Spanish Village Art Center

I love this place! So picturesque and inspiring! Christmas is around the corner and there were a lot of Christmas decorations all over. The Spanish Village Art Center consist of numerous art studios where you can find an artist creating and selling their works of art. Some of studios only had one artist while others were shared by more than one artist. You can find all kinds of work made from different mediums: watercolor, acrylic, oil, wood, polymer clay, wood, glass, beads and anything else I might have forgotten. The artists we spoke to were friendly and glad to answer any questions.

My wife and I had our reception at the Spanish Village Art Center, and it was beautiful! A couple of things to keep in mind: you’ll have to provide pretty much everything, all you are renting is the space itself. They will allow you to store you things in a large kitchen area on the day before. On the actual day, your vendors will be allowed in to set up at 5pm (after it closes for the day), so make sure you allow them enough time to set up. You will be given about three rows of string lights. We rented some additional lighting from our DJ, but don’t know that it was necessary. It has lots of character and atmosphere, so you can go really light on the décor.

There doesn’t have to be a special event for you to enjoy the Spanish Village Art Center. It’s a place where a unique collection of local artists and artisans sell their works and where you can enjoy their works at your leisure. There are a variety of price points and a greater variety of art and jewelry and glass and pottery… Chances are you’ll find something you’ll like and can afford. Most of the artists are chill, happy to chat. Have kids? They’ll enjoy hopping around on the colorful patio floor and checking to see if the resident squirrel, Mr. Fluffytail, is in the house. Musicians are often there to entertain as well. If you like art or artists, I suggest you add the center to your list of things to do at Balboa Park.

Such a cute and colorful place to transform into a beautiful wedding venue or even being a tourist while at balboa park.
My friend got married here over the weekend and this place and wedding itself was just beautifully amazing! From the entrance, dance floor, dj, bars, taco stations, flowers, tables, chairs, pillows, cabanas, seating areas, EVERYTHING. I was in another country. The bright colorful flowers and festive décor was perfect of an outdoor wedding in July.
Everyone involved did an amazing job.

I really like this little Village and my Father really enjoys it so when we come down here, we make sure we check out the art. He is an artist and paints in L.A. They have a lot of small studios with different mediums to see. So there really is something for everyone. It was nice that we stumbled on a reception yesterday, they have lemonades and wine and apps to nibble on while checking out the art. Since we had just spent almost 3 hours at the Nat, it was such a nice treat.

I pass through here quite often when walking in Balboa Park. The potential is there given the location, the uniqueness of the studios and the possible great ambiance this place could have. The reality is that the buildings are looking shoddy and are not well maintained and most of the artwork is not of interest to me. The art ranges from creative pottery and glass work to pure kitsch. Many of the «artists» are not friendly and many are «hostile» to photography. So basically they don’t want you to take photos in a public space paid for by the tax payers. The whole place has a negative vibe for me, and I really don’t like to walk into a studio to either be ignored, stared at or being told not to take photographs. I always thought art was supposed to be something enriching and beautiful, to be shared and appreciated. If that is what you think too, skip this place, maybe it was something worth seeing years ago, but either they have lost their way or they were never were on the path to begin with.

We always try to stop by Spanish Village Art Center whenever we’re in Balboa Park. We really enjoy the unique art and good music when we’re here!
We got the chance to come by Spanish Village last week when my son was on spring break. Although we got here right before closing when people were starting to put stuff away, there’s usually live music and tons of people walking around. The stores have the artist’s own work, and it’s fun looking at all the beautiful jewelry and paintings.
Spanish Village is a cute little art center in the very busy Balboa Park. We try to spend the mornings and early afternoons in the museums when it’s hot outside. In the late afternoons, we’ll grab some water and snacks and find a nice shady spot here to relax at. My son is an artist and loves seeing all the paintings by the other artists.
Whether you like art, music, or just need a break while visiting the museums in Balboa Park, Spanish Village is really fun. You’ll enjoy the art and music, and it’s great talking to all the shop owners about the work they’re so proud of!

This is one of my favorite places in Balboa Park. I visit every time I am here. The artists are talented and the Center is so much fun to explore.

What a gem!
Thought we would do a quick walk through to say we did.
Glad we did!
Amazing shops, with something for EVERYONE.
Purchased an original oil painting from Paul Steele in the courtyard.
Great price points, shipped to my home in TN within a week.
Will be a must visit on next trip to San Diego.

