Keep Investing in San Diego’s Cultural Vitality 

GrantmakingEssay
Written By Grantmakers in the Arts GIA

Grantmakers in the Arts is responding to the City of San Diego’s having proposed elimination of City funding for arts and culture in the FY27 budget. This cut threatens $11.8 million in support for organizations, jobs, and community programming across the San Diego region. This is especially dispiriting for an area that is investing in the innovation economy. Cultivating creativity is essential to the success San Diego’s future leaders.  

Grantmakers in the Arts is planning on hosting our National Conference in the San Diego/Tijuana region in 2027. This conference brings 500-700 arts funders and supporters from across the nation to learn from the cultural community of our hosts. A critical goal of GIA’s conference is to help the larger national arts grantmaking ecosystem to connect with the cultural stakeholders – the artists, organizations and arts supporters – in the host region. 

Grantmakers in the Arts is eager to share with our colleagues from across the nation San Diego’s investment in arts in health; support to individual artists; and its public-private partnerships. Grantmakers have in the Arts does not want to share with our nation the story of a culturally-vibrant community subject to divestment from its city government. 
Grantmakers in the Arts is eager to share with our colleagues from across the nation San Diego’s investment in arts in health; support to individual artists; and its public-private partnerships. Grantmakers have in the Arts does not want to share with our nation the story of a culturally-vibrant community subject to divestment from its city government. 

Grantmakers in the Arts shared in Across Borders, Within Reach reflections on our recent visit to the San Diego/Tijuana region. Elimination or even reduction in support to San Diego’s cultural community would be felt on both sides of the border. 

Kamaal Martin pictured at a Catalyst community event, courtesy of Catalyst.

The attendees of Grantmakers in the Arts’ national conference value experiences within the neighborhoods of the host cities and experiencing their cultural centers. Our goal is to enhance their learning experiences by connecting them to the facilities, artists, and organizations that best illustrate what makes the region unique. Grantmakers in the Arts is eager to share the San Diego/Tijuana region’s cultural communities with our members from across the nation.  

Grantmakers in the Arts is especially eager to share San Diego's strong partnerships among and between philanthropy, the arts and culture sector and your local government. The San Diego/Tijuana region’s investment in its cultural life should be a model for the nation.  

Grantmakers in the Arts asks that the City of San Diego continue their investment in their cultural infrastructure and communities so that our nation’s arts supporters may see you as the beacon you are.   

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kamaal Martin is the Consultant of Arts & Intersections at Catalyst

Eddie Torres is President and CEO of Grantmakers in the Arts

Grantmakers in the Arts GIA

Grantmakers in the Arts is the only national association of both public and private arts and culture funders in the US, including independent and family foundations, public agencies, community foundations, corporate philanthropies, nonprofit regrantors, and national service organizations – funders of all shapes and sizes across the US and into Canada.

https://www.giarts.org
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Across Borders, Within Reach: Reflections from GIA’s San Diego/Tijuana Board Convening
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