Categories: 2023 Season, ENVZN23, Vanguard Culture Events

ENVZN 23: Urban Art Takeover


A short film fest in a cross-fit gym, live theatre in a shoe factory, contemporary dance on loading docks, immersive art in a screen printing shop, live music set to silent film, a virtual reality trip around the world, steamroller print making, an avant-garde fashion show along the urban streetscape & much more!

ENVZN23 Urban Art Takeover is a one-of-a-kind visual & performing arts festival that transformed numerous warehouses, industrial spaces, and other urban areas of the Commercial Street corridor in Logan Heights with multi-sensory art interventions by creatives from both sides of the U.S./Mexico border.

Programming changed every 30 minutes so that visitors could design their own, unique visual & performing arts lineup. Live dance, puppetry, theatre and musical performances on warehouse loading docks, a fashion show by Fashion Week San Diego in an industrial storage lot, art installations with curated soundscapes by Tijuana-based multimedia artist MALU, a mini film festival inside a cross-fit gym, delicious food and drink by local vendors, and much more. ENVZN23 responded to the urban landscape by integrating curated sound and theatrical lighting design throughout.

ENVZN23 is designed as a recurring event and will return during the year-long celebrations of World Design Capital San Diego – Tijuana 2024 for an audience of thousands of design professionals, art patrons, and other culture-seekers from the San Diego/Tijuana region and around the world. Produced in partnership with CoPlace.


ABOUT VANGUARD CULTURE

Vanguard Culture is a 501(c)3 nonprofit dedicated to advancing San Diego’s creative industry workforce, and has been on the forefront of unique cross-industry cultural programming for years. Its board of directors and advisory board Is composed of San Diego’s most notable and highly connected arts leaders. Vanguard Culture has a reach of 18k+ weekly subscribers, 8k-10k monthly website visitors and more than 1/2 MILLION yearly on social media. The ENVZN festival will return in 2024 for an audience of thousands of design professionals and culture seekers from around the region and around the world.

CLICK HERE to meet our team
CLICK HERE to meet our Cultural Partners
CLICK HERE to learn more about our Mission


Vanguard Culture has secured key partnerships with several socially-conscious, community driven organizations to ensure the highest social impact possible for the region. Meet them here:


Our curatorial team is comprised of some of San Diego & Tijuana’s most visionary curators, choreographers, film & theatre professionals, and public art agencies. Meet them here:


Be part of something special in 2024. Showcase your business to thousands of design professionals, art patrons and culture seekers by sponsoring an artist. Learn more here:


This groundbreaking event is designed to spark increased cultural tourism for the region; to highlight the virtuosity of San Diego & Tijuana’s creative workforce; and to invigorate the Commercial Street corridor with inclusive and diverse, multi-sensory art interventions ranging from video art, to contemporary dance, live music, puppetry, spoken word, full scale art installations and more.


Vanguard Culture

Vanguard Culture is an online media entity designed for culturally savvy, socially conscious individuals. We provide original interviews and reviews of the people, places, and events that make up San Diego’s thriving arts and culture community, as well as curated snapshots of the week’s best, most inspiring and unique cultural and culinary events. We believe in making a difference in the world, supporting San Diego’s vibrant visual and performing arts community and bringing awareness to important social and community causes.