ARTREACH NEWSLETTER
July 1, 2026
Summer is one of our busiest and most inspiring seasons, and we can’t wait to share what we’ve been creating with you! From vibrant student murals and immersive summer residencies to free community events and exciting opportunities to make art together, creativity is flourishing across San Diego.
Inside this newsletter, you’ll see how your support continues to expand access to the arts, celebrate young artists, and bring our community together. Thank you for being part of the ArtReach family and helping make all of this possible!
Expanding Access to Arts Education
This summer, students at Challenger and Wilson Middle Schools are diving into creativity through ArtReach’s immersive summer residency programs. We are thrilled to extend opportunities for visual art expression beyond the traditional school year, creating space for students to stay engaged, explore their creativity, and build meaningful connections throughout the summer. Through hands-on projects such as Huichol-inspired textile art, Luna Luna-inspired carnival sculptures, lowrider piñatas, and more, students are experimenting with a wide range of artistic techniques, materials, and cultural traditions while developing their own creative voices.
Beyond making art, the residency programs create meaningful opportunities for students to connect with professional Teaching Artists and collaborate with their peers. As they learn new techniques, share ideas, and work together on creative projects, students build confidence, strengthen community, and discover new ways to express themselves and support one another. We are especially grateful to the VAPA Foundation for generously supporting the Challenger Middle School program through the SPARX Grant, helping make these enriching arts experiences possible for local youth.
Murals That Make an Impact
The ArtReach Mural Team has been hard at work this season, completing two exciting new projects that are already transforming school campuses and inspiring students across the region. At Santana High School in Santee, ArtReach led a student-driven mural project rooted in collaboration, creativity, and school pride. Over the course of 12 mural arts education workshops, 15 art students were guided through every stage of the process, from concept development and drawing to paper-cut collage techniques and painting. Each student created an original collage inspired by local nature, campus life, academics, and personal experiences, which ArtReach then helped weave into a single, unified composition.
The finished mural is rendered in a graphic paper-cut style featuring Santana’s purple and gold alongside calming teal tones, with imagery that moves through a school day from sunrise to nightfall, a visual metaphor for the student journey and all it holds. The result is a vibrant, lasting legacy built from the collective voice of the school community. Special thanks to the Ruth & Joseph C. Reed Foundation and the Langston Family Foundation for making this project possible.
Closer to home in Spring Valley, our team took on something entirely new. In partnership with AND1 at Spring Valley Academy, ArtReach artist Regan Russell designed a mural for not one, but two outdoor basketball courts, which was a first for our team. The design features two eagles, the school’s mascot, carrying a branch of sage as a nod to the local landscape, with the iconic AND1 figure woven into their forms. Over 60 students made their mark during a student paint day, laying color on the courts before our team stepped in to bring it to completion. Painting on a basketball court surface presented its own unique challenges, and we’re grateful to CH Court Tech for their expert guidance and generous discount on the paint, which helped make this project possible.
The project was celebrated on June 15 at the Paint the Park event hosted by Spring Valley Academy and AND1, and what a celebration it was. AND1 gave away over 750 mini basketballs along with merch and sneakers, and the campus came alive with vendors such as a taco and churro truck, a video game truck, and laser tag. Streetball legends The Professor and White Iverson made the trip down from LA, signing autographs, taking photos, and going 1-on-1 with students. Seeing kids play on the newly painted courts and soak in this bright new addition to their campus was the perfect way to close out the school year. We couldn’t be more proud of how this one turned out.
Free Sign-Making for Pride!
Join us on Saturday, July 18, from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM as we celebrate Pride with a community Pride Rally Sign-Making Station right outside our front doors! We’ll have tables set up with pre-made rally signs, paint, and all the supplies you need to create a colorful message of love, joy, equality, and pride to carry with you during the San Diego Pride festivities.
This event is completely free and open to all ages, with a suggested donation to participate. Every contribution goes directly back into ArtReach’s mission of igniting youth creativity through visual arts expression and community connection, helping us continue to provide accessible arts programming throughout our community. Come create, connect, and celebrate Pride with us!
Free Drop-In Play at ArtWalk Liberty Station
Join ArtReach at ArtWalk Liberty Station on August 1 & 2 for FREE Drop-In Play in the KidsWalk area! We’re bringing some of our favorite hands-on art and sensory play stations from our Hillcrest studio so families with walking toddlers and children up to 8 years old can create, explore, and play at their own pace. There’s no formal instruction, just open-ended creative fun with a variety of art materials and sensory experiences. Stop by anytime during the festival to experience the joy of process art while exploring one of San Diego’s favorite outdoor art events!
We’re Staying in the Envirotoken Program at Lazy Acres!
Thanks to your support, ArtReach has been selected to participate in the Envirotoken Program at Lazy Acres Mission Hills for another year!
Every reusable bag and every 10-cent token helps expand access to free visual arts education for youth across San Diego. We’re incredibly grateful to everyone who took the time to vote and help keep ArtReach in this meaningful community program. Thank you for supporting creativity, sustainability, and the next generation of young artists.
Stay up-to-date with all things ArtReach Studio
In case you missed it, ArtReach Studios is in the middle of Summer Camp, where kids come to create, play, and enjoy a colorful summer away from screens for 8 hours a day, 5 days a week. It’s been a joy to watch confidence grow as campers explore, experiment, and express themselves through art.
Looking ahead, we have SO many fun art workshops planned for kids, teens, adults, and families. Our Free Family Art Classes will start again in July, and we’ll also be bringing back our After-School Art Classes in August! Make sure you’re subscribed to ArtReach’s newsletter (located in the footer) and follow us on Instagram to be the first to know when new workshops are announced!
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