Mayor Lurie Announces Expansion of Citywide Arts Guide to Boost Museums and Galleries

SAN FRANCISCO – Mayor Daniel Lurie today unveiled the expansion of SF LIVE, the citywide online events calendar for arts and entertainment launched last November. The platform, which already features music, theater, dance, and comedy, now includes museums and galleries—supporting San Francisco’s artists and cultural venues as they continue to drive the city’s economic recovery. Run by the Office of Economic Workforce Development (OEWD), the platform also has new features, including an interactive event map, itinerary builder, and neighborhood profiles—giving residents and visitors more opportunities to explore the city’s broad range of cultural offerings.

SF LIVE’s expansion builds on Mayor Lurie’s work to accelerate the city’s recovery by championing the arts and activating public spaces. In April, Mayor Lurie appointed Matthew Goudeau as the city’s first executive director of arts and culture to lead the newly unified arts agency and announced new grant opportunities to strengthen the city’s support for the arts. Last year’s “Summer of Music” drew tens of thousands of people to the city and generated over $150 million in local economic activity. Earlier this year, the mayor announced a new season of live music in Golden Gate Park and free opera performances in Crane Cove Park and celebrated the return of SF Music Week, spotlighting San Francisco’s renowned music scene.

“SF Live is our one-stop shop for arts, culture, music, and entertainment events in San Francisco—and today we're making it even better,” said Mayor Lurie. “With new museums, galleries, neighborhood profiles, and an interactive event map, it will be easy for residents and visitors to discover so many exciting opportunities in our city. Arts and culture are leading our comeback, and when we support the arts, we strengthen our local economy and the artists and small businesses that make San Francisco special.”

Spearheaded by OEWD, SF LIVE began in 2024 as a free concert series in parks and plazas curated with local independent venues. The popular platform has since evolved into a real‑time grid of live performances across the city—allowing users to search by date, filter by discipline, and discover new events through monthly guest curators.  

Driven by museums and galleries, the platform’s expansion was completed in close collaboration with program partner Plinth Agency and guided by a steering committee of representatives from music, theater, dance, and visual arts organizations to ensure a responsive, community‑driven initiative. Organizations represented on the steering committee include American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.), August Hall, Bottom of the Hill, Dancers’ Group, The Killowat, Minnesota Street Project Foundation, National Independent Venue Association, California Chapter, ODC Dance Company, San Francisco Arts Alliance, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, San Francisco Playhouse, San Francisco Symphony, and Theatre Bay Area.

“Museums and galleries are vital to San Francisco’s thriving arts ecosystem. They support local artists, employ thousands of workers, draw visitors, and help power our economy,” said Anne Taupier, OEWD Executive Director. “Now that these vibrant spaces are integrated into SF LIVE, locals and visitors can go to one source to explore the full breadth of exhibitions and arts events in San Francisco, and the new features make it even easier to find what inspires them.”

“San Francisco's artists, museums, galleries, and cultural organizations are what make our city one of the world's great creative capitals and an innovative cultural hub,” said Matthew Goudeau, San Francisco Executive Director of Arts and Culture. “Expanding SF LIVE to include museums and galleries is an important step toward making the arts more accessible to all San Franciscans and connecting audiences with entertainment and cultural institutions that enrich our communities every day.”

Listings are automatically aggregated from approved venue websites, ensuring up‑to‑date information while removing the burden of manual data entry for cultural venues. In addition to adding museums and galleries to the platform, new features include:

• “My List” Itinerary Builder: Users can select events to build a custom schedule that automatically sorts events by date so they always know what is on next.
• Interactive Event Map: Users can explore venues and events across the city in real-time to see what opportunities are nearby.
• Neighborhood Profiles: Visitors and residents and can explore hyperlocal cultural opportunities with profiles of San Francisco’s distinct neighborhoods.

“San Francisco’s arts and culture institutions make our city a premier destination, and we’re grateful to Mayor Lurie and the Office of Economic and Workforce Development for expanding visibility into museum offerings with SF LIVE,” said Amber Mace, California Academy of Sciences Interim Executive Director. “For nearly 175 years, the California Academy of Sciences has inspired curiosity by connecting people with nature, from Golden Gate Park’s biodiversity to global ecosystems. This collaborative initiative makes it easier for residents and visitors alike to discover our city's diverse cultural offerings, supporting the local businesses and tourism helping fuel San Francisco's economic comeback.”

“We're thrilled to have Minnesota Street Project included on the SF Live calendar,” said Aimee Le Duc, Minnesota Street Project (MSP) and Foundation Executive Director. “This kind of visibility connects more residents and visitors to San Francisco with the artists and programming we champion at MSP, and we're glad to be part of this citywide effort to celebrate the arts.”

“San Francisco’s arts communities are a vital source of the city’s strength, identity, and soul. Our cultural life is shaped not by any one discipline but by the extraordinary range of artists, museums, galleries, theaters, music venues, dance organizations, and other creative spaces that animate and give character to the city,” said Catherine Clark, Founding Director, Catharine Clark Gallery, BOXBLUR, and EXiT. “By bringing these communities together in a comprehensive platform, SF LIVE will make it far easier for residents and visitors to discover the richness of what is happening throughout San Francisco. This expansion recognizes the arts as an interconnected cultural ecosystem and creates an invaluable resource for audiences, artists, and arts organizations alike.”

"San Francisco is a true beacon of arts, creativity, and innovation," said Christopher Bedford,  San Francisco Museum of Modern Art Director. "To effectively showcase the incredible range of cultural activity concentrated here, it is essential to have a resource like SF LIVE. We are grateful to the city for generating this platform—not only to champion our vibrant arts scene, but also to drive engagement and visitation to our beloved arts spaces and venues."

San Francisco arts and entertainment are driving San Francisco’s economic comeback, with attendees spending an average of $46.54 per person per event, beyond the cost of a ticket. Nearly 45% of attendees of shows are non-local visitors, and 77% of non-local attendees have reported that the primary purpose of their visit was to attend the arts or cultural activity. San Francisco’s arts sector is also a major employer, with more than 3,380 creative organizations supporting more than 60,000 jobs.