Santa Barbara Community Arts Workshop, 631 Garden Street, Santa Barbara, CA (2026)

05/28/2026

The artist application form opens Monday! More information at pianosonstate.com/apply.
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PIANOS ON STATE is an interactive public art and music experience that takes place every October in downtown Santa Barbara. Each piano, painted by local artists, becomes its own interactive piece placed in public space for the community to play, listen, and enjoy.

The pianos will be displayed from September 29 - October 19th, 2026 on designated pads along State Street with additional placements at MOXI and the Santa Barbara Airport.

The Santa Barbara Arts Collaborative has officially opened the call for artist piano designs with 12 design slots available. The application period is June 1 - July 10th with guidelines and application link found at pianosonstate.com/apply.

This year, the Arts Collaborative has decided to challenge artists to create designs using the theme of Fantasy. Piano-painting takes place at the Community Arts Workshop gathering artists of all styles, trading tips and information, and making art together. Artists selected to design and paint this year’s pianos will receive an honorarium of $700 to cover time and materials.

Important Dates
The Pianos will be delivered to set locations on September 29th and will stay in their designated spots until Oct 19th. A map of the piano placement will be updated in July of 2026.

As a public art program, this is an opportunity for emerging and professional artists alike to showcase their work through a unique project.

PIANOS ON STATE is collaboratively organized by:
The Santa Barbara Arts Collaborative, The Santa Barbara County Office of Arts & Culture, City of Santa Barbara, and The Santa Barbara Bowl Foundation, Downtown Santa Barbara Improvement District.

05/06/2026

It’s that time of year again! Solstice is currently loading into the CAW, and the opening reception is May 16!
Santa Barbara Summer Solstice Presents:
The 2026 Summer Solstice Celebration
Opening Reception Saturday May 16, 3-6pm
Workshop Hours Wed-Fri. 3-8 pm, Sat-Sun, Noon to 6 pm.
Saturday May 16, come down to the Solstice Workshop on the corner of Garden and Ortega Streets to learn how you can be in the 52nd Summer Solstice Parade!

This special workshop is open just 6 weeks out of the year and it is where all the magic of the Parade happens. There are prop and mask designers, professional costume makers, construction helpers, as well as all the paint, tools, fabric and positivity you could need to make your own ensemble or float for the parade.

You can come with an idea for a float, an ensemble performance, or wanting to join a existing group. If you’re a little shy, its ok, you can still come and be part of the making of the Parade, learn how to make masks, costumes and build floats, be creative! It’s not about being talented. It’s about having fun!

Connect and meet the artists May 16 at the CAW at 631 Garden Street (Ortega & Garden), enjoy light refreshments, and find out more!

04/27/2026

The next Area Meeting will be , featuring ! Tickets and more info at sbcaw.org/upcoming, link in our bio.
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Lead facilitator, Patrick Melroy () sparks discussion with showcased artists as a rally point for the creatives in our community. An excuse for us to be in the same place, a place which will inspire the right kind of imaginative friction. The first part of the evening is an interview-style discussion with a keynote artist. After a social break fueled by snacks, invited artists will present work in a supportive crit-style environment.

Area Meeting is for anyone who has ever read a wall placard at a gallery and found themselves with more questions than answers. Area Meeting is for the artist who needs to hear from other artists about the struggle, about the broken tools, the constant haunting of a studio space by specters of doubt and conflict as they battle to be heard through their work.

We welcome Adriana Arriaga as our keynote for this event.

adriana la artista is a local 805 artist/designer who creates bold, thought-provoking illustrations that celebrate her culture, community and life experiences. She has been featured in printed and online publications, participates in many artist talks, curates local art exhibitions and serves on the Board of Trustees for the Museum of Contemporary Art Santa Barbara.

04/24/2026

Tonight, Saturday, and Sunday at the CAW!

Santa Barbara High School’s Visual Arts and Design Academy Presents:
The VADA Spring Show
Student Art Exhibition & Public Reception
Friday April 24th, 2026, 5-8pm
At the Community Arts Workshop, 631 Garden St.
Artwork also on view Saturday 4/25 and Sunday 4/26, 1-4pm
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From the organizer:
Please join us for the opening reception of VADA’s Annual Spring Show at the Community Arts Workshop this Friday, April 24th between 5:00 and 8:00.

A free, family friendly event, come be inspired by the incredible creative talent and hard work of our students.

04/13/2026

Tomorrow! Area Meeting featuring Phoebe Brunner ()!
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The Santa Barbara Arts Collaborative Presents:
Area Meeting
A Place for Creative Exchange
Tuesday April 14th, 6-8pm
$12
Area Meeting is an open forum where the local creative community can gather to explore the meaning behind art and the processes driving it. The April 14th event features an interview between a career artist Phoebe Brunner and facilitator, Patrick Melroy. This discussion will explore the intricacies, struggles, and breakthroughs of a life devoted to art, setting the tone for an evening designed to spark new ideas, questions, and connections.

Beyond the keynote, the highlight of Area Meeting is the open critique sessions. Selected artists will present their physical work—unfinished pieces, experimental projects, or newly completed works—inviting direct input from attendees. It’s a rare opportunity for both artists and viewers to engage in meaningful, two-way dialogue not typically available in traditional gallery or museum settings.

Area Meeting is a Program organized and run by the Arts Collaborative.

For more information, or to inquire about presenting, contact Adrienne De Guevara at [email protected].

