Speaking of Escondido's Arts Community

My name is Carol Rogers. I serve on the Escondido Downtown Business Association board and chair our Museums and Arts Growing Escondido Culture (MAGEC) committee.

On September 23, I was invited to speak about Escondido's arts community at the District 5 - In Community Arts & Culture meeting. The event was organized by the San Diego County Arts & Culture Commission and San Diego ART Matters, sponsored by the Prebys Foundation, and supported by the North County Arts Network.

The meeting brought together arts leaders from throughout North County. We learned about new county funding opportunities for the arts, with more details to come, and heard about the work happening across our region.

Whenever I have the opportunity to prepare my thoughts and talk about the community I love, I am reminded how proud I am to be part of Escondido.

We have something wonderful here. People come together, share what they can contribute, and raise each other up.

That was the message I wanted to share with the other arts leaders and community members gathered that evening.

My remarks:

I'm honored to be here and to talk about Escondido's arts community.

What makes us special is the way people come together to make things happen.

Esco Alley Art is a great example. What started during COVID as a way to bring art to the people grew through collaboration between artists, businesses, and property owners. Today, our alleys are part of the downtown experience.

We're seeing that same spirit along the Escondido Creek Trail, where the City, the Public Art Commission and artists are bringing murals, sculpture and other artwork to the trail. This is another example of how public spaces become opportunities for art and community engagement.

And then there is Arts, Culture & Creativity Month – My favorite Month...

MAGEC - Museums and Arts Growing Escondido Culture brings our arts and cultural community together throughout the year. During ACCM, those connections become a month of events involving museums, galleries, educators, performing artists, businesses and the community. And every year, more people discover what is happening in Escondido.

This is what makes Escondido special.

We don't have one organization doing everything. We have many people and organizations bringing different strengths to the table. When we connect those efforts, we create something much bigger than any one of us could create alone.

Partnerships don't happen by accident.

Our City made a commitment to public art, including The Art in Public Places fee associated with new development. The Public Art Commission's Strategic Plan and annual work plan turn those resources into projects and opportunities for public art.

And we're fortunate to have partners like the Escondido Community Foundation that invest in public art and expand what is possible.

BUT Money alone doesn't create a successful art community.

People do.        Partnerships do.

It's the City supporting the arts, the Public Art Commission creating opportunities, MAGEC bringing our cultural community together, the Community Foundation and other partners investing in art, businesses and property owners opening their spaces and walls, and community members showing up to participate.

This is when art becomes part of the identity of a city.

We're seeing that in Escondido right now.

Thank you to everyone who made this conversation possible, and to all of the people who continue to contribute to Escondido's vibrant arts community.