Vanguard Culture

SDMA Centennial
2026-02-28 10:00 - 19:30 (America/Los_Angeles)
Since opening its doors in 1926, The San Diego Museum of Art has served as a cultural cornerstone of Southern California. Located in the heart of Balboa Park, the Museum is the region’s largest and most-visited art museum, welcoming more than half a million visitors annually. The Museum has established itself as a vital institution for world-class exhibitions, arts education, and cultural dialogue. Its collection spans centuries and continents, from Spanish Old Masters to South Asian miniature paintings to Contemporary works that reflect the evolving global landscape. For generations, SDMA has inspired curiosity, fostered creativity, and brought the transformative power of art to the San Diego community.

In 2026, The San Diego Museum of Art celebrates 100 years of serving the community through art and bringing the world’s greatest art to San Diego. In recognition of this remarkable milestone and looking ahead to the next century with plans for a transformative west wing expansion, SDMA presents a Centennial Celebration that not only honors the past but offers a bold vision for the future of art, community, and cultural engagement in San Diego. The year will feature groundbreaking exhibitions, dynamic public programs, and unforgettable events that reflect the vibrancy and diversity of our region.

SDMA Centennial ProgrammingSaturday, February 28, 2026Birthday Fest 10:00 a.m.–7:00 p.m.On the Steps at SDMA: Centennial Celebration 4:30–7:30 p.m.

Live Arts Fest: Common Ground
2026-02-28 19:30 - 21:00
Presented by San Diego Dance Theater, Live Arts Fest: Common Ground is a vibrant celebration of contemporary dance and creative collaboration. This dynamic performance brings together innovative choreographers and artists exploring connection, community, and shared humanity through movement. Experience an inspiring evening of original works in the intimate Light Box Theater at Liberty Station. Don’t miss this immersive showcase of bold voices and cutting-edge performance.

Saturday Feb. 28th at 7:30pmSan Diego Dance Theater’s Light Box Theater2590 Truxtun Road, Second Floor Suite 205San Diego, CA 92106

The Art of Tango II
2026-02-28 19:30 - 21:30
Experience tango reimagined through the bold, genre-bending style of The Camarada Tango Quartet, joined by guest bandoneon virtuoso Pablo Jaurena and world-class dancers Carolina Jaurena and Anton Domansky. This electrifying program travels through tango legends like Piazzolla, Troilo, Pugliese, Matos, d’Arienzo, and de Caro, while also premiering a dynamic new commission by composer Andrés Martín. Expect a powerful blend of tradition and innovation—raw, refined, and unforgettable.

Saturday, February 28, 2026 • 7:30 PMThe Baker-Baum Concert Hall7600 Fay Ave L to, La Jolla, CA 92037

Singing Colors
2026-03-01 00:00 - 2026-03-28 23:59
Shapes and Shadows by Edward Abrams

The San Diego Watercolor Society presents Singing Colors, a juried exhibition featuring dynamic works in water-based media selected by award-winning artist Shuang Li. Showcasing more than 95 original paintings, the exhibition highlights the surprising versatility of watercolor through bold, contemporary approaches that push the medium beyond tradition. Join the free opening reception on March 6 (5–8 PM) in Liberty Station’s Arts District, where guests can meet artists, enjoy refreshments, and experience this vibrant celebration of watercolor.

San Diego Watercolor Society2825 Dewey Rd, Suite 105Building 202San Diego, CA 92106

Gallery Hours11 AM to 3 PM Wednesday – SundayClosed Monday & Tuesday

San Diego Theatre Month
2026-03-01 00:00 - 2026-03-31 23:59
Celebrate the best of live performance during San Diego Theatre Month, a city-wide showcase highlighting professional and community theatre across the region. Throughout March, audiences can enjoy a dynamic lineup of plays, musicals, dance, and performance art from venues big and small, spotlighting local talent and artistic diversity. From classics to new works, the month celebrates the power of live storytelling and invites theatre lovers to experience the breadth of San Diego’s vibrant performing arts scene.

