Casa Casillas Opens as Chula Vista’s New Cultural Arts Center
Chula Vista has a new destination for creativity and community connection: the recently opened Casa Casillas, located at 50 4th Avenue. City leaders unveiled this cultural arts center as a space where the public can enjoy art, attend workshops, and watch local artists create during their residency.
The first two artists in residence are already bringing color and life to the space.
“A residency, it’s kind of like a dream come true,” said German Rojas, one of the inaugural residents at Casa Casillas. Rojas, a San Diego-based queer artist, is known for his vibrant use of color that reflects his experiences growing up between Mexico and San Diego. His work draws heavily from the rich traditions of Mexican culture, offering viewers a unique perspective through his bold, expressive paintings. You can view his website to learn more.
For Rojas, the residency offers something rare: the time and space to focus on art without the constant pressure of making ends meet.
“In San Diego, it’s super expensive just to support yourself. You have to work so much that sometimes your passions disappear,” he said.
The artist residency program at Casa Casillas offers local talent studio space and a $1,000 monthly stipend for six months, providing artists with a valuable opportunity to create and grow.
Fellow resident Melissa Salgado, who goes by the artist name Melicha, is equally grateful for the opportunity. The 28-year-old Southern California native works primarily in oil and acrylic on canvas, exploring themes of vulnerability, nature, and human anatomy. Her paintings often combine warm and cool color palettes, contrasting imagery, and symbolic elements inspired by childhood memories, daily life, and cultural heritage. If you would like to support her, please visit her website here.
“I’m super glad that Chula Vista is taking the initiative to create these kinds of programs for the community,” said Salgado. “Before, it felt like the community had to make their own free events.”
Casa Casillas occupies the former YMCA building and fulfills part of Chula Vista’s long-term cultural arts master plan, a vision championed by former Mayor Mary Casillas Salas. The center is named in honor of her mother, Paula Casillas, an artist and lifelong resident of the city.
“Chula Vista did not have a formal art space in the city until this ribbon-cutting today,” Salas said during the opening.
The center is now open to the public for visits, workshops, and the chance to see resident artists at work, making Casa Casillas a vibrant addition to Chula Vista’s cultural scene.
