At the Centro de Artes in historic Market Square, one cannot help but to be captivated by the vibrant works that fill its gallery spaces. Two floors of contemporary art speak boldly to the city’s cultural roots while celebrating its creative future. In this dynamic setting, Krystal Jones, Executive Director of the City of San Antonio Department of Arts and Culture, joins Voice of San Antonio for an expansive conversation about a city where creativity is not an accessory to daily life, but its very heartbeat.
From public murals that become neighborhood landmarks to film productions that transform city streets into cinematic worlds, our discussion with her reveals a defining idea that guides her work. In San Antonio, art does not exist apart from everyday experience. It shapes memory, identity, and the collective future of the community.
Krystal’s own journey began far from Texas, in a village of two thousand people in rural Ohio where access to artistic experiences was scarce and cultural venues were few. Growing up, she believed that art was not accessible to her: it felt reserved for families with certain means or for people who lived in larger cities. Moving to San Antonio sixteen years ago changed everything. Here, museums, mariachi, murals, and creative expression infused daily life. “It was like seeing color for the first time,” she reflects. That revelation now drives her commitment to ensure that no one living in San Antonio ever feels that art is not meant for them.
The Department of Arts and Culture works to make transformative encounters with art both common and accessible. Through the City’s public art program, a portion of every capital project is dedicated to placing artworks throughout San Antonio. Before any artist is selected, the department meets with residents to learn what they want represented in their neighborhoods. Local artists then bring those visions into the public realm in collaboration with fabricators, engineers, and community members.
A sculpture that greets children walking to school. A mural that signals arrival in a beloved part of town. A mosaic that brightens a pathway in a neighborhood park. Each one affirms that beauty belongs to everyone.
Financial investment reinforces that belief. Each year, roughly eight million dollars in hotel occupancy tax revenue flows back into arts nonprofits and community organizations, supporting staffing, facilities, and long term sustainability for beloved institutions. In addition, fifty four individual artists are currently developing new works with eighteen months of dedicated project support, each designed to be shared publicly through performances, installations, films, and exhibitions.
The result of this work is a creative economy that now contributes an estimated five billion dollars to San Antonio each year. Public art brightens daily life. Grants invest directly in artists and cultural organizations. Film and media opportunities are expanding. The performing arts continue to evolve with programming that reflects the lived experiences of our community.
San Antonio is a city where creativity is woven into the rhythm of ordinary days, where artists are supported not only by passion, but by structure, advocacy, and resources designed to help them thrive. Yet the continued growth of this sector depends on all of us. When residents buy local art, attend performances, visit cultural spaces, commission new work, or simply share what inspires them, they help sustain the soul of the city for future generations.
Krystal believes that when people see themselves reflected in the arts, they feel a deeper sense of belonging to the place they call home. The invitation is clear: help carry San Antonio’s creative legacy forward.
Watch the full conversation:
Voice of San Antonio Podcast, EP 03: Krystal Jones on Art Access & Our Creative Future
Available now on YouTube and at voiceofsanantonio.com.
This episode was created in partnership with the City of San Antonio’s Department of Arts and Culture. To learn more about the department and the organizations it supports, visit sa.gov, and connect with them on social media @getcreativesa.