See our top picks for San Diego Theatre Month HERE.

Rhapsody in Blue
2026-03-07 - 2026-03-11
City Ballet of San Diego presents Rhapsody in Blue, an exhilarating evening of contemporary ballet showcasing innovative choreography and dynamic storytelling. Featuring Geoffrey Gonzalez’s vibrant interpretation of George Gershwin’s iconic score, the program also includes Annabelle Lopez Ochoa’s hypnotic Ecliptic and the San Diego premiere of Christopher Wheeldon’s romantic neoclassical work The American. Together, these works highlight the creativity and technical brilliance driving today’s ballet forward.
March 7th @ 8pmMarch 8th @ 2pmMarch 11th @ 8pm

Aaron Kramer: Sense of Wonder
2026-03-07 00:00 - 2026-08-23 23:59
Aaron Kramer, Bird Box 2020

Oceanside Museum of Art presents Sense of Wonder, a playful and inventive exhibition by artist and maker Aaron Kramer. Featuring kinetic sculptures, automata, and drawing machines built from salvaged materials, the show invites audiences to engage with art as motion, mechanism, and discovery. Rooted in curiosity and hands-on experimentation, Kramer’s work blurs the line between art, engineering, and imagination—offering an experience that delights both kids and adults alike. On view March 7–August 23, 2026.

Sofar Sounds: International Women's Day
2026-03-07 19:30 - 22:30
Discover live music in a whole new way with Sofar Sounds—an intimate concert experience featuring emerging artists in unique, secret locations across San Diego. Known for its cozy, up-close performances and curated lineups, Sofar brings music lovers together in unexpected spaces for unforgettable evenings of connection, creativity, and discovery. Artist and venue details are revealed only to ticket holders, adding an element of surprise to every show. In honor of International Women’s Day this event will celebrate women in music.

Saturday, March 7Doors open 7:30 PMShow starts 8:00 PM

North ParkAddress revealed 36 hours beforeLate arrivals may be held at door until set break

Vignettes: Stories from the Latina Experience
2026-03-08 00:00 - 2026-03-15 23:59
Vignettes: Stories from the Latina Experience is an evening of original short plays that center the voices of Latina women, including U.S.-born Latinx artists, as they navigate life, identity, and belonging in the United States. Through intimate, deeply personal stories, these vignettes explore family relocation, cultural adjustment, generational ties, and the resilience it takes to carve out a sense of home.

Rooted in lived experience yet resonating far beyond it, Vignettes illuminates universal themes of identity, community, and hope. Each performance is brought to life through a rich blend of live music, song, and dance, with musicians collaborating alongside playwrights from the very beginning. The result is a moving, multidisciplinary theatrical experience that invites audiences to listen, reflect, and connect.

March 8th & 15th3:00pm Ray Charles Stage in the Conrad Prebys Theatre

Cherry Blossom Festival
2026-03-12 00:00 - 2026-03-15 23:59
Celebrate the beauty of spring at the annual Cherry Blossom Festival at the Japanese Friendship Garden & Museum. Inspired by the tradition of hanami, the festival features cultural performances, family activities, local vendors, and a lively beer and sake garden. Guests can explore new attractions like a lantern wall and community art, enjoy delicious Japanese-inspired cuisine, and stroll through the garden’s blooming cherry blossoms. A vibrant, family-friendly celebration of culture, community, and the arrival of spring.

Japanese Friendship Garden2215 Pan American Rd ESan Diego, CA 92101

Parallel Universe of Humanity
2026-03-13 00:00 - 2026-03-29 23:59
Step into the unexpected with Parallel Universe of Humanity, a genre-bending collection of short plays blending sci-fi, fantasy, and psychological thriller. Written by Jason Pizzarello and Thomas J. Misuraca and directed by John Conan Palmer, this Twilight Zone–meets–Black Mirror experience delivers dark humor, sharp social commentary, and twist endings that linger. On stage March 13–29 at Trinity Theatre, this provocative series invites audiences to question reality—and everything in it.

