San Jose Downtown Foundation

SJDF is committed to:

• Engaging youth in the arts

• Reflecting and involving our diverse citizenry

• Collaborating with other organizations on common goals with an open, innovative and enterprising spirit

• Beautifying Downtown San Jose

• Supporting quality programming in a variety of forms

SJDF's primary program is Downtown Doors, an award-winning outdoor youth art competition/exhibit. The artwork enlivens downtown’s urban space and provides students the opportunity to express themselves publicly. Passersby have enjoyed 209 works by students from 23 schools since 2003. The program has been recognized for its educational and place-making attributes by the National Endowment for the Arts and the International Downtown Association.

SJDF is embarking on its five-year vision, which focuses on how the organization can expand its role improving downtown San Jose’s public spaces. The roadmap incorporates these strategies:  

1) Taking the existing concept of Downtown Doors and expanding the display of artwork onto larger format canvasses;

2) Creating a traditional foundation-based fund that creates microgrants for artists in the community who need financial resources to complete planned projects;

3) Providing way-finding that will allow people to discover the artwork in downtown San Jose;

4) Developing whimsical art in small spaces;

5) Illuminating Downtown Doors artwork at night.

Your donation will not only help emerging artists start on their career path, it will brighten the look and feel of Silicon Valley's City Center.

During Silicon Valley Gives Day on May 3, individual donations will be matched by the Donor Circle for the Arts at Silicon Valley Community Foundation.