Space 4 Art

This summer I had an opportunity to see the power of art, design, and culture, and how they can spread positive energy and motivate people. Space 4 Art is a live/work space for local artist living in San Diego who receive the opportunity to have not only a space to design freely, but to be surrounded by supportive people in a community that is realizing the importance of design.

Space 4 Art opened my eyes to the idea that art and design are more than beauty and more than the creation process, but essentially the context in which it is in. They value the freedom to express yourself through any and every art form. But what I liked most about Space 4 Art was their constant awareness that the poeple around, those who lived down the block or those who came in to the space, were important and should benefit from the space. It was them reacting to the community that makes it more appealing than a plain old museum, becuase art and design is nothing without the reactions and interactions that people have with it. I am not trying to downplay museums, I think they are great and everyone should try to find some that spark their interest, be it a museum of art or of science or natural history. But what I found is that when they reached out to the community by offering workshops of street art for high school students or classes for anyone interested in the everyday fun of photography, I knew that art and design are essential to our communities and societies, to let people be creative and explore their imagination the same way that schools push students to learn.

I wish there were more outlets for people to interact, communicate, and experience art and design the way that Space 4 Art does for the community of San Diego.