Council approves art funding

BY ERIC LINDBERG
DAILY SOUND STAFF WRITER

Santa Barbara city leaders approved more than $264,00 in grants for local arts programs at yesterday’s City Council meeting.
Seventy organizations requested nearly $850,000 in funding and the Arts Advisory Committee earmarked money for all but five of those requests. The City Council unanimously approved the committee’s recommendations.

“It’s an incredible amount of good work going on in the community,” Councilmember Das Williams said.
The grants are divided into three categories: Community Arts Grants, Organizational Development Grants, and Community Events and Festivals. Williams said funding local arts initiatives is part of the overall strategy to reduce violence.
Ginny Brush, executive director of the Santa Barbara County Arts Commission, agreed with Williams, saying, “We noticed there was an increase in requests for funds directed at programs for youth.”
Award totals ranged from $1,000 — for Angels Bearing Gifts, an exhibition at Faulkner Gallery during the holiday season featuring art created by artists with special needs — to $24,000 — for the Lobero Theatre Foundation to market the Jazz Season, Guitar Series, Voices of a Generation and other events.