In celebration of its 100th anniversary in 2026, The San Diego Museum of Art invites artists from the San Diego/Tijuana region to submit applications for a special centennial branding project. We are commissioning three unique artistic interpretations of the Museum’s iconic façade to honor the rich history, architecture, and cultural legacy of the Museum. Selected works will be featured as part of the Museum’s centennial identity and integrated into commemorative materials throughout 2026. In addition, the commissioned pieces will be featured in a Museum gallery space for a portion of the centennial year.

Project Details

  • Directive: Interpret The San Diego Museum of Art façade in your own visual style
  • Eligibility: Open to artists aged 18+ living and working in San Diego County and/or Tijuana municipio
  • Number of Artists Selected: Three
  • Medium: Any two-dimensional medium is accepted, including digital work
  • Honorarium: Provided for each commissioned work (details to be shared upon selection)
  • Deadline to Apply: August 1, 2025
  • To Be Considered, please send submissions through our FORM. All submissions must be the artist’s original artwork.
  • Submission Requirements:
    • Artist statement
    • Portfolio or website
    • Brief proposal (one paragraph) on your approach to interpreting the façade
    • CV or résumé
  • Commissioned Artwork Uses May Include:
    • Centennial-focused ads (digital and print)
    • Museum website
    • Museum Member Magazine
    • Museum social media channels
    • Commemorative merchandise sold through The Museum Store’s physical locations and online at SDMArt.org/Store
    • And more

Project Style Guide

Applicants are encouraged, but not required, to align their proposal with one of three visual directions the Museum will be selecting from. Please specify which direction you are interpreting in your proposal.

  1. 1920s Heritage
    Keywords: art deco elegance, intricate ornamentation, sepia tones, museum origins, historical reverence, classical symmetry, gold accents
  2. Midcentury Retro
    Keywords: bold typography, warm gradients, sunset palettes, vintage poster aesthetics, groovy lines, graphic pop energy
  3. California Classic
    Keywords: sun-soaked tones, Spanish Revival, mission-style arches, terra cotta, palm silhouettes, breezy minimalism, timeless West Coast ease

Submission form opens July 1, 2025.

Early submissions are encouraged. Final applications will be reviewed by a selection committee of Museum staff and curators. Selected artists will be notified by September 1, 2025. Final artwork will be due December 1, 2025. For questions, please email centennial@sdmart.org.

FAQ

Does the proposal have to be for a work that’s completed for the application itself? Or can it be a digital rendering or visualization of a proposed work that would be completed if selected and commissioned?

The application does not require a completed physical or digital artwork. We are requesting a strong written representation of your concept and execution plan. If selected, the final piece would be commissioned and completed accordingly.

Is there a size range the museum is looking for in the two-dimensional work?

We are open to a range of sizes, but the final commissioned works will need to be suitable for reproduction across various formats (both physical and digital). Ideally, the original artwork should be large and detailed enough to retain clarity when scaled up digitally. Physical works should be no larger than 60 inches by 48 inches in height and width (including the frame, if applicable), and must not exceed 6 inches in depth for display inside the Museum.

What is the façade?

The Museum façade refers specifically to the front exterior of The San Diego Museum of Art’s historic 1926 building, located in Balboa Park. The Museum façade is comprised of the multi-story central entrance area with its iconic Spanish Colonial Revival architectural details that include a carved stone portal, columns, statues of Spanish Golden Age artists, and an ornamental archway. The adjacent portions of the exterior wall that visually frame the entry can be included if desired. See guideline image attached here.