August 15 Reveal Celebration to feature “Be Art” theme
By Helen Broady and Anne Stapleton
July 5, 2026 (Lemon Grove) — When Calvin Manson was a child, he was asked what he wanted to be when he grew up. “I want to be art”, he replied. “Oh, his teacher said. “You want to be an artist!” “No”, said young Calvin. “I want to be art .“
Now Mr. Manson, an accomplished playwright, painter, poet and more who moved to Lemon Grove with his wife about four years ago, is teaching the community what it means to “be art.”
He has been sharing his vision of Lemon Grove as the cultural center of East County, a destination where visitors and residents alike come to enjoy and participate in cultural events while supporting local artists and businesses, He envisions turning vacant or underused spaces into showcases for visual and performing arts.
Mr. Manson believes that when we greet our neighbors with a smile, that is art. We can choose to be art daily in the way we express ourselves and respond to the people around us.
From a small group who met in his garage last year, a growing number of residents, neighbors, artists of all genres and those who support the arts, have been encouraged to dream big, spurred on by his talent, his enthusiasm and his leadership. From this dream the new Lemon Grove Arts Collective was formed.
The mission statement of the Collective includes a plan “to create inclusive and accessible spaces where artists are seen, heard, and supported… and to bring people together for connection, cultural expression and community”. Other goals are to promote local artists and their work, to collaborate with schools districts, SDSU and other arts groups to expand the artistic community of Lemon Grove and surrounding areas.
The collective now meets monthly at the Neighborhood Event Center, 7963 Broadway, every fourth Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. All are welcome. Or email [email protected] to keep up with their activities.
On Saturday August 15, the Collective will host their Reveal Celebration with the theme “Be Art” This launch will officially “unveil a new chapter of the Lemon Grove Arts Collective and honor the artists, neighbors and visionaries helping to build a vibrant creative future for our community.”
The event will be held at the beautiful offices and showroom of Borrelli Design and Cabinetry, 7895 Broadway. Please RSVP to Robin Borrelli at 619-368-9373. If you are an artist or lover of the arts, the Lemon Grove Arts Collective would be delighted to meet you at the August 15th Reveal or at one of their monthly meetings!