Cultural Arts & Storytelling program in Imperial Beach, CA with Un Mar de Colores youth coaches

Un Mar de Colores · Imperial Beach, CA

Free Artist Residencies for Imperial Beach Youth

Guest-artist workshops bring professional BIPOC creators to Imperial Beach cohorts across San Diego.

Un Mar de Colores's Cultural Arts & Storytelling workshops center Indigenous, Latino, and Chicano voices of the California coast — and Imperial Beach youth are welcome in every cohort. Quarterly workshops run throughout San Diego County in partnership with Imperial Beach Sports Park and South Bay Alliance, with summer artist residencies open to Imperial Beach students via referral from South Bay Union School District. All supplies, instruction, and exhibition opportunities are provided at no cost.

Schedule — Imperial Beach Program Days

Quarterly workshops + summer artist residencies · Completely free

You Might Be Feeling This

  • Film and documentary tools feel elite-only — nobody offered your Imperial Beach teen free camera access and mentorship.
  • Oral tradition and storytelling aren't in youth programs — your grandparents' coastal memories stay at the dinner table.
  • You want intergenerational participation — many art workshops exclude young kids or older relatives from Imperial Beach.

What Changes When Youth Get in the Water

  • Visual arts: painting, mural, and photography workshops with exhibition-ready output.
  • Work returns to community — public exhibitions and screenings in Imperial Beach, not sold to tourists.
  • Summer artist residencies provide immersive multi-day creation with professional BIPOC guest artists.

Why We Run This Program in Imperial Beach

Imperial Beach is the southernmost beach city in California and ground zero for our Tijuana River watershed work. Beach closures from transboundary sewage flows regularly impact water quality here, which is why our Imperial Beach cohorts combine surf instruction with direct environmental justice education — kids learn about the river and the coast as a single system. Mar Vista Middle and Imperial Beach Elementary are our flagship Title I partners.

Population
26,324
BIPOC residents
73%
Spanish-speaking households
42%
Distance to beach
Coastal

Cultural Arts & Storytelling in Imperial Beach — What You Should Know

Visual arts supplies provided every workshop — paint, canvas, mural materials — no hidden supply lists for Imperial Beach working families.

Cultural arts integration with watershed education connects Tijuana River stories to visual art — Imperial Beach students paint, film, and perform environmental justice.

Why Imperial Beach Matters to Our Mission

The ocean off Imperial Beach belongs to everyone. Un Mar de Colores exists because San Diego has spent decades telling BIPOC youth otherwise — and we're changing that story one cohort at a time.

Recruitment in Imperial Beach runs through counselors, teachers, and community partners who know which students need this most. We don't run open enrollment chaos — we build intentional cohorts.

Where We Surf in Imperial Beach

IB Pier

Beginner

Primary Imperial Beach teaching location — WHEN water quality is safe. Tijuana River sewage flows regularly close this beach.

Imperial Beach sits at the southern terminus of California and is the closest beach to the US-Mexico border. The Tijuana River mouth is 2 miles south.

Bottom: SandWave: 2–6 ft typicalLifeguard: Year-round

Local Imperial Beach Partners & Referral Sources

In partnership with South Bay Union School District and local community organizations, we recruit youth from 3+ Title I schools.

School district & Title I partners

  • South Bay Union School District
  • Imperial Beach Elementary
  • Oneonta Elementary
  • Mar Vista Middle School

Community partners

  • Imperial Beach Sports Park
  • South Bay Alliance
  • WILDCOAST (Tijuana River watershed partner)
  • Imperial Beach Library

Program Curriculum

Cultural Arts & Storytelling at Un Mar de Colores is where the surf, the coast, and community narrative meet. Quarterly workshops and summer artist residencies bring together youth, professional artists, and Kumeyaay elders to create work that reflects the living cultural traditions of the California coast. Programs center Indigenous, Latino, and Chicano voices historically marginalized in coastal culture, and every workshop ends with a public exhibition, publication, or film screening that returns the art to the community that made it.

  • Coastal storytelling and oral tradition
  • Kumeyaay history and living culture
  • Latino and Chicano surf culture history
  • Visual arts (painting, mural, photography)
  • Poetry and spoken word
  • Film and documentary-making

What's Included — Free for Every Imperial Beach Youth

  • All art supplies provided
  • Guest-artist workshops
  • Exhibition and publication opportunities
  • Bilingual instruction
  • Culturally grounded curriculum
  • Partnership with local galleries and museums

Why Un Mar de Colores

Un Mar de Colores is recognized by partners including the San Diego Foundation, Surfrider San Diego, WILDCOAST, and school districts across San Diego — not a pop-up program, a sustained movement.