March 13-29, 2026

Trinity Theatre Company1640 Camino Del Rio N SUITE 129San Diego, CA 92108

Human Body
2026-03-13 00:00 - 2026-04-24 23:59
LOS/NR Gallery in La Jolla presents Human Body, the 2026 Artist Award Show exploring bold artistic interpretations of the human form. Featuring works by a diverse group of selected artists, the exhibition examines identity, emotion, and the many ways the body reflects the human experience. The Artist Award winner will be announced during the opening reception on March 13 from 6–8 PM. The exhibition remains on view through April 24.

LOS/NR Gallery7910 Ivanhoe AveLa Jolla, CA 92037

Resilient Skies II: Bridging Waters
2026-03-13 19:30 - 2026-03-14 09:30
Join us for Resilient Skies II: Bridging Waters, an immersive evening-length dance work that explores humanity’s complex relationship with water—its beauty, power, and fragility. Through powerful choreography, evocative visual projections, and the dynamic presence of our professional dancers, the work invites audiences to reflect on the ways we depend on and impact the natural world.

Co-choreographed by Executive Artistic Director Terry Wilson & Operations and Development Director Matthew Armstrong in collaboration with members of the SDDT professional company and featuring video projection art by Ariana Durazo, this production weaves movement and visual storytelling into a compelling call for awareness and connection.

Date: Friday & Saturday, March 13 & 14Time: 7:30 PM

Price: $35 General; $25 DiscountLocation: Light Box Theater | San Diego

Ripple Effect - A Dance for Clean Water
2026-03-14 00:00 - 2026-03-21 23:59
Join this inspiring movement for clean water with Ripple Effect, a workshop and performance that blends dance, community action, and environmental awareness. Participants will engage in a hands-on dance workshop before experiencing a live performance that highlights the importance of clean water access and conservation. All ages and abilities are welcome to move, learn, and connect through creative expression and community collaboration. Be part of an event where art meets advocacy in motion.

El Salon Theater114 West Hall AvenueSan Diego, CA 9217311:00 AM – 12:30 PM

Movement Workshop – March 14th, 2026 @ 7:00 PMDance Performances – March 20th and 21st, 2026

Maryam Bayat: Unrolling Paradise
2026-03-14 00:00 - 2026-08-16 23:59
The California Center for the Arts, Escondido presents Unrolling Paradise, an exhibition by interdisciplinary artist Maryam Bayat that examines the Persian garden as a living design tradition carried through textiles, memory, and everyday objects. Working at the intersection of craft and design, Bayat transforms traditional Persian rugs into sculptural forms, including furniture, abstract trees, and domestic structures that reflect on place and belonging.

Raised in Tehran in a family of rug producers and now based in North County San Diego, Bayat draws from inherited craft knowledge to reinterpret a visual language shaped by symmetry, geometry, and floral pattern. In Persian culture, gardens are often understood as earthly representations of paradise; their ordered layouts are reflected in the design of carpets, which have historically functioned as portable sanctuaries that brought the idea of paradise into the home. Bayat extends this lineage, connecting the symbolism of the garden to personal and collective memory.

This exhibition builds on the Museum’s growing partnership with Persian Place, a Carlsbad-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to celebrating Persian art and culture through inclusive, multicultural programs that foster cross-cultural understanding and community connection.

The public opening will coincide with Nowruz – Persian New Year, co-presented with Persian Place on March 14, 2026, from 12–3 PM at the Museum.

While many Persian organizations across the United States have chosen to cancel programs in response to the current situation in Iran, the Museum and Persian Place remain committed to honoring Nowruz, a tradition that has endured for thousands of years and continues to hold deep cultural meaning for the community.

