Geography of the Arts

Welcome

What is Geography of the Arts?

H&A in Action is ready to build bridges between our college and the downtown San Jose community in this post-pandemic era with a robust series of community engagement activities by leveraging one of our primary college-wide initiatives, H&A in San Jose, a community-building initiative to foster collaboration between H&A and the rich environment of our surrounding community. By interacting with faculty and student artists, everyone will learn how the arts can be used in combination for the purpose of placemaking, representing place-in-pandemic, and communicating diverse experiences of place.

abierto logo.

Generously funded by the the City of San Jose and the San Jose Downtown Association for 2021-2022 events, our Abierto events activate the green, public spaces around downtown San Jose. The goal of this series of pop-up events, nature strolls, and museum celebrations is to build out the geography of the arts by letting people engage, stroll, and geographically connect with the place where they live, particularly in terms of the arts.

cal humanities logo

To celebrate the public art peppered throughout downtown San Jose in a collaboration with local arts organizations, we created the "Public Art as Resistance in San Jose" project with in-person walking tours; self-guided walking tours using MyGPSCity or a printed map and QR codes at each public artwork; an Instagram hashtag campaign to enter your selfies with the public art for the public exhibit; an online archive of materials; and a panel discussion for Spring 2022.  

Read more

geography of the arts logo.

Read more about these 2021-2022 awards, faculty collaborators, and community partnerships and join us for events.

Read more

Join us for free, public events

map of downtown san jose with markers for public art

April & May 2024 Walking Tours

Our in-person walking tours have now concluded. Please consider taking a self-guided tour 

Self-guided tour

collage of public art

ONGOING

Self-Guided Walking Tour Open! Use GPSmyCity or the pdf map & Linktree

Take the Tour!

instagram logo

ONGOING

Instagram #SJResistArt - Post your public art as resistance to be chosen for a public exhibit on April 24

Post #SJResistArt

Past Events

man standing in front of mural speaking to a group

March & April 2023 Walking Tours

Our in-person walking tours are concluded for Spring 2023! Check out the free self-guided tour and watch the Public Art website for tours in the future

Take a tour

redwood trees

Feb 24, 2023, 5-7pm

For many of us in the Bay Area, a place like Big Basin Redwoods State Park (est. 1902) is a beloved place where we can momentarily escape urban life and walk among giants. We invite you to a celebration and discussion about these magnificent trees and their California cousins through music, photography, discussions about the threats posed by climate change, and information about wildfire management. 

Watch this engaging conversation

abierto beethoven

May 7, 2022, 12-3pm

Beethoven Nature Hike: Share in Beethoven’s love of nature at this free event in Alum Rock Park, featuring performances of Beethoven and nature-themed music by the SJSU Wind Ensemble. Receive a complimentary pocket notebook and pencil to record your own creative thoughts as you explore the beautiful park
collage of public art

April 24, 2022, 2-4:30pm

Please join us for a panel of artists and scholars discuss public art, resistance, monuments, and our current climate + reception - Free & open to the public
story maps with abierto logo

April 23, 2022, 4:15-5:15pm

Please join us for the San Jose Story Map Awards Ceremony in partnership with the Legacy of Poetry Festival
multiple images of murals

April 10, 9am-5pm - In-Person Walking Tour

We concluded our day of Public Art as Resistance in-person walking tours throughout downtown San Jose to great success! You can still take the self-guided tour at any time! Remember to post to #SJResist Art. Or, read about one of our student tour guides, Lou Jimenez!

Read Lou's story

art workshops postcards

April 10, 2022, 11am-5pm - Abierto Art Workshops @ SJSU

What a great day on the 7th Street Paseo @SJSU! Geography of the Arts Creative Workshops: live painting, creating sun prints, and more!
cal humanities logo mixed with san jose story map blue line logo plus orange outlined abierto logo

March 12, 2022 - Saturday Stroll on the Alameda

We enjoyed Second Saturdays at The School of Visual Philosophy with a variety of workshops run by local artists, poets, students, and faculty from SJSU working in the arts. Visitors created visual art pieces through photography and printmaking, and shared their experiences about living in San José through writing. Story coming soon!
mother language day poster with abierto logo.

Mar 6, 2022 - International Mother Language Day

We enjoyed celebrating with everyone at MACLA and Parque De Los Pobladores in downtown San José to enjoy cultural diversity through art, language, food, and dance with art workshops, face painting, multiple cultural performances, and dance groups. Story coming soon!
abierto san jose story map logos.

Mar 4, 2022 - San Jose Story Map + Mobile Creative Workshops

We enjoyed meeting everyone at the San Jose Museum of Art in creative spaces for some communal art-making to celebrate our beautiful city of San José. Story coming soon!
painter on multi colored large mural board.

Nov 19, 2021 - VivaCalleSJ

In the clear streets of downtown San Jose students from the Sax Quartet and Woodwind Quintet played at the Willow Glen activity hub; the Poets & Writers Coalition were poetry busking at the Parque de los Pobladores activity hub; and the Mural Club helped kids sling paint on large canvases at Kelley Park activity hub. 

Read all about the day