2025 Annual Appeal | Mingei International Museum

Visit Mingei, On Us. For all government employees, Mingei is offering free admission to the museum for the entirety of the government shutdown.

Dear Friend,

At Mingei, partnering with cultural groups and artists is at the heart of our mission. The Museum staff is always working to develop relationships to elevate the creative voices that make our city special, and spark new connections through exhibitions like Fashioning an Icon and programs such as Make at Mingei. With the Museum’s reopening in 2021, guided by the strong belief that everyone deserves access to Balboa Park, we created new ways to share our space with the rich cultural groups in the San Diego region.

Community Mondays is a program that began in 2021, offering Mingei’s Theater, free of charge, to grassroots arts and culture organizations, nonprofits, and artists. It’s been a joy to witness the film screenings, musical performances, and lively cultural celebrations at the Museum, in collaboration with organizations such as Border Angels, Viet Voices, and Persian Place. To date, Community Mondays has reached more than 50 groups and served over 5,000 community members.

We invite you to contribute to Mingei’s 2025 Annual Appeal to help support community programs like this.

Claudia Rodríguez-Biezunski, Sew Loka
Gemma Cabato and Matthew Padrigan, PASACAT Philippine Performing Arts Company
San Diego People of Color Quilt Guild
San Diego People of Color Quilt Guild completed Spotlight
San Diego People of Color Quilt Guild Spotlight details

The Community Spotlight is an exterior display near our front door, seen by thousands every month, reserved for rotating installations created by local arts groups. Most recently the spotlight has been on Sew Loka, an independent sewing studio in Barrio Logan, PASACAT, a Philippine performing arts company, and San Diego People of Color Quilt Guild. This space has featured eleven displays from nine community groups and artists over the past three years. You can see photos from these beautiful installations as well as a few of the Community Mondays events in the slideshow above.

It’s only with your generosity that we’re able to offer compelling exhibitions and programs, and we invite you to support the Museum’s mission by making a gift to the 2025 Annual Appeal.

Your donation will help Mingei continue to honor our mission and traditions while supporting local artists and propelling the future of craft forward.

Mingei’s aim is to be a place of welcome, respite, gathering, and collaboration, but we don’t do it alone. It takes the creative partnership of so many others to reflect and engage our community. And it takes you!

We are only able to continue this important work because of the Museum’s generous donors and members, thank you! Be part of this collaborative effort by making a gift to the 2025 Annual Appeal.

On behalf of Mingei’s staff, board, and volunteers, thank you for your support and passion for all we do.
With gratitude,

Jessica Hanson York
Executive Director & CEO