Hijos del Sol creates opportunities, inspires children and youth, and builds community in the Salinas Valley through visual and multicultural arts education, experiences, and mentorship, where young people are respected, develop artistic and life skills, and explore and embrace their cultural identities.
Hijos del Sol Open Arts Studio in East Salinas is more than a creative space—it’s a launching point for life. Young artists ages 5+ step into a world without ceilings, where imagination leads and self-discovery thrives.
Surrounded by mentors, high-quality materials, and a community that sees their beauty and potential, youth learn to embrace who they are and rise toward who they want to become. From their first sketch to visions of college, careers, or lives filled with creative purpose, the studio helps them move boldly toward the futures they dream of.
Open five days a week and always free, our impact reaches beyond the studio walls through:
+Murals celebrating our community's inclusiveness, commonalities, beauty
+Mentorships that build real-world skills
+Arts programs in schools and community workshops
+Annual art exhibitions that honor all people, our existence, and the planet
Your support keeps doors open, supplies ready, and possibilities alive.
Hijos del Sol benefits Monterey County by partnering with historically and systemically underserved communities—especially East Salinas, where many families are rooted in the agricultural industry and face overcrowded housing, limited resources, and barriers to creative expression.
Founded by Native American and Latino migrant artists, our award-winning arts studio provides a welcoming, free space where youth explore their identity, develop skills, and celebrate culture through art. In 2025, we expect to serve over 2,250 youth through in-studio sessions, school-based programs across all 14 Salinas City Elementary schools, and community pop-ups. We’ll also engage over 1,100 participants in public art exhibits and co-create murals that reach thousands.
Our work uplifts the stories and creative power of our community, echoing our founder José G. Ortiz’s belief in art as a sacred space—one where all are free to imagine, create, and belong.
Hijos del Sol is like my second family. I have met some of my closest friends in the art studio. I’ve been coming to the art studio since I was 7 years old. I am now 16 and I’ve seen a huge progress in my work. I’ve had the chance to exhibit my artwork in many exhibitions like “A Toda Madre”, “Garabatos,” and “Dias de Muertos." Throughout the years, I’ve worked along very skilled illustrators such as José Ortiz, Pepe Nolasco, and David Rubio, and with many others like them. I’ve learned the art of sharing my attained skills with others, who, like me, are growing up inside the Hijos del Sol studio.
- Victor Anonymous, East Salinas
