The streets of Little Italy were packed with thousands of San Diegans this weekend for this year's ArtWalk. The event showcased more than 250 visual artists and stretched 16 blocks of downtown, featuring food vendors, shops, live music and more.
ArtWalk is celebrating 40 years of being in the community this year.
"You can always go to a street fair or something like that, and there's things that are copied or things like that, but these artists — this is actually their lifestyle," Curt Brooker, the director of ArtWalk, said.
ArtWalk has benefited countless local artists since 1984. NBC 7 spoke with Evgeny Yorobe, a local professional photographer born and raised in San Diego.
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"Everything you see here is in San Diego. As somebody born here, I've learned growing up to love shooting different areas of San Diego, showing San Diego through my eyes," Yorobe said.
Each photograph on display represents countless hours of planning and dedication to his craft.
"I like to say it's three pieces. It's planning, patience and persistence," Yorobe said.
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Yorobe used to have an award-winning gallery in La Jolla, but he closed it down when the COVID-19 pandemic happened. ArtWalk gives artists like Yorobe not only the chance to showcase their hard work and dedication but also an opportunity.
"Hopefully get to a point where I'm comfortable reopening it," Yorobe said. "That is my ultimate goal."
ArtWalk also has a scholarship program, where one local artist is selected every year. The recipient of the scholarship receives their own booth at ArtWalk along with help with marketing, as well as several mentorship opportunities.