I recommend you to visit the Spanish Village Art Center during Christmas time. The trees are adorned with the shiny colorful balls and decorations, the whole scenario seems from a page of a fairy tale. The concrete floor painted like if was chalk of different tonalities infuses happiness to your day for sure. The little shops, boutiques and ateliers will open their doors for you and most often than not you will be greeted by an artist or artisan that would not hesitate to tell you about his or her artistic secrets and endeavors. I like to go there alone to absorb every detail, take many pics and also do some illustrations sitting around there. My favorite part is all sculpture related. Not that much fun of the jewelry stores, because they are not my style, but I value the manual work and talent of all the artists in there. If you support local and pretty, that is your place.

so rude! the artist were nothing but rude when i tried to ask about their bike policy, they have put up a man made illegal sign saying «no bicycling» so rude and against balboa park policy! where are the rangers!!!

Yay Art Village!
Real art, real artists. Come here for gifts and beauty. What a joy to have such a neat place nearby.

Adorable shops and studios in this little village. Buy local art or watch the artists work. There’s a great selection of art and jewelry.

This is a true hidden gem!
Inside of Balboa Park, near the Natural History Museum, tucked away in the back is the beautiful Spanish Village. Filled to the brim with studios and shops selling jewelry, pottery, fine art pieces, blown glass and much more.
When we were there, live music was being played and there were lots of kids running around in the center of the village, having a grand old time. The overall vibe is very casual and there are lots of great places to look for special gifts and things.
The best part was in the back of one of the studios we got to see a woman giving a couple glass blowing lessons. It was really neat to see it happening there– the entire process. There were also pottery studios and many of the artists creating right on site.
This is a really cool spot for some shopping and causal meandering. Maybe even bring a little snack and have a picnic!

Attached to stunning Balboa Park, this is a must see in the San Diego area. There are approximately 50 independent shops with a variety of artist styles and even classes offered by many of them! The sidewalks and walls are all a work of art, as well with murals and color everywhere. The calendar that was posted seemed to have plenty of local events to offer.
We were in the area a little early and the shops had not yet opened when we arrived, but it was very easy to kill a little time by venturing to the attached parks and gawk at the great architecture throughout.
Overall: A+
If you are heading to San Diego, add this to the list! Grab up a one-​of-​a-​kind local artist piece while you are at it.

Unleash your inner sense of childhood fun and love of whimsy. Walk up, take it all in.
The courtyard alone is a kaleidoscope. The first guild shop has glass ornaments and witch balls hanging. As you walk in further you see the beautiful crafts in ceramics and stained glass. You can watch people play with molten glass and fire at studio 19. You can buy things from the guild shops, or just wander and take it all in. The artists are excited to tell stories, teach, and give recommendations if you are an artist yourself. Certain guilds hold classes periodically
Twice per year there is an art glass sale in courtyard – something like 20 artists present all of their work from the past months and let you take home extremely unique and skillfully crafted pieces. They are in May and October.

A neat place to go through, when you’re looking for a gift for a special someone, or a unique item to finish decorating a room…

Cute
Local
Artist shops
Right next to the
Museums. Nice touch for a sunny day.

Even if there was nothing in the shops in Spanish Village it would still be a five star destination for me, based solely on the aesthetic of the place. Of all the sites within the 1,200 acres of Balboa Park, this is my favorite little spot to come hide and relax. This little artist community looks like a real life Bob Ross painting (
), and has his hippy’ish, happy-​go-​lucky vibe to it too.
It’s true that some of the shops here can be on the more expensive side, but it’s also a continuous gathering of craftsmen that you can’t find anywhere else, selling truly handmade, one of a kind creations. Where else could you go to buy some of this (
) stuff? I’m no jewelry expert, so I generally just buy things I think look good, and more importantly seem unique. This place has those things in spades.
Really though, the best part about the village is just being here itself. I’ve never been here during a fair, but I can just imagine that it would be quite remarkable. As it stands, it’s usually just a peaceful refuge (
), especially during the week, and I love the fact that some of the vendors I ran into a decade ago are still setup here selling their wares. This really is a testament to the lasting power of innovative people and those who support them.

Situated at Balboa Park, there are cute little shops that encompass this center. Came here for an event and it was nicely decorated and very festive. The open space made it easy to navigate thru the crowds. Bathrooms are old and it reflected.
Free to roam within Balboa Park and free parking. Older crowds…