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 San Francisco's Pier 29. The program will provide one year of free workspace to 30 local artists, including 10 established mentors and 20 emerging practitioners selected through applications. Scheduled to open in fall 2026, the project aims to counter the departure of creative professionals from the city over recent decades. The inaugural exhibition will feature work by Bay Area filmmaker Boots Riley, organized by co-director René de Guzman. The initiative occupies over 100,000 square feet in a historic waterfront building discovered by Eggers during a 2022 bicycle ride.