Art Garden was a beautiful success!
Vanguard Culture and UC San Diego Craft Center teamed up for a vibrant gathering of visual art, storytelling, dance, and community care. This special evening also marked the national launch of the Jimi Appleseed Initiative (JAI), a cultural storytelling movement rooted in creativity, sustainability, and shared humanity. Community members gathered intentionally to engage in a broader conversation about our unhoused neighbors, the meaning of community care, and the importance of sharing messages of hope with anyone feeling invisible right now.
Thanks to your support, we raised $2,000 for the San Diego Rescue Mission to help provide nourishment and resources for those in need. More than an event, this is a space to sow empathy, spark conversation, and rediscover our shared humanity—because once we hear each other’s stories, we stop being strangers.
Deep gratitude to the incredible creative partners who made this evening possible:
- Invisible Nation: Portraits of the Unhoused, an exhibition by artist Neil Shigley
- National launch of the Jimi Appleseed Initiative, a national storytelling and wisdom-sharing movement that fosters unity and cultural understanding.
- Live theatre by Blindspot Collective
- Live dance by Culture Shock San Diego
- Interactive springtime art and storytelling activities by Storytellers of San Diego
You can still experience Invisible People | Invisible Nation by Neil Shigley, now on view through June 30 in the second-floor gallery at UC San Diego Park & Market (1100 Market Street, San Diego, CA 92101)
Gallery Hours: Monday–Friday | 9AM–5PM
Visitors are invited to leave messages of hope and encouragement for anyone who may need to hear them.
