San Diego Museum of Art (SDMA) is marking its upcoming 100th anniversary with something special—a centennial artist open call for regional artists to create unique interpretations of the museum’s iconic façade.

SDMA invites artists from the San Diego and Tijuana region to contribute to a milestone that represents a century of cultural legacy in Balboa Park.

Three Artistic Directions

The museum has outlined three distinct visual directions that reflect different eras and aesthetics connected to the museum’s history.

The 1920s Heritage approach celebrates the museum’s origins with art deco elegance, intricate ornamentation, and classical symmetry enhanced by sepia tones and gold accents. This direction honors the historical reverence and architectural grandeur that defined the museum’s early decades.

The Midcentury Retro direction captures a different energy with bold typography, warm gradients, and sunset palettes that evoke vintage poster aesthetics. This approach embraces the groovy lines and graphic pop energy that defined mid-20th century design, offering a more playful interpretation of the museum’s architectural significance.

California Classic represents the timeless West Coast aesthetic with sun-soaked tones, Spanish Revival elements, and mission-style arches. Terra cotta colors, palm silhouettes, and breezy minimalism capture the regional identity that makes San Diego’s architecture distinctive while maintaining sophisticated simplicity.

Flexible Creative Framework

While the museum provides these three directions as guidance, artists aren’t required to strictly follow them. This flexibility allows for creative interpretation while giving applicants a framework to understand the kind of aesthetic range the museum values.

The goal seems to be encouraging diverse approaches that still connect meaningfully with the institution’s architectural and cultural identity.

Regional Artist Focus

The call specifically targets artists from the San Diego and Tijuana region, acknowledging the cross-border cultural connections that define this area’s artistic community. This geographic focus ensures the commissioned works will reflect genuine regional perspective rather than outside interpretations of local culture.

Including Tijuana in the call recognizes the artistic exchange and cultural dialogue that happens across the border, reflecting a more complete understanding of the region’s creative community than focusing solely on San Diego artists.

Gallery Exhibition and Beyond

Selected works won’t just serve as branding materials—they’ll be featured in a museum gallery exhibition for part of the year. This dual purpose means commissioned artists will see their work function both as commercial design and fine art, reaching audiences through multiple contexts throughout the celebration.

The gallery exhibition component adds significant value to the commission, giving artists museum exhibition credentials while ensuring the works receive proper artistic presentation rather than existing only as marketing materials.

Application Timeline

With submissions closing on August 1, artists have a focused window to develop and submit their proposals. The timing suggests the museum wants to have commissioned works ready well in advance of the 2026 anniversary celebration, allowing for proper development, production, and integration into the overall anniversary programming.

See you there!

SDMA’s centennial artist open call offers regional artists the opportunity to contribute to a historic milestone while showcasing their work in prestigious gallery contexts.

📆 Submissions open now through August 1, 2025
🎟️ Open to San Diego + Tijuana region artists | Apply here
ℹ️ More info here

See you there, San Diego!