Emerging Artist Residencies
Supporting Emerging Artists
The Emerging Artist Residency Program at Arts District Liberty Station provides visual and performing artists with the space and resources to develop their work and build sustainable creative careers in the San Diego–Baja region.
Through access to rent-free studio space, mentorship, and opportunities to present their work, artists are able to experiment, collaborate, and connect with the broader San Diego arts community while developing their artistic voice.
The residency reflects Arts District Liberty Station’s commitment to supporting emerging talent and strengthening the creative landscape of the transborder region.
Current Artists in Residence
Visual Arts Residency
Ana Saad
San Diego-based multimedia artist Ana Saad (they/them) works primarily with ceramics and fiber to create sculptural forms exploring queer identity, human nature, and communal interaction. Their work uses organic motifs to question gender binaries and explore the emotional realities of queer experience.
During the residency, Ana looks forward to hosting workshops and open studio events for the community.
Audrey Gingras
Audrey Gingras (she/her) creates sculptural installations exploring the space between physical reality and spiritual experience. Working with stained glass, ceramics, steel, and wax, her work investigates memory, ritual, and transformation.
Her residency will focus on expanding collaborative and community-based artistic practice.
Dance Arts Residency
Miguel Galvan
Miguel Galvan (he/him) is a San Diego-based movement artist, choreographer, and educator whose work bridges street dance and contemporary technique. With more than a decade of teaching experience, his practice blends freestyle movement with formal choreography.
Through the residency, Miguel aims to develop new work while building connections across the Arts District creative community.
Giovanna Francisco
Movement artist Giovanna Francisco (she/her) draws inspiration from plants, wildlife, vulnerability, and authentic human expression. A UC San Diego graduate in Dance and Sociology, she creates work rooted in community and collective presence.
Her residency provides an opportunity to deepen her choreographic research and collaborate with artists across disciplines.
Lilian Ibarra Pantoja
Multidisciplinary artist Lilian Ibarra Pantoja (she/her) began her dance training in Tijuana and has worked across folklórico, contemporary ballet, and modern dance. Her choreographic work explores identity, heritage, and cultural connection.
During the residency, Lilian plans to expand her creative voice and develop new choreographic work.
Rachel Torres
Rachel Torres (she/her) graduated from UC San Diego with a BA in Literature and a minor in Dance. She has performed with numerous San Diego choreographers and was a company dancer with Malashock Dance Company.
Through the residency, Rachel will focus on developing new choreography and collaborating with artists across the Arts District.
Creative Community at Arts District Liberty Station
The Emerging Artist Residency places artists within a vibrant cultural campus where creative collaboration happens daily.
Artists in residence are able to connect with fellow artists, cultural organizations, and the wider San Diego arts community while sharing their work through open studios, workshops, and performances.