Michael Segura Appointed Executive Director of Garcia Center to Empower Artists and Expand Dr. Ernie Garcia’s Vision for Creative Entrepreneurship

Michael Segura has been appointed executive director of the Garcia Center for the Arts, stepping into a role that he says represents both a new beginning and a continuation of the legacy established by Ernest Garcia, the center’s late founder and namesake. With plans to strengthen arts advocacy, expand creative entrepreneurship, and develop sustainable funding for local artists, Segura is focused on ensuring the Garcia Center remains a driving force in San Bernardino’s cultural revitalization.

Segura, who began his tenure on Feb. 27, 2025, has been involved with the Garcia Center since its earliest days. A longtime community organizer and artist, he was among the first to help revitalize the space when it was still known as the Culture Center.

“Before it was even the Garcia Center, Ernie invited us—San Bernardino Generation Now—to be part of this vision,” Segura said. “I was a volunteer helping to bring the space to life. I’ve seen it go through its phases, and as a practicing artist, I was fortunate to receive studio space from Ernie, which allowed me to build my portfolio and get into my master’s program.”

A San Bernardino native, Segura graduated from Cajon High School in 2010 before earning a degree in graphic design with a minor in studio art from California State University, San Bernardino. He later pursued a Master of Fine Arts at the University of New Mexico, specializing in arts and ecology with a minor in arts and business leadership. His education, he said, provided him with a unique perspective on the intersection of arts, community development, and sustainability.

Returning to San Bernardino after graduate school, Segura applied his skills in both journalism and organizing. He worked with Inland Empire Community News and Inland Congregations United for Change, where he engaged in grassroots organizing and used the arts as a tool for civic engagement. He also played a role in fostering San Bernardino’s creative economy, helping organize downtown art walks and advocating for public art initiatives.

Garcia, who passed away on April 5, 2023, at the age of 93, was a lifelong advocate for education and the arts. After a decades-long career in education, including serving as dean of the College of Education at Cal State San Bernardino, he turned his attention to transforming the city’s cultural landscape.

“The Garcia Center for the Arts was dedicated to my wife Dottie and I,” Garcia said in 2020, when he retired from his role as executive director. “I want to say thank you to the community. What have I done in the arts? I sang… I’ve even acted and created a lot of art.”

Garcia envisioned the center as the heart of an arts corridor along E Street, a hub that would bring galleries, affordable studios, and creative spaces to San Bernardino.

“Ernie always talked about an arts corridor running from the old McDonald’s site all the way into downtown,” Segura said. “He saw the Garcia Center as the spark for something bigger—creating affordable spaces for artists to live, work, and thrive. We want to continue that work, advocating for funding, strengthening arts policies, and ensuring that arts and culture remain accessible to the low-income communities we serve.”

Expanding Programming and Community Engagement

As Segura steps into his leadership role, the Garcia Center continues to provide a diverse slate of programming aimed at fostering creativity, wellness, and cultural enrichment.

One of the center’s latest offerings is Capoeira de Angola, a dynamic Afro-Brazilian martial art that combines movement, music, and history. Rooted in African resistance and tradition, Capoeira de Angola blends dance, fight, and ritual, accompanied by the rhythm of the berimbau. Classes are held:

• Mondays & Wednesdays, 7 p.m. – 9 p.m. (Auditorium)
• Saturdays, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. (Auditorium)

For those seeking relaxation and mindfulness, the center hosts Yin Yoga and a Sound Bath by Blissful Besties. This monthly gathering offers an evening of deep rest and renewal.

• Third Sundays, 5 p.m. – 7 p.m. (Auditorium)
• Upcoming Session: March 16, 2025 (Buy One, Get One Free special ends March 8)

In addition to artistic programming, the Garcia Center Garden is cultivating community engagement through environmental education.

• Saturdays, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. – Community farm and plots
• Sundays, 12 p.m. – 4 p.m. – Waterways and medicine-making workshops

The center’s gallery exhibitions continue to spotlight diverse artistic voices. The current show, The Trans Unity Center Exhibition: “Disco Hearts,” highlights local transgender and queer artists and will be on display through March 19.

Upcoming exhibitions include:

• 2025 Congressional Art Competition Reception with Rep. Pete Aguilar – April 22, 5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. (Auditorium)
• Arts Connection: Arts Avenue Exhibition – Launching late April

Sustaining the Arts for Future Generations

The Garcia Center is currently home to organizations such as the San Bernardino Symphony and Arts Connection, offering professional development, workshops, and space rentals for artists. Segura said new initiatives are underway, including skills training in creative entrepreneurship, public art advocacy, and a membership program that will provide access to printmaking presses, ceramics studios, glassblowing, a laser cutter, and a 3D printer.

Looking ahead, Segura hopes to advocate for sustainable arts funding, including a possible “1% for the Arts” policy—an impact fee on new development that would allocate funds to support cultural programs. He pointed to Riverside’s investment in the arts as an economic driver and wants San Bernardino to follow suit without displacing its communities.

“We need to think of the arts as an investment,” Segura said. “It’s about keeping the community here, not gentrifying. I’d love for us to acquire more space near the center to provide affordable housing and workspaces for artists. There are empty lots that could be developed into an entire arts ecosystem, including culinary arts, galleries, and maker spaces.”

Garcia, who remained dedicated to his artistic practice even after retiring from the center in 2020, carried his passion until his passing.

“Although I am retiring from the Garcia Center, I am not going to stop creating,” Garcia said at the time. “I have three art projects waiting for me to tend to in my garage right now, and the Garcia Center will continue to flourish.”

Reflecting on Garcia’s legacy, Segura encourages aspiring artists to push forward in their craft, embracing both creativity and entrepreneurship.

“Innovate the space you’re in,” Segura said. “Don’t just leave an art piece at the end of that paper—explore different mediums, test out new ideas. Learn business skills, public speaking, grant writing—format your narrative into a grant. You can make it as a practicing artist by combining mediums in ways that haven’t been done before. Research art history, understand the city you’re working in, and, most importantly, keep creating. Even if it’s only ten minutes a day, keep making art. The artists I’ve seen succeed are the ones who create every day and don’t let perfectionism stop them from getting their ideas out there.”

The Garcia Center, which has operated for nearly a decade under a $1-per-year lease from the San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District, will celebrate its 10-year anniversary in November 2025 with a major event honoring its journey and Garcia’s lasting impact.

“Our goal is to build on what Ernie started,” Segura said. “To strengthen advocacy, bring more funding to the arts, and ensure that San Bernardino’s creative community has a place to thrive for generations to come.”

For more information about the Garcia Center for the Arts, visit sbvca.org or call (909) 888-6400.