In a narrow alley off 24th St, a cluster of Nepali peasants raise their fists in resistance as two women smash chains of imprisonment. A small child with AIDS cries at the tombstones of her dead parents. Nicaraguan campesinos celebrate their bountiful corn harvest with music and dancing. Welcome to Balmy Alley, a corridor of more than 70 murals in the heart of the Mission district.

In the barrio surrounding the Precita Eyes storefront, the line between “community” and “artists” is as blurry as an airbrushed line of aerosol paint across a brick wall. Not only does Precita Eyes sell art and supplies, but they also encourage anyone who might walk through the door to get involved by taking a class or even helping out with a mural. Judging by the dozens of kids (and adults) who endured sweltering heat to spend a recent Saturday painting huge wooden screens in Precita Park for the 10th annual Urban Youth Artsfest, this open-door policy has been the key to Precita Eyes’ continued vitality over the past three decades.

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