Culture Trip recently reached out to Sonya Sparks, owner of Sparks Gallery (and the owners of basileIE) to recommend the best galleries in San Diego for their article here. Culture Trip chose an handful to feature, and we have posted Sonya Sparks’ full list of recommended San Diego galleries (who feature more than one artist in their space) below. This list is ordered alphabetically.

Adelman Fine Art is a boutique gallery in Little Italy that is easy to walk to from neighboring restaurants and features bold and bright works, many from artists who are based in San Diego. 
This gallery is a female owned and operated business. 

Distinction Gallery is a well-established gallery in Escondido. The primary genres of work shown are Contemporary Realism, Surrealism and Urban art with a focus on the figure. The gallery has recently renovated the space to include a bar and continues to support emerging artists and teens with its nonprofit called ArtHatch. This gallery is a female owned and operated business. 

Art Produce is an artist-run storefront in the diverse and historic community of North Park. While the gallery is open by appointment only, the gallery installations are viewable to the public from the sidewalk due to the large storefront windows. Exhibitions are often installation-based or sculptural. This gallery is a female owned and operated business. 

Escondido Arts Partnership Municipal Gallery
The Escondido Arts Partnership is a nonprofit organization located in Escondido and offers arts education, peer and public interactions through exhibitions and performance at their gallery space. This gallery is a primarily female operated business. 

Exclusive Collections Gallery features expressive and vibrant artwork in many forms of media.  The gallery’s new location is located in Solana Beach, and they can frame artwork in-house. The gallery now features the Art of Chad Smith from the Red Hot Chili Peppers. This gallery is a female owned and operated business. 

Fresh Paint Gallery
Located in downtown La Jolla, Fresh Paint Gallery showcases emerging to mid-career artists, both local and international, working in a variety of media. This gallery is a female owned and operated business. 

The IN Gallery
Artist Irina Negulescu has transformed her studio to showcase exhibitions featuring not only her work, but other artists who share similar styles (namely figural, sensual, and expressive). This gallery is a female owned and operated business. 

Joseph Bellows Gallery
Established in 1998, Joseph Bellows is a mainstay for collectors looking to collect vintage as well as contemporary photographs. The gallery specializes in works from 1970’s America and showcases beautifully made prints in solo and group exhibitions, both historic and contemporary.  

Legends Gallery features primarily the Art of Dr. Seuss and is located near the coast among restaurants and shops in downtown La Jolla. 

La Bodega Gallery
Specializing in Mexican and urban art, La Bodega exhibits themed group shows from a wide variety of artists. 

Madison Gallery showcases contemporary artwork from both emerging, mid-career and established artists, and is located in Solana Beach. The gallery also offers in-home collection curatorial services, personal collection development and curating, on-site consultation, virtual previews, and international sourcing.This gallery is a female owned and operated business. 

Meyer Fine Art specializes in works on paper, such as etchings and engravings, as well as lithographic prints, with a focus on 19th – 21st century artists. Some of the artists of international prominence include: Roberto Matta, Salvador Dali, Alexander Calder, Joan Miro, Marc Chagall, Pablo Picasso, Francisco Zuniga, Jose Luis Cuevas, Andy Warhol, Hans Bellmer, Andre Masson, to name a few.

MK Envision Gallery showcases elegantly executed contemporary landscape photography. Located in the arts district of Liberty Station in Point Loma, the gallery is nestled among artist studios, shops, and restaurants. 

Quint Contemporary Art
Established in 1981, Quint Gallery exhibits contemporary art by emerging, mid-career and established artists. The artwork exhibited is typically impactful in scale and brightly colored, often abstract or sculptural. 

San Dieguito Art Guild – Off Track Gallery
Located in Encinitas, The Off Track Gallery (a nonprofit organization) showcases work from more than 100 of their artist members in a range of media, from digital art and watercolor to sculpture and jewelry, and also offers artist workshops.  

The Studio Door, located in Hillcrest, houses artist work studios within the gallery and offers talks, performances, and workshops for artists. Featuring and promoting San Diego artists is integral to its programming. 

Thumbprint Gallery curates monthly and pop-up exhibitions featuring emerging, mid-career, and established artists with a focus on contemporary pop culture, nostalgia, urban art and pop surrealism. The small but mighty gallery is located in La Jolla. 

VISUAL gallery+design is a contemporary art gallery that exhibits emerging and established artists. The gallery also offers customized artwork and murals, interior design and event entertainment such as live art and interactive murals.

Any spaces missing? Please email us to recommend an addition to this list, especially as this may become outdated as spaces open and close.