03/18/2026

Next week is the Adelante Charter School art show at the CAW, a beautiful showcase of the work of students of all ages.

Also included here are a few photos from last year.

All are welcome!

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Adelante Charter School Presents:
Annual Student Art Showcase
Thursday March 26, 4:30-7pm
Artists grades K through 6
Free to Attend, Open to All
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From the organizer:
Please join us in celebrating our young artists at Adelante Charter School. Students in grades Kindergarten through 6th will be showcasing their creativity through drawing, painting, sculpture, and more.

At Adelante, we are proud of our strong arts education program. We are committed to providing students with a wide variety of creative opportunities through weekly Art, Music, and Dance classes, as well as an after-school theater program. At Adelante we believe every child should have the opportunity to discover and develop a love for the artist within them.
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Adelante Charter School is a Spanish-English Dual Language Immersion (DLI) elementary school which offers the opportunity for children of all backgrounds to become bilingual, biliterate, and multicultural. Two languages and rich cultural experiences are woven into each child’s day through outstanding academics. Students are taught in a supportive environment to excel as creative, empowered thinkers and problem-solvers. We invite you to visit our school, where you will find students actively engaged in becoming self-directed, lifelong learners in two languages.

03/18/2026

Next Tuesday, A poetic exhibition to conclude the 2025-2026 Community Arts Residency program, Storytelling Is Our Revolution.
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Tayllor & Ademola Oyewole-Davis () Presents:
OFF THE PAGE
March 24, 5-7:30pm
Free to Attend
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From the organizer:
This showcase is the culmination of a weekly poetry and performance workshop co-facilitated by Tayllor and Ademola Oyewole-Davis, as part of the 2025-2026 Community Arts Residency at the Santa Barbara Arts Collaborative.

Come witness what happens when a community of artists brings the written word to life. Featuring live poetry performances, exhibited written work, visual art, animation, and interdisciplinary collaborations across the arts — this is a celebration of voice, creativity, and community.

Featuring Artists: Erin Bonski, Casey Caldwell, Eric Cloutier, Maria Henderson, Sebastian Herics, Emily Lord-Kambitsch, Meni Philip, Kelsey Resetco, Sarah Emma Ruth, Grace Vega, & leesh
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Reserve your seat at sbcaw.org/upcoming!

03/04/2026

This weekend at the CAW!
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Not Half Bad Theatre Company Presents:
The Story of War
A Comedic One-Man Show!
March 7th and 8th at 7:30 PM
Tickets $25
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From the organizer:
When Wathel Rogers, the inventor of animatronics, separated from the Disney company, he set out to create the greatest animatronic show of all time. His creation told the history of warfare, and he called it The Story of War. This is that show. Dillon Yuhasz takes you on a journey from the stone age to modern times as both man and animatronic robot in this strange tale of violence, greed, and dancing pirates.

- 18+
- Strong Language
- Adult Themes
- Gunshots
- Runtime is approximately 1 hour.

With questions email: [email protected]

More information and tickets at nothalfbad.org.

03/04/2026

Coming up next week, the return of Area Meeting!
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The Santa Barbara Arts Collaborative Presents:
Area Meeting
A Place for Creative Exchange
Tuesday March 10th, 6-8pm
$12
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The March 10th Area Meeting keynote speaker will be Erin Smith of a ceramic artist and designer based in Santa Barbara, currently serving as Studio Director at Maker House. With an MFA from Alfred University and a background in product design and entrepreneurship, her interdisciplinary practice bridges industrial design, craft, and material research. For more information about her work visit: erinlynnsmith.studio.

At its core, Area Meeting is an open forum where the local creative community can gather to explore the meaning behind art and the processes driving it. The event features a keynote presentation from a career artist who will share images of their work, giving a place-in-time snapshot of their practice. This talk will explore the intricacies, struggles, and breakthroughs of a life devoted to art, setting the tone for an evening designed to spark new ideas, questions, and connections.

Beyond the keynote, the highlight of Area Meeting is the open critique sessions. Selected artists will present their physical work—unfinished pieces, experimental projects, or newly completed works—inviting direct input from attendees. Led by facilitator Patrick Melroy and other guest facilitators, these candid, respectful critiques grant audiences a unique window into an artist’s thought process before the work has been sealed with a final opinion. It’s a rare opportunity for both artists and viewers to engage in meaningful, two-way dialogue not typically available in traditional gallery or museum settings.

Area Meeting is a Program organized and run by the Arts Collaborative.
For more information, or to inquire about presenting, contact Adrienne De Guevara at [email protected].

02/06/2026

The Last Vinyl Radio Station, the concluding event of ’s Transmission Station’s residency at the CAW, is this Saturday night from 6-9pm.

The Last Vinyl Radio Station revives the ritual of radio through shared listening and performance. Participants gather to play vinyl records on a dormant FM frequency while simultaneously live streaming the broadcast online. Each person curates three songs and steps into the role of a disk jockey, introducing and spinning their selections for both local airwaves and distant listeners. Interwoven throughout the night, participants read vintage radio advertisements and weather reports from historic storms, blurring past and present, signal and noise. Part listening party, part live radio theater, the event invites the community to inhabit a fleeting broadcast together, before it fades back into silence.

More at sbcaw.org/upcoming.

Santa Barbara Community Arts Workshop

05/28/2026

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04/27/2026

04/24/2026

04/13/2026

03/18/2026

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02/06/2026

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