25th Anniversary

Creating, Connecting, Celebrating – 25 Years and Growing

25 YEARS OF IMPACT

Since 2000, the NTC Foundation has led the adaptive redevelopment of 26 historic buildings at Liberty Station while bringing cultural vibrancy through public art, artist support, and youth arts access. What started as real estate has evolved into Arts District Liberty Station. As we mark our 25th anniversary, we’re celebrating the new Joan & Irwin Jacobs Performing Arts Center, our largest artist residency cohort, and the latest “Installations at the Station” public art pieces.

FOUNDATION FOR THE FUTURE

Our vision: a world-class transborder arts district where creativity, culture, and community thrive. We foster this by providing workspace, grant funding, learning opportunities, and capacity-building support to individuals and organizations who share our goal. Arts District Liberty Station is a cultural center, gathering place, economic driver, and partner in civic innovation—the heart of Liberty Station.

THE CAMPAIGN

Our goal for this year is to raise $250,000 for the future of Arts District Liberty Station–to grow and expand the programs that make us a vibrant, and ever-evolving campus where art and culture thrive!

Save the Date for Arts District Liberty Station’s 25th Anniversary Celebration on Thursday, April 30th, 2026. Campaign Co-Chairs: Leslie Harrington and Jean Thomas.

Liberty School

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Liberty School, founded by the Arts District Liberty Station in 2007, aims to support and inspire local school-aged children who face socio-economic challenges and who may be at risk for academic success. By providing access to arts education, Liberty School offers these underserved students an opportunity to engage with various art forms, helping them process their emotions, develop critical thinking skills, and enhance their ability to learn.

Arts education has been shown to have a positive impact on students, offering a creative outlet for self-expression and fostering important skills such as problem-solving, collaboration, and communication. By exposing underserved children to the arts, Liberty School not only enriches their educational experiences but also opens up new avenues for personal and academic growth.

Art professionals, who partner with Liberty School, provide a range of artistic activities, including visual arts, music, theater, dance, and more. These activities can help students discover and explore their creative abilities, boost their confidence, and develop a lifelong appreciation for the arts.

Community Partnerships

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As a foundation, our purpose is fostering, facilitating, and funding the work of individuals and organizations, institutions and entrepreneurs that share our goal of making Arts District Liberty Station a regional hub in our vibrant creative economy. For 25 years, Arts District Liberty Station has thrived through meaningful collaborations with local organizations, educators, and businesses. Together, we expand creative opportunities, strengthen cultural connections, and deepen our shared commitment to a vibrant, inclusive arts community. Examples of programming driven by community partnerships include: Summer Arts Fest, ArtWalk, and VVSD Stand Down San Diego.

Tenant Funding

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Arts District Liberty Station has been providing funding for creative proposals that support and promote the great things that Arts District Liberty Station tenants are doing since 2019. Our Tenant Funding program empowers Arts District creators to bring the campus to life. Through activation grants, we support artists and organizations in producing programming, exhibitions, and events that energize the community and elevate the district’s cultural experience.

Funded events include collaborations between multiple tenants such as International Make Music Day, Fiber Fest and Blossoming Borders as well as individual tenant funded events such as exhibits, artist talks and free workshops for the community.

Art in Public Places

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The mission of Art in Public Places is to address, highlight and commemorate the culture and diversity of the San Diego-Baja region.

Installations at the Station

In 2017, the Arts District Liberty Station Art in Public Places Committee was established to oversee the selection process for Installations at the Station. Installations at the Station is an ongoing program meant to exhibit the thriving, dynamic and constantly evolving visual arts community in San Diego. Artists are invited to participate through a request for qualifications process.

Emerging Artist Residencies

The Emerging Artist Residencies in Visual and Performing Arts at Arts District Liberty Station are designed to help artists in both categories, develop their work, build their career in the San Diego/Baja region, engage with other artists, and grow their client base for future success. This multifaceted residency program aligns with Arts District’s goal of elevating emerging artists in our local transborder region by offering access to studio space and other resources in the dynamic cultural environment Arts District Liberty Station.

David G. Fleet Curator-in-Residence

Generously supported by the Fleet Family Foundation, the Curator-in-Residence role at Arts District Liberty Station launched in 2023 as a new initiative of the Art In Public Places programming. This residency offers
regional curators the chance to curate exhibitions, mentor emerging artists, and collaborate with the Arts District Liberty Station team on future creative initiatives.

Open Air Gallery

The Open-Air Gallery is a curated tour of the outdoor public art in Arts District Liberty Station. Comprised of murals, sculptures, and exciting public art pieces, this gallery, consisting of over 12 beloved public art pieces, is made possible by the generosity of donors, program commissions, and meaningful partnerships.