by John M. Eger
April 5, 2026
A past president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors once said: “The 19th century was a century of empires, the 20th century, a century of nation states. The 21st century will be a century of cities.” Today’s update should add “It’s the Downtowns that make a city.”
For much too long our downtowns have been an afterthought. As James Fellows in the Atlantic Magazine observed, “Everything was moving to the suburbs; the movie theaters … (seemed the) only nighttime downtown attraction …. (people) moved to the suburbs and offered free parking, as did the retail.” He and others often talked about the homeless, the crack addicts, the “hollowing out” of our downtowns.
That has changed.
Now, downtowns are seen as the living rooms of a community, the heart of a city looking to its future, a place where, as the City of San Diego calls it; “the center of activity for the San Diego region. Its continued growth contributes to the vitality and economic success of San Diego,
The Times of San Diego recently reported that the Downtown Partnership “ alongside the Prebys Foundation, have taken a major step toward creating downtown’s first arts district, by creating a new position to lead the charge. In October, Jonathon Glus left his role as director of the city’s cultural affairs department for one at the Downtown Partnership as its senior art and design fellow in residence. The position is funded by the Prebys Foundation as part of its downtown revitalization efforts.”
Americans for the Arts (AFTA), with support from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) has been increasing their focus on art and cultural districts. So too, California and at least 15 other states are getting on the bandwagon supporting and nurturing “Art Districts”, places that recognize these districts are the incubators of creativity, they recognize that art and culture districts are essential for fostering vibrant economic growth. These districts are not only spaces for artistic expression but also serve as cornerstones for an economy driven by creativity and innovation.
Typically located on the outskirts of city centers, often in downtown areas, Arts and Cultural Districts aim to create a concentration of art galleries, dance venues, theaters, independent cinemas, music spaces, and public squares for performances. As these districts grow, they often attract cafes, restaurants, retail shops, and increasingly, affordable housing for artists.
While many of these districts have evolved naturally over time, cities are increasingly looking to them as a tool to transform entire regions. Why? Because the synergy created by a mix of art galleries, cinemas, coffee shops, music venues, public art, and even residential and office spaces offers the potential to attract and nurture the creative workforce essential for thriving in the new economy.
In addition to these cultural endeavors, San Diego is leveraging cutting-edge technologies like artificial intelligence, 5G, cloud computing, and the Internet of Everything to improve vital public services and stay competitive in an increasingly digital world. However, we still have work to do in fostering and nurturing the spaces where people connect, develop new skills, and re-energize themselves for the evolving economy.
According to McKinsey and the Boston Consulting Group, “50-60% of jobs are likely to be significantly altered by 2030”, maybe eliminated. Long before Artificial Intelligence (AI) drastically forces changes in the workforce, we are looking to our art districts, particularly, the arts district downtown, to help make human creativity and community, and innovation itself, more central to society.
