2026 Spring Appeal | Mingei International Museum

Please note our admission prices are discounted from 4/13-5/1 to reflect a partial gallery closure while we install new exhibitions. See our Visit page for further details. 

Dear Friend,

On behalf of all of us at Mingei, thank you for being such an important part of our creative community. Your support ensures that folk art, craft, and design remain accessible and deeply connected to the people we serve. 

At a time when public funding for the arts is shifting rapidly, including the City of San Diego’s recent proposal to eliminate all arts grant funding, we’re especially grateful for the generosity that sustains Mingei’s mission.

This moment matters. These changes present real challenges, but what will not change is our commitment: to artists, to community, and to the belief that art belongs to everyone. 

Because of you, Mingei remains accessible to visitors of all ages: 

  • We have provided free gathering space for more than 57 artists and nonprofit organizations through our Community Mondays initiative. 
  • Mini Mingei, our twice-monthly preschool program, is free for all families throughout the spring and summer. 
  • Full scholarships are available for all four weeks of Summer at Mingei camp.
  • Teens at Mingei, a new program this year, offers paid internships for high school students and real-world exposure to careers in the arts. 
  • Make at Mingei, our popular monthly hands-on art event, remains free and open to all.  

In the coming months, we will also introduce free artist memberships for nearly 100 local artists who have collaborated with Mingei in recent years, deepening our investment in the creative community that makes this Museum so special. Your ongoing support helps propel this important work. 

As we approach the close of our fiscal year on June 30, I invite you to make a gift to our Spring Giving Campaign. In a moment like this, your contribution is not only impactful—it is affirming. It ensures that artists are elevated, that families have access, and that creativity remains a shared resource in our community.

As a token of our appreciation, gifts of $100 or more will receive a special limited-edition “art is for everyone” Mingei tote bag.

This is a pivotal moment, and your support makes it possible for Mingei to meet it with strength, clarity, and purpose.

Thank you for helping us continue this meaningful work.

With gratitude,

Jessica Hanson York 
Executive Director & CEO