Black background with white text that reads 'My Creative Journey' at the top, with a squiggly arrow symbol. Below that, in smaller font, it says 'Artist Residency + Event Series'.

My Creative Journey: Empowering Artists, Enriching Community

San Diego Made’s My Creative Journey | Mi Viaje Creativo is an ongoing program dedicated to supporting creative entrepreneurs in our city’s Promise Zone neighborhoods. Through free workshops, speaker series, public art displays, and community events, we showcase local talent, foster collaboration, and provide opportunities for emerging artists to learn from established creatives.

Selected artists participate in a paid residency, gaining free workspace and a platform to share their creative processes, traditional art practices, and cultural heritage. This initiative not only celebrates artistic innovation but also strengthens community connections by ensuring that creative success stories are shared and accessible to all.

This program is made possible with support from the City of San Diego’s Commission for Arts and Culture, the California Arts Council, the Prebys Foundation, and the San Diego Made Factory.

An elderly man with glasses and a beret painting on an easel in an art studio filled with art supplies and artworks.

A black and white scene of three young women sitting at a table, engaged in conversation, in a vintage-style setting.

Next Residency Coming April 2026

San Diego Made is excited to open applications for the next resident artist in our My Creative Journey | Mi Viaje Creativo residency series, made possible with the generous support of the California Arts Council.

The selected artist will enter a four-month residency beginning April 1, 2026, and receive a free studio at the San Diego Made Factory in Logan Heights, along with a $7,500 stipend to support materials, time, and collaborative events that will include a student visit, a community workshop, and a speaking event with the support of the San Diego Made production team.

The residency will culminate in a public exhibition that invites the community into the artist’s creative process and celebrates the role of art as a catalyst for connection and place-based storytelling.

- Must have strong ties to the Promise Zone communities. We are particularly seeking a practitioner who has long-standing residential or familial ties to these areas.
- Must demonstrate a model of success that can be disseminated and translated to others in the community.
- Must have some aspect of their work or history embody traditional art practices and cultural insights.
- Must have an annual operating budget or income under $500,000.
- Applications Open: Monday, January 26
- Info Session (Online): Tuesday, February 3 - RSVP link
- Applications Close: Tuesday, February 10
- Artist Interviews: Mid–late February
- Artist Selected & Notified: By Thursday, February 26
- Residency Dates: April 1 - July 31
Click here our full program guidelines.