Opening March 14, 2026, 12pm – 3pmOn view March 14, 2026 – August 16, 2026

CA Center for the Arts, Escondido340 N. Escondido BlvdEscondido, CA 92025

San Diego Latino Film Festival
2026-03-18 00:00 - 2026-03-22 23:59
‘The San Diego Latino Film Festival returns for its annual celebration of Latinx cinema, showcasing powerful narratives, compelling voices, and diverse stories from across the U.S. and Latin America. Expect screenings of feature films, shorts, and documentaries alongside filmmaker Q&As, cultural conversations, and events designed to spark connection and celebrate community. Whether you’re a cinephile or curious about global storytelling, this festival offers rich experiences that entertain, enlighten, and inspire.

Blue Water Film Festival
2026-03-19 00:00 - 2026-03-22 23:59
Film still from Jaws @ 50: The Definitive Inside Story

The Blue Water Film Festival is an international celebration of environmental storytelling that brings together filmmakers, scientists, activists, and ocean advocates in San Diego. Held in conjunction with UN World Water Day, the festival showcases independent films—documentary, narrative, and animated—focused on climate change, ocean conservation, and the future of our planet. Alongside screenings, the event features educational panels, networking events, and the Blue Water Awards, encouraging global dialogue and inspiring action through the power of film.

March 19-22, 2026

Empower : A Prism of New Work
2026-03-20 00:00 - 2026-03-22 23:59
The Rosin Box Project presents Empower, a bold contemporary ballet program celebrating innovative choreography and powerful artistic voices. Performed at Liberty Station, this intimate production showcases dynamic new works that push the boundaries of classical technique while highlighting emotional storytelling and modern movement. With limited performances March 20–22, the evening offers a rare opportunity to experience San Diego’s premier contemporary ballet company up close.

March 20 / 21 / 22Liberty Station2590 Truxtun Rd #205San Diego, CA 92106

An Artist @ the Table: Ben Guerrette & Chef Flor Franco
2026-03-20 18:00 - 2026-03-22 21:00
3 Evenings of Culinary + Artistic Alchemy

Step inside CHAPEL in Liberty Station, transformed into an immersive light, sound, and video art environment by visionary artist Ben Guerrette.

Experience the next chapter of An Artist @ the Table, Vanguard Culture’s signature dinner series pairing visionary chefs with boundary-pushing artists. For three exclusive evenings, Chef Flor Franco will craft a 4-course culinary journey inspired by the immersive artwork of Ben Guerrette, who will transform CHAPEL into a multi-sensory exploration of the four elements—Water, Fire, Earth, and Air.

Guests will dine within a living artwork of light, sound, and video, where each dish reflects the elemental themes through flavor, presentation, and story. With expertly curated wine pairings from Baja Wine + Food, this unforgettable experience blurs the line between cuisine and art, inviting you to taste creativity in its most elemental form.

Fri. March 20, 2026Sat. March 21, 2026Sun. March 22, 2026

5:45pm Doors open6pm-7pm Cocktail hour7pm-8pm Dinner service + immersive experience8pm-9pm Open Lounge

CHAPEL2881 Roosevelt RdSan Diego, CA 92106

Medium Festival of Photography
2026-03-27 00:00 - 2026-03-28 23:59
The Medium Festival of Photography returns for its 14th annual edition with two days of community-centered programming celebrating the art of photography. Taking place March 27–28, the festival brings together photographers, artists, and enthusiasts for artist talks, exhibitions, workshops, and networking opportunities across the San Diego–Tijuana region. Organized by Medium Photo, the event highlights emerging and established voices while fostering dialogue, collaboration, and creative exchange within the photography community.

Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego700 Prospect StreetSan Diego, CA 92037

Carmen
2026-03-27 00:00 - 2026-03-29 23:59
The most fearless and indomitable heroine in all opera is back! When Carmen tosses a flower to the soldier Don José, he becomes obsessed, leaving his post to join her band of smugglers. But when she loses interest and sets her sights on a bullfighter, Don José may not be able to handle the rejection. With a score packed with opera classics, including the “Habanera,” the “Toreador Song,” and one of the greatest overtures ever written, you’ll be joining Don José as you fall under the spell of Carmen.

