Media Advisory: Art Exhibition Showcases San José’s 2025 Creative Ambassador Projects

Media Contact: Carlos Velazquez, Public Information Manager, Office of Economic Development & Cultural Affairs 408-535-8168; [email protected] Advisory Detail What: An art exhibition reception will showcase projects developed over the past year by the City of San José's 2025 Creative Ambassadors: Julie Cardenas, Matt Casey (More Mas Marami), Jessica Gutierrez, Miguel Ozuna and Steven Rubalcaba. Details, RSVP for the free event here. When: Friday, Nov. 7, 2025 5 - 9 p.m. Where: The Citadel Art Studios 199 Martha St. San José, CA 95112 Background: Led by the Office of Economic Development and Cultural Affairs, the Creative Ambassador program invites an annual cohort of artists to produce a creative project that invites active participation from residents and celebrates the diversity of San José's cultural communities. Launched in 2019, there have been 24 Creative Ambassadors for the City including this year's artists: Miguel Ozuna is a photographer and storyteller. Through SJ Shooters, his project a look thru your lens has enabled 75 local photographers to capture the beauty of San José through a shared film camera, producing photos that will be exhibited in a group photography show. Julie Cardenas is a painter and comic book artist. Her project, Stories From Our Neighborhood, has been a series of zine-making workshops hosted at San José public libraries, featuring themes such as memory, food or neighborhood. More Más Marami, led by Matt Casey, is a collective of artists who produce performances, events and workshops for and with underserved communities in the South Bay. Their project, The Bay Area Story Archive, has been a community-based, online audio archive that centers San José residents as storytellers, encouraging them to share an aspect of their lives and city. Steven Rubalcaba is an artist who primarily uses reused materials, giving discarded objects a second life. Voices of the Community brought San José residents together to create a collaborative collage using repurposed materials like used paper, magazines, and personal photos. Educator, artist and mother Jessica Gutierrez's project For the Mamas has been a series of free community art workshops designed for San José mothers and their children. The workshops will culminate with a showcase that features the artwork of mothers and their children. ###