Space 4 Art Community Members Featured in San Diego Magazine's Arts Issue
From artists and musicians in our community to the larger questions of affordability and creative space, this month's special Arts Issue of San Diego Magazine touches on people and topics that matter deeply to Space 4 Art.
First, there is the inspiring article, 31 People Shaping San Diego’s Creative Scene, which highlights 31 artists, makers, advocates, and cultural leaders contributing to San Diego's creative landscape. Two of those people are part of the Space 4 Art community:
Katie Ruiz: Artist, Curator, Community Builder
Katie Ruiz wears a lot of hats— as an artist, activist, curator, educator, and community arts organizer. San Diego Magazine highlights her work as the creator of The Pompom Project, a community art initiative that transforms thousands of handmade pompoms into large-scale collaborative installations.
Katie is also part of the small but mighty Space 4 Art staff, where her experience in curation, installation, program development, and education helps shape the creative community around our studios and programs.
Diana Benavídez: A Creative Life Across Disciplines
The magazine's profile of Diana Benavídez focuses on her visual-art practice, particularly her sculptural work using piñatas to explore powerful social themes. That work is created in Diana's University Heights studio apartment, not at Space 4 Art.
At S4A, Diana is part of another facet of her creative life: she and her Witch Face bandmates are all tenants in our music studio. Diana also works in the arts as Assistant Manager of Engagement, Learning, and Impact at Mingei International Museum.
We're proud that both Katie and Diana are part of the wonderfully multifaceted Space 4 Art community.
Jennifer de Poyen: Why Artists Need Affordable Space
Along with its feature on artists making a difference in San Diego, the Arts Issue also includes a three-part series called What's Next for Arts and Culture in San Diego? In part three, The Future, creative brain drain is addressed by our Executive Director, Jennifer de Poyen, who says:
“Artists are free to live wherever they want, and they will go where the rent is affordable. When they leave, they take their gifts with them, and their contributions, and their economic impact.”
It's a simple observation with big implications— not just for artists, but for the cultural life and economic vitality of the city they call home.
Taken together, these stories reflect something we see every day at Space 4 Art: San Diego's creative community is made up of people whose work crosses disciplines, organizations, neighborhoods, and roles. Keeping that community vibrant means making room for artists to create, connect, experiment, and contribute— and making sure there are places where creativity can take root and stay.
Click to read the PDF versions of the articles featuring Ruiz and Benavídez (published September 2, 2026), and de Poyen (published September 4, 2026).