Crafting a Space to Create

Visual artist chosen to lead new UC San Diego craft center. Visual artist and designer Annika Nelson has been chosen by Housing, Dining and Hospitality to lead the new 11,000-square-foot UC San Diego Craft Center, marking a key milestone in the long-awaited return of a beloved creative community hub. The Craft Center will be an important part of the North Torrey Pines Living and Learning Neighborhood, which was designed to bring together academic, cultural, residential and retail spaces to inspire exploration, collaboration and connection. Similarly, the center will offer students, faculty, staff and the local community unique opportunities to connect and create. "I believe in the power of art-making to break down barriers and provide opportunities for dialogue that do not happen in other spaces," said Nelson. "The Craft Center provides a unique opportunity for people from all corners of San Diego to meet." Nelson's career has been dedicated to forging connection and inspiring creativity. She earned a bachelor's degree in studio art from UC Santa Cruz and went on to study printmaking at the University of Applied Arts in Vienna, Austria.