Cross-border immersive arts festival slated for September

ENVZN23: Urban Art Takeover is bringing a new immersive and culturally-rich art festival to San Diego on Sept 2. Organized by arts nonprofit Vanguard Culture, the inaugural event will convert warehouses and industrial locations along Commercial Street in Logan Heights into vessels for art of all forms.

“We haven’t simply ‘taken over’ these unique spaces,” said Vanguard Culture Founder and Executive Director Susanna Peredo in a statement. “We’ve programmed performances and art experiences that collaborate and engage with the local businesses, creatives and help activate these unique locations in meaningful ways.”

In an effort to encourage cross-industry collaboration, the event will showcase the work of a wide range of creatives, spanning from both sides of the border. Musical performances, short films, puppet shows, visual arts, choreographed dances, fashion runways and more will span the Commercial Street corridor for a celebration of creativity and culture.

Event-goers can start at the Soap Factory to experience a unique and interactive musical performance. Art of Elan will be creating music through hundreds of flower pots, utilizing the pots’ different depths and tones. Audience members will even get the chance to be a part of it using one of the group’s pots, which they can then take home after with some seeds to plant.

The Clubhouse MFG CO, a screenprinting and embroidery warehouse, will be transformed through a massive art installation constructed of Perrier bottles as an homage to recycling and overconsumption. The venue will also feature pen and ink drawings, as well as a dance performance by Malashock Dance Company.

Directly next to The Clubhouse resides the next grounds for ENVZN arts. The SD Customs Warehouse will become the home to a 10-foot-tall face of a woman with braids spanning across the building. The fixture serves as a tribute to Native American culture – recognizing the significance of hair braiding within their community.

There will also be a stage within the warehouse where two theater companies from Tijuana will be performing. Abordo Teatro will be performing a puppet show entitled “Parking sin estrellas,” depicting the life of a 7-year-old boy living in the Zona Norte of Tijuana – a notoriously unsafe area – by traveling through the boy’s imagination and inner dialogue.

SD Customs will be collaborating with Fashion Week San Diego for this special event. Models will walk an avant garde runway show, set up outside a neighboring gym, showcasing some of the local business’ one-of-a-kind shoes.

Inside the gym, Stay Classy Crossfit will be putting the dumbbells aside to make room for an intimate art experience. The interior of the building will host five small art installations with dancers interacting with the pieces throughout the space. In the backyard, there will be a lounge area set up for short film screenings put on by Coronado Island Film Festival, San Diego Filipino Cinema and San Diego Italian Film Festival. George Sarah will be showcasing his composed soundscape to the 1928 film The Passion of Joan of Arc. A small orchestra and choir will engage viewers in the emotions of the black and white film.

War House Gym, the last among the collaborating venues, will utilize its exterior to host a choreographed dance inspired by Mesoamerican culture. A large scale projection of a temple against the gym wall will serve as a backdrop to a ceremonial dance performance.

That same wall will also appear to be engulfed in flames throughout the night as commentary on the recurring California wildfires, executed by queer artist Hayley Thomas.

The Sept 2 festival, running from 5p.m.-10p.m., will be a test run for a larger festival in 2024. The 2024 ENVZN festival will serve as a celebration for San Diego and Tijuana’s designation as the World Design Capital 2024. If both events succeed, Vanguard Culture hopes to make ENVZN a biannual occurrence to encourage cultural tourism on a regular basis.

General Admission tickets sell for $30 when bought before Aug 14 and raise to $40 after Aug 15. Logan Heights residents with ID and professional creatives showing a business card receive $20 admission. VIP tickets sell for $125 and grant admission to a culinary experience in the Soap Factory. Get tickets at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/envzn-urban-art-takeover-tickets-590733930087.