Arts Master Plan

History
Committee
Contact

What is it?

The draft Arts Master Plan includes recommendations for public art, arts venues, arts financing, and arts districts and gateways. The draft plan text may be accessed electronically by clicking on the section listings below.

What's next?

Information about future meetings and other upcoming events will be posted here. 

Download the Arts Master Plan

• Draft Arts Master Plan below (PDF, 67 pages total).
• All of the above links are PDF files (Portable Document Format). 
• You will need a PDF reader to view and/or print a PDF file.
• Download Adobe Reader - a free PDF viewer.

.

History                                               

The recent update of the City of Chula Vista’s General Plan incorporated specific policies and objectives regarding the provision of arts and culture to the Chula Vista community. The inclusion of arts and culture is in sync with the belief that the arts should be an essential part of a progressive community, both intrinsically and economically, and that the arts can and do make significant contributions to the quality of life.

In November 2004, City Council approved funding for the preparation of the first Arts Master Plan for the City. The Arts Master Plan process was undertaken with the firm belief that arts and culture can create a more livable city, stimulate the local economy, enhance the urban environment, celebrate the natural environment, engage a wide spectrum of people, and empower neighborhoods.

Chula Vista has embarked on several important and community-altering planning projects – renewal of the Urban Core, development of the Bayfront, and development of the University site. Incorporating arts and culture elements into the planning of these major projects will be essential for the successful provision of arts and culture to the residents of Chula Vista for many generations to come.

To help guide the development of the Arts Master Plan, a 19 member Citizen’s Advisory Committee was appointed in summer 2005. The committee, chaired by former City Councilmember Mary Salas, reviewed the work of the consultant, and Office of Arts and Culture staff. Interviews, focus groups and public meetings conducted throughout the summer and fall of 2005 revealed the many challenges that currently thwart the ability of the arts to thrive in Chula Vista. Readily identified major challenges included: 1) a lack of performing and visual arts facilities; 2) very limited funding; 3) lack of affordable spaces for artist housing and studios; 4) small number of Chula Vista-based arts groups; 5) lack of coordination of marketing and promotion; and 6) school budget constraints.

The Arts Master Plan contains eleven recommendations to address these challenges and thus broaden the contributions of the arts to the people of Chula Vista. The overall goal of the recommendations is to provide a civic environment where artistic expression and cultural diversity can flourish, where art becomes an essential element in the lives of all Chula Vistans, where the support and encouragement of artists is viewed as critical to the successful development of Chula Vista, and where City leaders philosophically and financially support the cultivation, development and growth of the City’s cultural resources.

On January 16, 2007, the City Council voted unanimously to accept the plan.  Specific policies and/or ordinances will be considered in the near future in support of the overall plan.

 

Back To Top  

Arts Master Plan Citizen’s Advisory Committee                                    

• Mary Salas, Chair
• Willie Blair, Office of Congressman Bob Filner
• John Clingan, Chula Vista Boys and Girls Club
• Sara Deavenport, Board of Directors, California Ballet
• Glenda de Vaney, Chula Vista Heritage Museum Society
• Del Herbert, Artist
• Bonnie Johnston, Arts Educator
• Lisa Moctezuma, Business person, Third Avenue Village Association
• Armando Nuñez, Artist
• Susan O’Shaughnessy, Arts Advocate
• Rudy Ramirez, Business person
• John Raue, Sweetwater Union High School District
• Paul Schaeffer, Board of Directors, OnStage Playhouse
• Diannah Smith, Cultural Arts Commission
• Dwight Sykes, Chula Vista Elementary School District
• David Swift, House of Blues® Concerts
• Pete Tillack, Artist
• Lourdes Valdez, Business person, Chula Vista Chamber of Commerce
• Theresa Wulf, San Diego Junior Theatre