There’s still time for artists to enter submissions to qualify for the Ocean Beach Pier 50th Anniversary Art Show.
Deadline for art submissions is 5 p.m. Friday, May 6. Applicants can send their high-quality digital entries to [email protected]. Submissions should include applicant contact information. To have questions answered, or for more information, call (619) 224-4906.
“We’re looking for artwork that is depicting, or inspired by or generally about, the OB Pier,” said Isabel Clark, programs director for Ocean Beach MainStreet Association (OBMA), the beach community’s Business Improvement District.
Clark said Teeter gallery/boutique at 5032 Niagara Ave. in Ocean Beach is partnering with OBMA to host a juried art show to review art contest entries.
“This art exhibit will celebrate OB Pier’s 50th anniversary, which is July 2,” said Clark. Submittals can be in any medium.
“We would love to see everything from photos and paintings to sculptures, ceramic and fiber art – anything, literally,” Clark said.
Submitted artwork can be interpretive or in any artistic style. But in order to qualify for the contest, it must have some direct relationship to the pier.
Clark said pier artworks selected for the exhibit will be shown at Teeter from Thursday, June 30 through Sunday, July 31. She added there will be an opportunity for artists to sell their work during the monthlong exhibit.
Speaking of the significance of the art contest, Clark said, “It’s your chance to be part of a really special exhibit: a community celebration of our iconic pier. We have a lot of talented artists in this area, and I think we’ll get some really interesting entries.”
The Ocean Beach Municipal Pier is one of the most visited landmarks in San Diego County. It was officially christened and introduced on July 2, 1966. More than 7,000 of San Diego’s then 600,000 residents showed up to celebrate the opening, including then Mayor Frank Curran and Gov. Edmund G. (Pat) Brown, who had the honor of cutting the ribbon.
Although the pier quickly became a popular destination for locals and tourists, its original purpose was for fishing. Local Ocean Beach fishermen needed a way to prevent their fishing lines and lures from getting tangled in the vast kelp and rock beds that lie near the surface of the water near the shores.
The construction of the pier enabled anglers to fish in 25 to 30 feet of water, avoiding most of the shoreline kelp and enabling them to catch species of fish that live in deeper waters.
The pier extends 1,971 feet into the ocean and is the second longest pier on the West Coast. It is purported to be the longest concrete pier in the world. Its unique T-shape at the end adds 360 feet to the south and 193 feet to the north.
Founded in 1978, the Ocean Beach MainStreet Association comprises area merchants and professionals dedicated to building a thriving business district that fulfills the needs of the neighboring community and visitors alike.
For more information on the art show, visit HYPERLINK “https://oceanbeachsandiego.com/”oceanbeachsandiego.com. OP Pier events Several other events will be held as part of the pier’s 50th anniversary in OB, including: Saturday, April 30 – OB Pier Classic Surf Contest with AWOL & Hodad’s; Saturday, June 25 – Ocean Beach Street Fair and Chili Cook-Off; Thursday, June 30 – Opening Reception for Pier Art Show at Teeter; Saturday, July 2 – OB Pier Anniversary Walk and Celebration; Monday, July 4 – Annual Fireworks Off the OB Pier; and Thursday, July 21 – Beacon Special Section About the OB Pier.