Two Oceanside museums collaborate on dual-venue surf exhibit 

OCEANSIDE, Calif. (FOX 5/KUSI) -- The Oceanside Museum of Art and the California Surf Museum have partnered to present “Surf Art: Exploring California’s Coastal Culture,” a dual-venue exhibition that combines OMA’s focus on contemporary art and CSM’s deep-rooted cultural knowledge, creating a comprehensive exploration of California’s coastal identity. It debuts Saturday at OSM and opens at CSM on Sept. 13. 

Featuring works by more than 30 regional artists, the exhibition includes paintings, sculptures, textiles and murals. Curators focused on authenticity, choosing creators who are personally connected to surf culture. The artists include surfers and surf industry professionals.

The collaboration came about through a shared passion and timely opportunity, according to the San Diego Tribune’s reporting. It was a natural fit, allowing two leading cultural institutions in Oceanside to thoroughly explore surf culture and art to tell a story that is both locally resonant and globally relevant.

OMA and CSM want visitors to see surfing as a way of life, not just a sport, the UT said. The exhibit was created to showcase the surfing community and the influence of the ocean on identity and belief.

Tickets can be purchased at the doors. General admission is $15 at OMA and $7 at CSM, with discounted rates available for seniors, students, youth and military personnel. The exhibition runs through Feb. 1 at both locations.

CSM's exhibit hall will be closed Monday, Sept 2, through Friday, Sept. 5 to take down two current exhibitions -- “Stars, Cars, & Guitars: The Birth of the Modern Surf Era 1958-1965,” one of the most popular exhibits in the museum’s 40-year history, and “GHOST WAVE: The Mystery of Cortes Bank” -- and install “Surf Art: Exploring California’s Coastal Culture.” So this week is your last chance to catch those exhibits.