Creativity, Gatherings, and Personal Expression: How Hillcrest’s Art Scene Reflects Its Heart

By Patric Stillman

Hillcrest is a neighborhood that thrives on creativity, diversity, and community engagement. Recently designated as an LGBTQ Cultural District, it’s a place where art is both a reflection of its rich past and a beacon of its dynamic future. With 35 murals stretching across a mile of the neighborhood, Hillcrest has transformed its streets, alleyways, and even utility boxes into a vibrant outdoor gallery that speaks to its eclectic spirit. These artistic efforts, supported by both local businesses and the community, capture the essence of what makes Hillcrest unique—a place where creativity and self-expression are woven into the fabric of everyday life.

The neighborhood is about to see yet another transformation with the long-awaited Hillcrest Promenade, a wide-open public park space, set to break ground this month. Located at Normal Street and University Avenue, the promenade is poised to become a community focal point. Benjamin Nicholls, Executive Director of the Hillcrest Business Association (HBA), couldn’t be more excited about what the promenade will bring to the community. “This will be our Times Square, our Champs-Élysées, it will be the place the community comes out to. This project has been dreamed about, worked on, and advocated for years. It’s going to be beautiful,” Nicholls explains.

Already home to the iconic Pride flag and several regular events, Normal Street at University Avenue is considered the heart of Hillcrest. The new promenade will further solidify this status, providing a creative footprint under the flagpole with several blocks that will include a rainbow bike path, mosaic concrete designs, shaded structures that allow sunlight to create temporary designs underneath and a restored trolley car. This project, offering spaces for gatherings and activities, promises to be a vibrant, inclusive spot that continues to defines Hillcrest.

The community’s utility box art project also lets Hillcrest showcase its artistry. This renewed initiative has brought bursts of color to the neighborhood’s streets in recent weeks. Nicholls emphasizes how turning “a drab piece of municipal hardware” into a canvas has allowed artists to reflect the energy of the neighborhood. “The utility boxes are now canvases, reflecting the neighborhood’s energy and expression,” Nichols states. “It’s not just art for art’s sake—each box showcases the ethnic and LGBTQ diversity of Hillcrest. It’s a celebration of self-expression in the LGBTQ Cultural District.”

One of the driving forces behind this project is Betty Bangs, a Chicana queer artist who has been instrumental in leading the utility box transformation. For Bangs, the project is deeply personal. “This is everybody’s home,” she says, emphasizing how important it was to bring in artists from different parts of San Diego as well as Hillcrest residents. “As queer artists, having our work in Hillcrest is a huge deal. The murals represent our voices. For me, it’s about community and inclusion, making sure queer artists from all over San Diego are represented in this neighborhood.  As we began the work, I made sure to keep a variety of utility boxes free so that Hillcrest residents and artists could step to claim a space as well. I’m proud of how the community came together for these mini-murals.”

Artist Nadia La Homie Cruz Tapia Ollinzihuatl Chicuace Ehecatl recently assisted Bangs on a new work in Mural Alley.  They see murals as more than just art—they are a continuation of ancestral traditions. Nadia grew up in San Diego, which is recognized as unceded Kumeyaay land, believes that murals serve as modern-day documentation of history, capturing the hopes and dreams of the community. “Murals are medicine for the heart,” they say, emphasizing how they offer both artists and viewers a way to connect and heal. For her, each mural in Hillcrest is not just a piece of art but a living testament to the energy and aspirations of the neighborhood.

The neighborhood has also helped transform what is now called Mural Alley into a vibrant arts hub. The Studio Door brought in local artists with national followings to create a series of murals to help clean up the dark alley.  HBA expanded the project by establishing a community-funded campaign to add rope lights that breath life into the space at night.  From there the two entities established Walk in Art, also known as First Thursday in Mural Alley, which has underscored creativity on the west end of Hillcrest for the past three years. Organized by HBA Special Events Manager Valerie Le Page, the event features live music, adult beverages and artisan vendors. 

“It’s vibrant with murals and art, and we continue to add more art,” Le Page says. “It’s become a place for the community to gather, celebrate, and express themselves.” For regular attendees, Walk in Art represents a hidden gem in the neighborhood. “Walk in Art is like our own private secret. The art and music are always punching above their weight,” said Hillcrest resident April Savage.  Kyle Thackston concurs, “Every month there is better art than you can imagine, and better music than you would expect to find in a free alley event tucked away in Hillcrest.” 

Nicholls noted that before year end, the lighting project will expand beyond the alley and onto University Avenue, building upon Hillcrest’s gateway under the iconic Hillcrest sign.

Muralists are making their way indoors, bringing their creativity into local establishments throughout Hillcrest. Businesses in the neighborhood continue to reflect its creative spirit by incorporating art into their spaces. Alex Fizix, one of Hillcrest most visible muralists, is best known for the pizza Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles mural, the speakeasy scene on Cigar Cave and the kiss-blowing drag queen on Urban Mo’s has brought his signature bold style indoors, transforming the bathrooms of the bar EQ (formerly The Merrow) into an immersive art experience.

Beyond the neighborhoods murals, local artists have found innovative ways to engage with the public. Karen Cadiero-Kaplan, a ceramic artist at The Studio Door, is part of a group that created the Studio Artist Sidewalk Pop-Up, a monthly event held on the last Saturday of every month. This informal outdoor gallery brings smaller, more accessible artworks directly to passersby, breaking down barriers between galleries and the public. “We wanted to engage with the community outside. It lets us meet people in a casual setting, breaking down the intimidation that some might feel about walking into a gallery. By being on the sidewalk, we bring art to those enjoying a morning coffee or breakfast. It’s an accessible way for people to discover art” says Cadiero-Kaplan. “I hope to see this event expand through out the neighborhood.”

Working behind the scenes, local artists are expanding their efforts in organizations both new and established, such as ArtReach and Revision San Diego, each making a lasting impact on the community. ArtReach, a non-profit focused on youth art education, recently revitalized an abandoned building at University Avenue and Vermont Street, creating a massive mural with the participation of 200 community members. This mural not only beautifies the neighborhood but also symbolizes Hillcrest’s dedication to fostering creativity among the next generation. Meanwhile, Revision San Diego, a long-standing nonprofit that works with teenagers and adults with developmental disabilities, empowers individuals through art as a vehicle for self-discovery and personal growth. Together, these organizations reflect Hillcrest’s commitment to inclusivity and creativity, shaping a vibrant community for all.

As Hillcrest evolves with new condos and apartments set to increase its population, the neighborhood actively remains committed to its creative and inclusive roots. From large-scale public art projects to personal commitments to encourage the arts, Hillcrest stays true to its past while embracing a dynamic future. Art is a vibrant, living part of the community, and as the neighborhood grows, its artistic spirit will continue to inspire and connect everyone who calls Hillcrest home, ensuring that creativity remains at the heart of its identity.