Who says San Diego isn’t cultured? Far too many San Diegans, says art gallery owner Debi Owen, founder of City Arts, San Diego 2003, which holds its second annual event Oct. 12.

The Downtown festival is dedicated to celebrating the largely unrecognized role the arts play in San Diego. “People don’t realize how great and wonderful it is,” says Owen, owner of the Debra Owen Gallery in the East Village. Seven years ago she developed the idea out of frustration with the notion that there is no culture in San Diego. “It’s really quite the contrary,“ she says. “San Diego sends more plays to Broadway than any other region in the country.”

This frustration led her to develop a game plan to bring attention to San Diego arts. Armed with a cocktail napkin bearing the name “City Arts, San Diego,” Owen sought the advice of arts professionals and business people from the Gaslamp Quarter Association to the Museum of Contemporary Art to the San Diego Children’s Museum, to see if others thought it was a good idea. She found they had similar feelings and wanted to make City Arts an internationally recognized festival.

“We want to celebrate not only opera and theater, but the new guy who’s just finished his first book, and make that available to everyone to enjoy,” Owen says.

To that end, Owen partnered with Business Volunteers for the Arts and together they wrote a business plan to make City Arts come to life. “Without them,” she says, “we would not be where we are right now.”

City Arts stretches from E Street between Horton Plaza and Fifth Avenue, to the Gaslamp Quarter at Fourth Avenue and L Street, to the East Village at 11th Avenue and K Street, and will incorporate an array of performing and visual arts, including jazz and modern dance ensembles, fine art exhibits, wine tasting, public art projects, self-guided tours, an interactive children’s area and more. Street parking is free on Sundays and a free shuttle will run throughout the day from Horton Plaza to the East Village.

City Arts also incorporates the Little Italy Street Festa, which celebrates the culture and heritage of Little Italy with live music, Italian food and specialty crafts, including Chalk La Strada. It is centered on India Street between Fir and Cedar streets. Parking is available at the County Administration Building.

For information, call (619) 602-3172.

— David Raines