Pizza topping: pepperoni (basic but classic)
– Condiment: Hot honey, I put it on everything for that sweet heat
Vote for ArtReach to Stay in the Envirotoken Program
This past year, you‘ve helped fund free art classes for youth through the Envirotoken program at Lazy Acres Mission Hills! Each time you brought in a reusable bag and paid it forward with your 10-cent token, you directly contributed to our mission to ignite youth creativity through visual arts expression and community connection. We are thrilled to announce that ArtReach has been nominated to continue being a recipient in the Envirotoken program!what use
To participate for another year, we need your vote. Please take a moment to vote for ArtReach and support our programs, which bring the transformative power of art to youth throughout San Diego.
1. Visit lazyacres.com/vote
2. Select Mission Hills as the store that you’d like to vote for
3. Select ArtReach San Diego
4. Enter your email address and zip code (used for information only)
5. Submit! (voting ends June 2, 2026)
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