Dave Eggers and JD Beltran Launch Free Artist Studio Program in San Francisco's Pier 29

Writer Dave Eggers and artist JD Beltran are establishing Art + Water, a tuition-free arts education and studio initiative at Pier 29 in San Francisco. The program, scheduled to begin operations this autumn, will provide complimentary workspace for 30 Bay Area creators across various disciplines. Participants include 10 experienced artists who will mentor 20 emerging practitioners in a European atelier model. The initiative aims to counteract the departure of artistic talent from San Francisco over recent decades. Eggers discovered the vacant 100,000-square-foot waterfront facility during a 2022 bicycle excursion along the Embarcadero. He and Beltran had previously discussed creating an affordable alternative to traditional graduate art programs for approximately ten years. The organization's leadership has already selected the mentor artists, while applications for student positions conclude next month. The inaugural exhibition will feature work by Bay Area filmmaker Boots Riley, organized by Art + Water co-director René de Guzman.