Sen. Blakespear Presents Check for Oceanside Museum of Art Expansion Project
$3.59 million in state funding will be used for the historic renovation of a fire station and expansion of Oceanside Museum of Art
Sen. Blakespear presented a check to the City of Oceanside for Oceanside Museum of Art’s planned historic renovation and expansion project. Pictured (left to right) are Oceanside Deputy Mayor Eric Joyce; Oceanside City Manager Jonathan Borrego; OMA Executive Director Maria Mingalone; Allyson Handley, President of the OMA Board of Directors; Sen. Blakespear; Kristi Hawthorne, Director of the Oceanside Historical Society; and Oceanside Mayor Esther C. Sanchez.
OCEANSIDE, Calif. – Sen. Catherine S. Blakespear, D-Encinitas, presented a check on Monday to the City of Oceanside for $3.59 million in state funding for Oceanside Museum of Art’s (OMA) planned historic renovation and expansion project.
The museum, which has been fundraising for the project for just under two years, will now be able to move forward with plans to restore the exterior of the city’s historic Fire Station 1 to its original 1929 Irving J. Gill design while extending the museum’s campus to a full city block and creating an inviting new gateway to the Oceanside Civic Center.
Sen. Blakespear was able to secure the funding from the state’s 2025-26 state budget.
“Oceanside Museum of Art’s historic renovation project is truly deserving of state support, and I am happy I could help make it a reality,” Sen. Blakespear said. “This investment will not only expand access to the arts for local residents, improving the quality of life for the community, but will continue the growth and development of downtown Oceanside into a center for culture and tourism.”
"This historic renovation represents everything we value in Oceanside — preserving our cultural and historic heritage while building our future,” Oceanside Mayor Esther C. Sanchez said. “Arts and culture are essential to building vibrant and economically resilient communities. By investing in institutions like the world-class Oceanside Museum of Art, we're creating the kind of destination where people want to live, work, and visit. That's exactly the type of economic development that benefits everyone in our diverse community. Senator Blakespear's commitment to securing this funding demonstrates the kind of partnership between state and local government that delivers real results for Oceanside residents."
“OMA was started as a dream by a handful of volunteer citizens over 30 years ago. This generous grant is a huge part of the next transformative chapter in OMA history, and will help to define North County’s cultural arts future, creating a lasting legacy of historic preservation, creativity, and civic pride,” said Maria Mingalone, the museum’s Executive Director. “OMA is now in the final stretch of a $10 million capital campaign to expand and modernize the Pier View Way campus — ensuring that OMA remains a vibrant hub for exhibitions, education, and community engagement for generations to come. We are grateful to all of the individual donors, community organizations, foundations, and civic leaders who helped to get us to this amazing milestone.”
In 1997, Oceanside Museum of Art opened its first official exhibition in the historic City Hall, also designed by Irving J. Gill, and expanded in 2008 by adding the Frederick Fisher designed Central Pavilion.
Over the past two decades, OMA has become a cornerstone of downtown Oceanside’s revitalization and is one of only 14 state-designated cultural districts. Each year, nearly 30,000 residents and visitors experience OMA exhibitions and programs that uniquely showcase the art and stories of Southern California artists. Over 6,200 students benefit from OMA’s award-winning arts education initiatives, including every 3rd and 5th grader in Oceanside public schools.
At the core of the expansion is the historic preservation of the 1929 Fire Station designed by Irving J. Gill, and incorporating it into OMA downtown campus, which will grow from 20,000 to 30,000 square feet along a full city block. OMA’s Campaign For Expansion will also enable the museum to further expand its studio classrooms and exhibition space, and to more deeply pursue a permanent collection, attesting to the immense talent of artists in this region.
OMA provides critically acclaimed exhibitions to showcase the best talent from Southern California, past and present, as well as up-and-coming talent in the region. OMA’s youth education programs, adult art classes and workshops, music, films and creative community events draw local residents and visitors from throughout the region. To find out more, visit Oceanside Museum of Art’s website.
Blakespear represents Senate District 38, which covers coastal and northern San Diego County and south Orange County. To learn more about the district and Sen. Blakespear, visit her Senate website.