A Visit From Councilmember Moreno

District 8 City Councilmember Vivian Moreno stopped by Space 4 Art recently to learn more about our current operations on 16th Street and our future goal of building a large-scale, community-based Arts Center on Market Street in Grant Hill, which is in the Councilmember’s district. She also took the time to tickle the ivories in our co-living space, which provides affordable units for five of the eight artists who live and work at our East Village home.

During the visit, the Councilmember and staffers Elizabeth Rodriguez and Natalia Rosas-Machado met with the S4A team for a brief overview of our history, current programs, and the expanded community benefits that will flow from activating a large-scale Arts Center in Grant Hill. They also met with some S4A resident artists to get a fuller view of all the ways our artists— supported by affordable rents, income from our educational programming, and living and working together in community —enrich the San Diego/Tijuana region.

From left to right: Jennifer de Poyen, Councilmember Vivian Moreno, Linda Litteral, Michelle Hoyt, and Elizabeth Rodriguez. PC Natalia Rosas-Machado

Director of Community & Corporate Engagement Elizabeth Rodriquez was pleased to learn about S4A’s educational outreach programs, and hopes to connect us with more District 8 schools that would benefit from our programs. Space 4 Art currently has educational-outreach programs in Marcy High School, Monarch School, the King-Chavez Neighborhood of Schools, and Audubon K-8 School.

Councilmember Vivian Moreno tickles the ivories at Space 4 Art. PC Natalia Rosas-Machado

Exploring a few musical phrases at the piano, Councilmember Moreno shared that she didn’t have any exposure to the arts during her formative years. She wondered what her life would be today if she had had access to early arts education. That drive for creative expression fuels the Councilmember’s leadership role in increasing funding for the arts in San Diego and supporting educational programs like ours that reach students in under-resourced neighborhoods, sparking creativity, joy, and a love of learning. We are so grateful for the Councilmember’s generous support of our operations and programs. Come back and see us again soon!