Un Mar de Colores · Poway, CA
BIPOC Cultural Arts Program in Poway, CA
Guest-artist workshops bring professional BIPOC creators to Poway cohorts across San Diego.
Un Mar de Colores's Cultural Arts & Storytelling workshops center Indigenous, Latino, and Chicano voices of the California coast — and Poway youth are welcome in every cohort. Quarterly workshops run throughout San Diego County in partnership with Poway Unified School District and Poway Library, with summer artist residencies open to Poway students via referral from Poway Unified School District. All supplies, instruction, and exhibition opportunities are provided at no cost.
Schedule — Poway Program Days
Quarterly workshops + summer artist residencies · Completely free
You Might Be Feeling This
- —Kumeyaay history shows up on a poster once a year — your child wants living culture with elders, not clipart.
- —Summer artist residencies charge tuition — immersive creative weeks feel impossible from inland Poway.
- —Museum trips to San Diego feel like visiting someone else's narrative — not creating your own coastal art.
What Changes When Youth Get in the Water
- All art supplies provided — paint, canvas, cameras, mural materials — zero supply lists for Poway families.
- Kumeyaay elders participate in coastal storytelling and living culture modules — not token land acknowledgments.
- Partnerships with local galleries and museums amplify Poway youth work publicly.
Why We Run This Program in Poway
Poway is an inland North County city home to Poway Unified School District, one of the largest K-12 districts in California. Our Poway cohorts travel to Del Mar's 15th Street Beach and La Jolla Shores for water programming, with classroom partnership at Poway Library and the Poway Center for the Performing Arts for cultural programming.
- Population
- 48,841
- BIPOC residents
- 46%
- Spanish-speaking households
- 17%
- Distance to beach
- 14 mi
Cultural Arts & Storytelling in Poway — What You Should Know
Cultural arts integration with watershed education connects Tijuana River stories to visual art — Poway students paint, film, and perform environmental justice.
Parents searching cultural arts near Poway, CA find paid studio classes first. Un Mar is different: BIPOC-led nonprofit programming with Kumeyaay elders, Chicano surf culture history, and gallery partnerships — not tourist craft afternoons.
Why Poway Matters to Our Mission
The ocean off Poway 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.
Poway sits inside San Diego County's coastal equity gap — 46% of residents identify as BIPOC, yet beach access has historically been gated by cost, transportation, and culture. Un Mar de Colores closes that gap with free programming and school-based recruitment.
Local Poway Partners & Referral Sources
In partnership with Poway Unified School District and local community organizations, we recruit youth from 2+ Title I schools.
School district & Title I partners
- Poway Unified School District
- •Meadowbrook Middle
- •Valley Elementary (Poway)
Community partners
- ◆Poway Unified School District
- ◆Poway Library
- ◆Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater San Diego (Poway branch)
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 Poway 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."”
Frequently Asked Questions — Cultural Arts & Storytelling in Poway
What is Cultural Arts & Storytelling in Poway?+
Un Mar de Colores Cultural Arts centers Indigenous, Latino, and Chicano voices of the California coast through quarterly workshops and summer artist residencies. Poway participants create visual art, poetry, film, and oral tradition work with Kumeyaay elders and professional BIPOC guest artists — all free with supplies included.
How often do workshops run near Poway?+
Quarterly workshops across San Diego plus summer artist residencies. Check our calendar for the next Poway-accessible session — some events occur near La Jolla Shores (18 miles) and Del Mar 15th Street (14 miles), others at partner community sites.
Do I need to bring art supplies?+
No — we provide paint, canvas, cameras, mural materials, and all workshop supplies. Poway families show up ready to create, not shop for materials.
Are cultural arts & storytelling in Poway really free?+
Yes. All Un Mar de Colores programs in Poway are 100% free — including 3/2mm wetsuits, soft-top surfboards, transportation from partner schools like Meadowbrook Middle, Valley Elementary (Poway), and certified bilingual instruction. Funding comes from the San Diego Foundation, community grants, and individual donors. No Poway family has ever paid for our programming.
Where exactly do cultural arts & storytelling happen in Poway?+
Poway is 14 miles inland from the coast, so our cohorts are shuttled to La Jolla Shores (18 miles) — our nearest Un Mar teaching beach. Classroom components including curriculum, cultural arts, and tutoring happen at Poway Unified School District and partner schools inside Poway.
What ages can enroll in Poway?+
We serve youth ages All ages. In Poway specifically, our recruitment runs through Poway Unified School District — with priority enrollment for students from Meadowbrook Middle, Valley Elementary (Poway). 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 La Jolla Shores (18 miles), supervised by instructors certified by the San Diego Fire-Rescue Lifeguard Division. Water comfort is built progressively. In Poway, we also run pre-cohort pool-familiarization sessions at inland pools via our Poway Unified School District partnership for students who request extra comfort-building.
Are lessons taught in Spanish in Poway?+
Yes. All Un Mar de Colores programs are bilingual — and in Poway, where 17% 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 Poway?+
Three ways: (1) everything is free, while most Poway surf programs charge $50–$150 per lesson; (2) we are BIPOC-led and our coaches reflect the 46%-BIPOC Poway 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 Poway, not just those who can afford access.
How do I sign my Poway child up?+
Visit our sign-up page or contact us directly. Priority enrollment goes to students of Meadowbrook Middle, Valley Elementary (Poway) and referrals from Poway Unified School District and Poway Library. Summer cohorts fill 3–4 weeks before start, so early contact is recommended.
Ready to Get in the Water?
Parents in Poway: bilingual staff, certified lifeguard-trained coaches, and zero cost. Sign up now.
All Un Mar de Colores programs are free for Poway 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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