Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco: The arts bring vitality to SF

SAN FRANCISCO — Few cities can compete with San Francisco’s vibrant art and culture scene, with celebrated museums, ballet companies, and symphonies.

“People want to live somewhere that has a vital community spirit and all sorts of things contribute to that; a beautiful place, great food, great sports, but I also think art and culture are absolutely critical,” said Tom Campbell, director and CEO of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco.

San Francisco truly has it all, including the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, which encompasses two sister institutions, the de Young and the Legion of Honor.

The museums are always cycling through new and exciting exhibitions. Recently, the first American retrospective of film director Isaac Julian opened at the de Young. “It’s really immersive. It becomes a kind of visual poem and these films are about empathy, they’re about individuals, they’re about people in society and the way that society impacts them negatively and positively, so it’s a fabulous exhibition,” said Campbell.

The museums don’t just showcase world-famous, unattainable art, but also support Bay Area talent. Hundreds of pieces of work have been selected during previous Bay Area open casting calls and were featured in large-scale displays. All the art was for sale and the money went directly in the pockets of the local artists.

Campbell said, “Museums bring people together. Museums are a place of conversation, of dialogue. For some people it’s a place to find respite, it’s a place of escape. For other people it’s a place of education, and for others it’s a place of stimulation, it excites your own creativity. The important thing is just to come here and use your eyes and once you start using your eyes, you’re in for a treat.”

For more information about the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, visit their website.