PACIFIC BEACH – A presentation to highlight progress being made — as well as fundraising needed — to convert a long-vacant former Pacific Beach library building into a new arts center was a highlight of the Pacific Beach Town Council’s March meeting.
On March 18, the team behind the new PB Arts Center, to be located across from Trader Joe’s at 4606 Ingraham St. in the southeast corner of Pacific Beach Middle School campus, clued residents in on plans to transform the former library. Plans call for converting the 1950s mid-century modern structure into something more fit to serve the artistic needs of the entire community.
In 2025, Beautiful PB, a nonprofit committed to promoting arts, mobility, and green spaces, proposed creating a full-fledged arts district in PB. The community is presently home to more than 50 murals, sculptures, and an assortment of utility box art, all part of the PB Murals program.
Finding a home for the new arts district is one of the key next steps in the process.
“We’re hoping this inspires everyone from the community to get involved, donate, or just follow along as we grow,” said Jennifer Nowak, one of seven members on PB Arts Center’s board.
“We’re six months into this project, and you’ll see the strides we’ve made — it’s so inspiring. This space is going to be something for all of the community to enjoy — every background, age group. It is something we are all really passionate about.”
The new art center’s mission statement calls for enriching the arts and cultural life of Pacific Beach through education and community engagement.
“We’d like to inspire creativity through the community, expand affordable access to art classes for every age group, foster a sense of belonging that this center will bring for everyone, celebrate the emerging artists that live and work locally, integrate arts with wellness, and promote a healthy mind and body through creative expression,” Nowak said.
“We do have a definite arts gap in PB. This center will be the heart and the hub of all the activities planned throughout all of the community,” Nowak said. “This space will provide affordable access to indoor space and outdoor space, which we’re starting to activate.”
Nowak added that school funding cuts for the arts are also amplifying the need for the community to create viable space for expanding arts access to everyone, making classes available to students, as well as giving them after-school opportunities there. She noted there is also a lack of community meeting spaces due to federal funding cuts.
Chris Olson of Beautiful PB noted that the original library was built 75 years ago on the middle school’s campus. “Now the PB Arts Center has a long-term licensing agreement to take over that space, and it’s a great opportunity,” he said.
Olson added that the arts center was selected from among possible suitors for the former library space. “It was a perfect fit for the goals of the San Diego Unified School District, benefiting the Mission Bay Cluster (of schools) and the community.”
Olson showed and explained a diagram of how space in the new arts center building is going to be divided up and used. “All the rooms can be adapted for different uses,” he said.
“Give me your money,” joked Brian Curry, a member of the arts center’s philanthropy committee, who made a pitch for donations for the new center. “Everybody has something invested in the arts. If you want to donate … get online and donate.
“If you know somebody who might have bigger or deeper pockets, please contact me or someone else on the board. We need to get this (fundraising) going. We need to get the structure remodeled so that we can occupy the inside. The outside, these guys (board) are doing a dynamic, incredible job of activating it. But we need to get inside, too.”
PB Arts Center board includes Nowak, chair; Michelle Sexton, vice chair; Linda Schmidt, secretary; Olson of Beautiful PB; Leslie Follmer, treasurer; Vincent Glorioso, executive director, YMCA San Diego; and Kate Rubalcava, vice president and chief operating officer of Arts District Liberty Station.
PBTC also gave a sneak peek in March of its 16th Annual Graffiti Cleanup Day for the community, scheduled for Saturday, May 2.
