Downtown El Cajon Arts & Culture
Exciting things are happening in Downtown El Cajon. A cultural renaissance is stirring with the emergence of an active art, design and heritage district. Everywhere you look there are new unique businesses opening doors, alleyways are transformed into art havens, and arts events are a customary part of life. Downtown El Cajon’s distinctive cultural assets are truly gaining a competitive edge in the local economy.
 Utility Art Box Program
 We BELIEVE communities come alive with Arts and Culture.
Serve Your Community, Paint a Utility Box
We celebrate local artwork. We encourage local talent to share their artistic skills through painting tired utility boxes. Vibrant artwork helps deter unsightly nuisance from our neighborhoods and create beautiful spaces for everyone to enjoy.
Get your artwork recognized in Downtown El Cajon by painting a utility box! Donating your time to this meaningful activity will make you a part of the beautiful Downtown landscape for years to come. If you would like to share your artistic talent with the residents and visitors of Downtown El Cajon, please click here (PDF) to learn all about the process, rules, and guidelines. Then contact Christina Burke, Community Development Coordinator, at (619) 401-8858 to get involved.
Learn more about the UArt program by watching us on Fox Channel 6's morning show San Diego Living. Just click here!
Galleries and Museums in Downtown El Cajon
Murals in Downtown El Cajon
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"Marching Through Downtown El Cajon"
Roanoke Road, Downtown El Cajon
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Downtown El Cajon is full of public art!
From painted electric boxes, to fire hydrants, to murals on the wall, El Cajon is a fun place to be. Click here (PDF) to view a list of the public art in Downtown El Cajon. Be sure to check back here for a map coming soon.
Public Art in Downtown El Cajon
Arts Alley
 Located in the heart of Downtown, the alley between Main Street and Rea Avenue comprises the area's designated Art District . The quaint one block long street offers a concentration of galleries, museums, and art attractions including the East County Performing Arts Center, historic Olaf Wieghorst Museum, and St. Madeleine Sophie's Art School and Gallery. In 2003 the Design Committee finished the alley of quotes and murals, a pedestrian walkway of famous literary quotes and murals painted on surrounding walls.
Economic Development and Art Initiatives: Presentation by Patricia Frischer
 “Arts are important to the quality of life and economics in our region.”
Special guest Patricia Frischer, founding member and coordinator of the San Diego Visual Arts Network spoke to approximately two dozen community members at the combined Art, Design, and Heritage Committee and Economic Development Committee meeting at the Olaf Wieghorst Museum. Frischer has taken on the roles of gallery curator, writer, teacher, website coordinator, and artist both in the United States and abroad. She shared a wealth of knowledge, experiences, and innovative ideas on how to grow the arts community in San Diego.
Ms. Frischer strongly believes that art can play a crucial role in revitalizing Downtown El Cajon. She spoke extensively about how collaboration between Downtown El Cajon’s artists, art associations, and local businesses could create a prosperous and thriving community. She shared ideas on ways local art events such as the Alley Cat Art Walk could encourage greater participation from the community and businesses. She said the first step is to educate the community about the economic value of art. The 2006 Economic Impact Report from the Commission for Arts and Culture states that art and culture organizations circulate $135.2 million back in to the community with $55 million spent on facilities, supplies, and services and $80 million spent on salaries. Furthermore, the arts draw cultural artists that spent an average of $1,256 over 5.5 days when visiting. Ms. Frischer believes San Diego is unique and that there is a tremendous amount of potential for the arts in this region. She welcomes everyone to visit the San Diego Visual Arts Network website as well as other informational websites such as www.DrawsCrowd.com and www.ArtProCA.com.
Economic Development and Art Initiatives: Presentation by Jay Turner
 Special guest Jay Turner spoke to committee and community members at the Olaf Wieghorst Museum on Thursday, January 3rd. The former Executive Director of North Park Main Street shared his extensive experience in economic development and the use of local art in revitalizing downtowns. In both problems and solutions, Mr. Turner saw similarities between the many geographically distinct and distant downtowns he has worked with. The loss of major national department stores to one-stop-shopping malls was a trend that all of America's downtowns experienced together, not just Downtown El Cajon. As with the problem, the solution for the nation's downtowns was found in their similarity of uniqueness. In Mr. Turner's redevelopment experience, the uniqueness of each downtown, more specifically, their local artistic talents, has been a focal point for the diverse and walk-able downtown desired by its businesses and residents. And behind each revitalization, from Eureka to North Park, Jay Turner says that "the most important thing we did was engage the community". By taking inventory of the community's assets, inventory of where El Cajon's art and artists are and having heavy help and input from the community itself, will bring a unique and diverse flavor to Downtown El Cajon.
Economic and Arts Development Committee (EADC)
1st Thursday of Every Month
Are you interested in the arts and how they contribute to a healthy downtown? Share your knowledge at the EADC meeting where artists, gallery directors, business owners, commercial brokers, business professionals, and public service providers meet to coordinate events and develop programs that support the business district in Downtown El Cajon. Currently the committee is focusing on business recruitment to strengthen the business district by increasing sales, expanding the commercial mix, converting unused space into productive property, and educating the consumer and merchant base.
For more information please contact Edith Saldivar, Economic Development Coordinator, at (619) 401-8858.
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