Established in 1923, the Naval Training Center San Diego, served as a landmark military training facility for over seven decades. When NTC closed in 1997, the City of San Diego hired Corky McMillin Companies to redevelop the property as Liberty Station, preserving its Naval legacy through adaptive reuse of historic buildings.

In 2000, the NTC Foundation was created to establish a "Civic, Arts, and Cultural Center" within Liberty Station. This mission-driven nonprofit has led the adaptive redevelopment of 26 historic buildings while bringing cultural vibrancy to the region through public art commissions, creative residencies, and youth arts programming. Over 25 years, what began as a real estate project has evolved into Arts District Liberty Station—a thriving cultural hub.

As we celebrate our 25th anniversary, we're opening the Joan & Irwin Jacobs Performing Arts Center, welcoming our largest cohort of artist residencies, and unveiling two new "Installations at the Station" public artworks.

Our vision is to be a world-class arts district in the transborder region where creativity, culture, and community thrive. As a foundation, we foster, facilitate, and fund individuals and organizations who share our goal of making Arts District Liberty Station a regional hub in the creative economy. Through access to work spaces, grant funding, professional development, and capacity-building support, we're catalyzing this vision. The Arts District serves as a cultural center, gathering place, economic driver, and valued partner in civic innovation—the heart of Liberty Station.

Arts District Liberty Station

Creating, Connecting, Celebrating – 25 Years and Growing

Active campaigns

Give. Create. Connect.

2026 Friends Summer Mixer

Commemorative Bench

Dedicate a Rosebush

25th Anniversary Campaign

Past campaigns

Come Together