Civic Theatre1100 Third AvenueSan Diego, CA 92101

The Seed Keeper / El Guardián de las Semillas
2026-03-27 00:00 - 2026-06-21 23:59
Inspired by Diane Wilson’s novel The Seed Keeper, this exhibition explores the concept of seeds as both a material presence and a powerful metaphor—an archive of memory, resilience, and future. Presented in collaboration with the Oceanside Public Library as part of the community-wide program The Big Read, the exhibition extends the novel’s themes into a visual and spatial experience. In Indigenous worldviews, seeds carry more than sustenance; they hold stories, languages, ancestral knowledge, and responsibilities passed orally from generation to generation.

Through diverse materials and practices, these Native American female artists act as contemporary seed keepers by preserving stories, traditions, and ways of knowing that have survived displacement, erasure, and transformation. Their works speak to continuity rather than nostalgia, emphasizing living cultures rooted in care, reciprocity, and resistance.

Exhibition Celebration: Tuesday, April 7, 5:30-7:00pm.On view March 27 – June 21Oceanside Museum of Art704 Pier View WayOceanside, CA 92054

Mix It Up
2026-03-28 00:00 - 2026-04-24 23:59
Experience fresh perspectives from across the region at Mix It Up, a juried exhibition showcasing diverse artistic voices and mediums at Ashton Gallery at Art on 30th. The opening reception on March 28 (4–7 PM) features a solo show, a featured artist exhibition, and live painting, creating a lively, immersive gallery experience. Enjoy wine and light refreshments while connecting with artists and the local creative community.

Opening receptionMarch 28, 4pm-7pmOn view March 28-April 24, 2026Art on 30th4434 30th StreetSan Diego, CA 92116

San Diego Sings! Festival 2026
2026-03-28 11:00 - 21:00
Experience the power of choral music at San Diego Sings! Festival 2026, presented by the Choral Consortium of San Diego at The Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center. Fifteen choirs from across San Diego County perform in three concert sessions, each featuring five ensembles singing both individually and together in the acoustically stunning Baker-Baum Concert Hall. Audiences can attend one, two, or all three performances for a full day immersed in soaring harmonies and community spirit.

Saturday, March 28, 202611 AM, 3 PM & 7 PM

DroneArt Show: Four Seasons
2026-04-03 00:00 - 2026-04-04 23:59
Experience classical music like never before at DroneArt Show: Four Seasons, an open-air spectacle where live musicians and cutting-edge drone technology collide. As a string quartet performs Vivaldi’s iconic score (and more), hundreds of illuminated drones transform the night sky into a moving canvas of light, color, and choreography. Held April 3–4 at the Chula Vista Elite Athlete Training Center, this 65-minute immersive experience blends art, music, and innovation into a breathtaking evening under the stars.

April 3rd & 4thTime: Show starts at 8:00 PM. Doors open two hours prior to the start time, and we encourage you to arrive early as late entry is not permitted.Duration: 65 minutes approx.Location: Chula Vista Elita Athlete Training Center, 2800 Olympic Pkwy, Chula Vista, CA 91915

Acoustic Evenings at the Athenaeum Music & Arts Library
2026-04-03 08:00 - 2026-04-24 17:00
The Athenaeum Music & Arts Library is pleased to present the 2026 spring season of the Acoustic Evenings concert series, beginning April 3. The Acoustic Evenings series at the Athenaeum showcases some of the finest acoustic musicians in San Diego. Multiple acts fill each program, and attentive audiences delight in the intimacy of the unplugged storytelling format. San Diego Music Hall of Fame founder Jefferson Jay organizes and hosts the series. The project advances the Athenaeum’s commitment to support diverse San Diego talent. Acoustic Evenings is an unforgettable and personal experience for San Diego music lovers.