What our community says

"He used to approach new activities with extreme anxiety — to the point where sometimes we couldn't even get out of the car. Now he goes much deeper into the water."

— Middle school student— Parent, One Ocean

Frequently Asked Questions — Cultural Arts & Storytelling in Imperial Beach

What is Cultural Arts & Storytelling in Imperial Beach?+

Un Mar de Colores Cultural Arts centers Indigenous, Latino, and Chicano voices of the California coast through quarterly workshops and summer artist residencies. Imperial Beach participants create visual art, poetry, film, and oral tradition work with Kumeyaay elders and professional BIPOC guest artists — all free with supplies included.

How do we enroll from Imperial Beach?+

Contact Un Mar de Colores or check our quarterly workshop calendar. Priority for Imperial Beach families through partner org and South Bay Union School District referrals. All ages welcome — bring grandparents and neighbors.

Who can participate from Imperial Beach?+

All ages welcome — youth, teens, adults, grandparents, and families from Imperial Beach. Multi-generational participation is encouraged, especially for oral tradition and storytelling sessions.

Are cultural arts & storytelling in Imperial Beach really free?+

Yes. All Un Mar de Colores programs in Imperial Beach are 100% free — including 3/2mm wetsuits, soft-top surfboards, transportation from partner schools like Imperial Beach Elementary, Oneonta Elementary, Mar Vista Middle School, and certified bilingual instruction. Funding comes from the San Diego Foundation, community grants, and individual donors. No Imperial Beach family has ever paid for our programming.

Where exactly do cultural arts & storytelling happen in Imperial Beach?+

Primary water sessions run at IB Pier. Classroom components happen at Imperial Beach Sports Park and other partner sites. All water activities happen within lifeguard-flag zones.

What ages can enroll in Imperial Beach?+

We serve youth ages All ages. In Imperial Beach specifically, our recruitment runs through South Bay Union School District — with priority enrollment for students from Imperial Beach Elementary, Oneonta Elementary, Mar Vista Middle School. Cohorts are age-appropriate (One Ocean for 6–12, Ocean Stewards for 13–17).

Does my child need to know how to swim before starting?+

No. We begin every cohort with ocean-safety fundamentals in chest-deep whitewater at IB Pier, supervised by instructors certified by the San Diego Fire-Rescue Lifeguard Division. Water comfort is built progressively. In Imperial Beach, we also run pre-cohort pool-familiarization sessions at local community pools for students who request extra comfort-building.

Are lessons taught in Spanish in Imperial Beach?+

Yes. All Un Mar de Colores programs are bilingual — and in Imperial Beach, where 42% of households are Spanish-speaking, we intentionally pair at least one bilingual coach to every session. Cultural programming is delivered in both languages, and parent communications are always sent in Spanish and English.

How is Un Mar de Colores different from other cultural arts & storytelling in Imperial Beach?+

Three ways: (1) everything is free, while most Imperial Beach surf programs charge $50–$150 per lesson; (2) we are BIPOC-led and our coaches reflect the 73%-BIPOC Imperial Beach community we serve; (3) our curriculum includes environmental justice, Kumeyaay coastal history, and cultural arts — not just surf skills. We exist because the ocean should belong to everyone in Imperial Beach, not just those who can afford access.

How do I sign my Imperial Beach child up?+

Visit our sign-up page or contact us directly. Priority enrollment goes to students of Imperial Beach Elementary, Oneonta Elementary, Mar Vista Middle School and referrals from Imperial Beach Sports Park and South Bay Alliance. Summer cohorts fill 3–4 weeks before start, so early contact is recommended.

Ready to Get in the Water?

Parents in Imperial Beach: bilingual staff, certified lifeguard-trained coaches, and zero cost. Sign up now.

All Un Mar de Colores programs are free for Imperial Beach youth. Reach out to enroll, volunteer, or support the movement.

Un Mar de Colores is a BIPOC-led 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in Oceanside, California. We provide free surf, ocean, and environmental programming for youth across San Diego and Tijuana — bridging cultures, coasts, and communities since 2018.

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