Visual Arts
Massive murals, captivating contemporary art shows, gravity-defying sculptures and futuristic film screenings — UC San Diego’s art scene is magnetic.
The university is a destination for those seeking bold storytelling through diverse mediums, exciting exhibitions that present the unexpected and unforgettable, and immersive permanent collections that spur thought-provoking conversations.
Galleries
Mandeville Art Gallery
Since 1966, Mandeville Art Gallery has presented highly experimental contemporary art. The gallery, which is part of the School of Arts and Humanities, also serves as a laboratory for learning about curatorial practice with programs for students to gain hands-on skills in museum studies.
Gallery QI
Gallery QI, an initiative of UC San Diego’s Qualcomm Institute, aims to advance understanding and appreciation of the dynamic interplay among art, science and technology. From photographs of the underworld to multimedia installations about octopus cognition, exhibits unite art and technology in unexpected ways.
Art Gallery at Park & Market
UC San Diego Park & Market — located in the heart of downtown with trolley transit readily accessible — is an intellectual hub for civic engagement that brings together people, ideas, art and innovation in San Diego. Exhibitions are regularly hosted featuring installations from regional and national artists.
Department of Visual Arts
The Department of Visual Arts promotes the interrelation between production, critical analysis and the history of art. Students and faculty ask poignant “what if” questions, collaborate across disciplines and experiment with novel forms of expression. Their provocative works can be explored across numerous exhibition spaces throughout the year.
Film Screenings
Suraj Israni Center for Cinematic Arts
The center regularly hosts Q&A events with industry experts, film screenings and panel discussions on culture, music, theatre, film and the arts, with production and research fellowships available for students, faculty and staff.
Attend an event at the Center for Cinematic Arts
UC San Diego Film Festival
An annual event hosted by Triton Television, the festival celebrates and inspires UC San Diego’s creative community with screenings and awards in experimental, documentary and narrative films.
Permanent Collections
Stuart Collection
Walking across the 1,200-acre campus, you may encounter a massive teddy bear made from boulders, a talking tree or a tiny cottage teetering on the edge of a building. They are part of the nearly two dozen works that comprise the Stuart Collection. Distinguished artists are commissioned to create unique, site-specific works that are fused seamlessly to buildings or integrated into the landscape.
Healing Arts Collection
Research shows art has the ability to heal. The Joan K. Jacobs Healing Arts Collection is a 150-piece collection envisioned by philanthropist Joan Jacobs. Works encompass paintings, photographs, sculptures and other media throughout Jacobs Medical Center at UC San Diego Health — offering peaceful moments of discovery in waiting rooms, corridors and patient areas.
Reed Family Arts Collection
The School of Arts and Humanities is home to 12 paintings from the Soviet Impressionism and Socialist Realism periods, ranging from 1949 to 2004. The collection — a gift from long-standing campus supporters Ann and Joel Reed — represents a rich cultural, artistic and historical record of everyday Soviet and Russian life.
Empowered to Explore
Creativity thrives across diverse mediums, from hands-on crafting and prototyping to open-air artistic expression, where students and the community alike are empowered to create, design and express their vision.
More Art Events
There’s always something creative happening at UC San Diego. Find pop-up installations, open studio events, new public art commissions, contemporary art exhibitions and so much more taking place on a daily basis at the university.