Fridays, April 3, 10, 17 & 24, 2026Joan & Irwin Jacobs Music RoomAthenaeum Music & Arts Library1008 Wall StreetLa Jolla, CA 92037

Cafés and Cabarets: The Spectacular Art of Toulouse-Lautrec
2026-04-04 08:00 - 2026-09-20 17:00
Known for his beguiling portraits of Paris nightlife and the unvarnished local characters of Montmartre, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec was born into an aristocratic family in the South of France in 1864. Growing up as a child with a disability that caused his legs to stop developing, Toulouse-Lautrec turned to drawing rather than the sports his family pursued. His short but celebrated career immortalized the cabaret culture of Belle Époque Paris and revolutionized the art of the poster. Working in the popular and modern art form of the color lithograph, Toulouse-Lautrec reached unprecedented audiences with spellbinding visuals and eye-catching colors. Inspired and encouraged by Impressionists such as Edgar Degas and his close friend Vincent van Gogh, and taking influence from the flattened color patterns of Japanese graphic arts, Toulouse-Lautrec left an unforgettable image of the spectacle, people, and performers of turn-of-the-century Paris.

The San Diego Museum of Art1450 El Prado Balboa ParkSan Diego, CA 92101

Jazz Mini Festival
2026-04-06 00:00 - 2026-04-11 23:59
The Jazz Mini Festival at The Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center celebrates the centennial of jazz legends Miles Davis and John Coltrane with a week of concerts, conversations, and special events. The lineup features acclaimed artists including Emmet Cohen, Terence Blanchard, Ravi Coltrane, and an all-star ensemble led by Joe Lovano performing modern interpretations of classic repertoire. Alongside the concerts, audiences can enjoy artist talks, panel discussions, and a free outdoor performance exploring the lasting influence of these two jazz icons.

Beatrice Wood: Mama of Dada & Curator-Led Tour
2026-04-10 10:30 - 14:00
Join the Mingei International Museum for a special program inspired by Boundless with a screening of Beatrice Wood: Mama of Dada. Up until the end of her life, Wood continued to inspire younger artists with her free-spirited approach and irrepressible creativity. Central to the American Dada movement and the last surviving member of this groundbreaking group, Wood reflects in this film on her friendships with Man Ray, Francis Picabia, and her former husband Marcel Duchamp.

Following the screening, at 1pm, enjoy a tour of Boundless: Reflections of Southern California Landscapes in Midcentury Studio Ceramics with Curator Guusje Sanders, where Wood’s influence and enduring spirit offer a rich context for understanding the exhibition’s themes of experimentation, beauty, and discovery.

Apr 10, 2026 10:30 – 2:00pmMingei International Museum, Balboa Park1439 El PradoSan Diego CA 92101

LUX
2026-04-11 00:00 - 2026-04-12 23:59
Light. Peace. Transcendence.

San Diego Master Chorale returns to St. James by-the-Sea in La Jolla and St. Paul’s Cathedral with LUX — a powerful choral program anchored by Chichester Psalms by Leonard Bernstein and Lux Aeterna by Morten Lauridsen. Featuring organist Martin Green, this program moves from urgency to stillness, tracing a journey from conflict to transcendence. Bernstein’s electrifying psalm settings pulse with rhythm and raw questions of unity, while Lauridsen’s luminous meditation on eternal light offers moments of deep calm and reflection. Surrounding these masterworks are vivid and contrasting voices: Dorchester Canticles by Tarik O’Regan, alive with rhythmic vitality and radiant energy, and a Shaker song of simple, grounded peace. Performed in the resonant acoustics of two of San Diego’s most beautiful sacred spaces, LUX is more than a concert — it is an immersive experience of sound, stillness, and light.

SATURDAY, April 11, 2026, 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM St. Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral2728 Sixth Ave.San Diego, CA 92101

SUNDAY, April 12, 2026, 4:00 PM – 6:00 PMSt. James by-the-Sea Episcopal Church743 Prospect StLa Jolla, CA 92037
