Art Alive Festivities Return to The San Diego Museum of Art with a Centennial Soiree
The San Diego Museum of Artis celebrating the return of its exhilarating Art Alive springtime event from Thursday, April 23 through Sunday, April 26, 2026, featuring regional floral designers showcasing arrangements interpreting approximately 80 works of art throughout the Museum. Art Alive is the Museum’s signature annual fundraiser, providing vital year-round support for the exhibitions, education, outreach and public programs for the community.
The Museum is commemorating its Centennial this year with a series of special exhibitions, including Cafés and Cabarets: The Spectacular Art of Toulouse-Lautrec. The theme for Art Alive 2026 draws inspiration from Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec and his vibrant, theatrical spirit of late19th-century Paris. Bringing together many rarely displayed works, the exhibition offers an immersive glimpse into the energy and artistry of the era.
The exhibition will be on view from Saturday, April 4 through Saturday, September 20, 2026, with select works exclusively featured in the Premiere Dinner setting during Art Alive weekend.
“The Art Alive floral exhibition and all of our accompanying festivities are truly stunning, one-of-a-kind experiences for San Diegans and a highlight of our year,” said Roxana Velásquez, Maruja Baldwin executive director and CEO of The San Diego Museum of Art. “The 2026 Art Alive is especially momentous as the Museum is also celebrating its Centennial, and we’re curating a full year of exciting exhibitions, especially the reveal of rarely displayed works by Toulouse-Lautrec from our extensive collection.”
In addition to the four-day Art Alive floral exhibition, further celebratory festivities include Art Alive Petal Pop-Ups, building anticipation in the weekends leading up to the event where large-scale pop-up floral displays are installed at surprise locations throughout San Diego; an Art Alive Preview Weekend hosted at Andaz San Diego; the Museum’s creative black-tie gala, the Premiere Dinner, on April 23; Bloom Bash, the Museum’s beloved kick-off party to Art Alive weekend on April 24; and the Garden of Activities, bringing hands-on art-making for artists of all ages to the Museum’s sculpture garden on Saturday, April 25 through Sunday, April 26.
“In our Centennial year Art Alive feels especially exciting,” shared Sarah Grossman, associate director special events and corporate relations. “This very special theme tied to the amazing work of artist Toulouse-Lautrec brings the energy of Parisian nightlife into the Museum in a way that’s bold, playful, and a little bit indulgent. It’s a celebration that honors our history while feeling fresh and just a touch mischievous.”
General admission is complimentary for members, and open to the public. Timed tickets are now available online atwww.SDMArt.org/Art Alive and by phone at 619.696.1999. Timed tickets are required, and entry is anytime within the designated hours. Guests can enjoy Art Alive at their own pace; exit is not timed. Bloom Bash and Premiere Dinner tickets are sold separately and are also now on sale now.
The marquee moment of the weekend, the Art Alive floral exhibition showcases nearly 100 floral art arrangements created by regional floral designers. These arrangements are on view throughout the Museum alongside the works of art each is interpreting through florals. Also on view during the Art Alive floral exhibition is the two-story rotunda floral design, which greets guests as they enter the Museum.
Bloom Bash Friday, April 24: 7 p.m. to midnight Bloom Bash is a 21-plus event that kicks off Art Alive weekend, dazzling with the bohemian glamour of Toulouse-Lautrec’s Paris and the electric spirit of the Moulin Rouge. Guests can dance all night while indulging in imaginative cocktail experiences and divine bites and treats from more than 35 of San Diego’s top restaurants, with a special neighborhood spotlight on Oceanside’s vibrant culinary scene.
The Art Alive floral exhibition will be open after-hours to event attendees, and the iconic Ferris wheel will be on the plaza outside the Museum. Garden of Activities Saturday, April 25: 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, April 26: noon to 5 p.m. The Garden of Activities offers hands-on fun during Art Alive weekend, perfect for families and creatives of all ages. Now with an earlier Sunday start time, the Garden of Activities expands to accommodate more art explorers. Join Museum educators in the floral-themed art-making space in The San Diego Museum of Art sculpture garden and in a gallery to craft and create through a variety of art projects. All materials are provided, and it is free with Art Alive floral exhibition admission.
For more information or to donate to this San Diego tradition, call the Art Alive hotline at (619) 696-1999, or contact the Museum atartalive@sdmart.org. Tickets are also available onlineatsdmart.org/art-alive-tickets.
Support for Art Alive is provided by thousands of generous individuals, foundations and corporations, including lead sponsors Harrah’s Resort Southern California, Toni Bloomberg, Tatiana and Robert Dotson, Caroline and Tom Gildred, Lisa Hellerich, Rachel and David Inmon, Jaimi Lomas, Micki Olin and Reid Abrams, Taffin Ann Ray, and the Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation. The Art Alive 2026 Premiere Dinner Chairs are Toni Bloomberg, Valerie Cooper, Tatiana Dotson, Arlene Esgate, Rhianna Long, Micki Olin, and Demi Rogozienski. Bloom Bash Chairs are Jaimi Lomas, Rhianna Long, Mitch Mitchell, and Micki Olin. For more information on The San Diego Museum of Art or to purchase tickets or membership, visit SDMArt.org.
The San Diego Museum of Art is located at 1450 El Prado in Balboa Park, San Diego, CA, 92101. General Information: (619) 232-7931Group
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