As part of a regular series, I aim to identify unlikely places around the city where you can see art, both intentional and otherwise. We all know that art can be found in museums, galleries, street fairs and theaters but did you know you can also discover a broad array of art forms at your local library?
It’s true. In fact San Diego Public Library is the only public library system in the United States with an in-house curator for the visual arts. The San Diego Library’s Visual Arts Program has been around since 1997. Its mission is to demonstrate the library’s role as a cultural institution embracing a broad range of disciplines, while assisting San Diego’s mid-career and older professional artists in achieving wider local, regional and national attention.
Here are just a few branch locations and upcoming events where an ever changing roster of art can be found.
The City Heights/Weingart Library hosts a variety of events every month including a movie night (next up is Toy Story 3 on July 28) followed the day after by An Evening with Visionary Dance and Musical Theater.
The fall 2011 schedule of the Central Library concert series is now posted on their Web site. These one hour programs typically happen on Sundays at 2:30 p.m. and are always free to the public. The Central Library is also home to many other exhibits, movies and author talks so visit sandiego.gov/public-library/services regularly.
The Pacific Beach/Taylor Branch Library houses the flagship gallery for the San Diego Public Library’s Visual Arts Program. The current show Flavia Gilmore: Works from 2006 to 2011 comes down on July 30 so you have a few days left to enjoy more than fifty collages and mixed-media sculptures by a noted San Diego area artist.
Beyond these and many other organized events I find many of the libraries in town to be artistic experiences in their own right. The local branches are quite often surprising spaces that beckon you in to idle away an hour or so flipping through coffee table-sized art books with gorgeous illustrations. Furthermore, as someone who did not grow up in San Diego I still find the Central Library to be an amazing portal to sights, sounds, old book smells and architectural details of an earlier decade of American history. Sometimes that kind of experience is better than the pictures on the wall and with a new library likely this unique link to the past won’t always be around so check it out and look around while you can!
Go to sandiego.gov/public-library/services to find out more and follow the links to their calendar of events and the schedule of displays and exhibits at every location.
Got an event, performance, happening or anything art-related to share? Then send the details to andrew@andrewprinter.com at least two weeks in advance. Thanks!
