Programs

  • Downtown Doors Art Project

    THE SAN JOSE DOWNTOWN FOUNDATION ADVANCES A VIBRANT DOWNTOWN BY FOSTERING CULTURAL AWARENESS AND COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION THROUGH ARTS AND BEAUTIFICATION PROGRAMS. CORE VALUES INCLUDE BEING INCLUSIVE AND OPEN; VALUING CREATIVITY AND QUALITY; WORKING COLLABORATIVELY; COMMITTING TO THE SUCCESS OF PROGRAMS SUPPORTED BY SJDF; AND HAVING AN ENTERPRISING SPIRIT. DOWNTOWN DOORS, AN INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNIZED ART EXHIBIT/COMPETITION, IS THE FOUNDATION'S PRIMARY PROJECT AND ENLIVENS THE DOWNTOWN SAN JOSE LANDSCAPE FOR HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PASSERSBY. DURING 2020-2022 PANDEMIC YEARS, THE PROGRAM CONTINUED WITH A TOTAL OF 40 NEW PIECES OF ART PLACED THROUGHOUT DOWNTOWN SAN JOSE. THE PROGRAM WAS CONDUCTED ENTIRELY ONLINE, AND THE ARTIST RECEPTION WAS HELD VIRTUALLY. THE 40 PIECES CAME FROM THREE LOTS OF ENTRIES AND FOUR DIFFERENT ROUNDS OF JUDGING.THE PROCESS STARTS WTIH MIDDLE-/HIGH-SCHOOL ARTISTS WORK WITH TEACHERS - IN A CHARACTER-BUILDING EXERCISE THAT ALSO ENABLES THEM TO DEVELOP ARTISTIC SKILLS, LEARN ART AS BUSINESS, AND UNDERSTAND THE IMPACT OF PUBLIC ART ON URBAN SPACES - TO CREATE ART MEANT TO FIT ONTO OTHERWISE STARK SINGLE- AND DOUBLE-PANELED SERVICE DOORS, THE KIND REQUIRED FOR FIRE CODES IN LARGE COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS. THE NORMAL SUBMISSION TIMELINE IS RETURNING IN 2023. SUBMISSIONS ARE MADE IN EARLY WINTER, THE ART IS JUDGED EARLY SPRING; SELECTED PIECES ARE TRANSFERRED IN MAY/JUNE TO VINYL DECALS COVERING DOORS LOCATED IN HIGH-PEDESTRIAN AREAS. THE ART IS FEATURED SEVERAL YEARS BEFORE BEING REPLACED. THE PROGRAM HAS GROWN FROM 4 SITES IN 2003 TO OVER 115 BY 2020, 1 SCHOOL TO 25, INVOLVING MORE THAN 800 STUDENTS FROM HIGH SCHOOLS THROUGHOUT SAN JOSE. IN 20 YEARS, THIS SIMPLE BUT IMPACTFUL PROGRAM WILL HAVE EXHIBITED 330 DIFFERENT WORKS.
    Geographies
    Not indicated
    Dates
    Jul 1, 2021 – Jun 30, 2022
    Source
    990
    No causes provided
    No populations provided
    –
    $31.3K