The city has rolled out the red carpet for the public to review a recently drafted cultural plan dubbed "Creative City." Mayor Todd Gloria, whose enthusiasm for weaving arts into the city's fabric is palpable, calls upon San Diegans to participate. "Creative City is designed to ensure that arts and culture are not just accessible but woven into the fabric of every neighborhood in San Diego," Gloria said, as quoted by the City of San Diego's news release. With a vision that aims to make the vibrancy of arts and culture a common thread in the city’s landscape, the plan charts a strategic course for the next decade.

Following a series of events in which San Diegans gave their input, the city's draft plan was developed over a year filled with public engagement sessions and artist-led workshops. Jonathon Glus, the Executive Director of Arts and Culture, noted the eclectic mix of feedback that helped mold the draft. "Aspirations and insights provided by creatives and artists from visual and performing arts, film and media, cross-sector businesses and organizations, and San Diego residents from every Council District helped shape the draft plan," Glus told the publication housing the draft plan. The aim is to extend this dialogue to the broader community, with the call for feedback ringing until October 12.

The draft unspools various action items and goals to enrich the city's cultural scene. Notable sections of the document shed light on Centering Arts, Arts in Community, Creative Entrepreneurship, and Global Creative City—pillars that promise to uphold the city’s artistic integrity and entrepreneurial spirit. This strategic vision aligns with the city's priorities, laying down a pathway San Diego hopes to tread to become a distinguished global creative hub.

For those keen on taking part, the city has made it easy. San Diegans can leaf through the draft plan at sandiego.gov/creative-city/get-involved, where an online feedback form awaits their input. For that personal touch, the Creative City Open House on September 7 invites one and all to the Comic-Con Museum to dive deeper into discussions about the plan’s recommendations, where the draft plan wants to share input on the draft plan and weigh in on the creative trajectory of the city. After collecting public input, a refined plan draft will be presented to the San Diego City Council in early 2025.

For more information or to stay updated, residents can visit sandiego.gov/arts-culture.