Fiesta poster will be selected through competition

BY COLBY FRAZIER
DAILY SOUND STAFF WRITER

For the past 84 years, Old Spanish Days Fiesta has taken over Santa Barbara with is parties and parades. For many of those years, the El Presidente and La Presidenta select one piece of artwork as the official Fiesta Poster.
But this year, the process will be open to the community, per the wishes of Tim Taylor, the latest El Presidente.


“My theme for this year’s fiesta is ‘Viva La Comunidad’ which is long live the community,” Taylor said in a prepared statement. “One of the ways I wish to exemplify community involvement is to invite the art community to create the art that will become the poster for my year as your El Presidente.”
The competition is open to any Santa Barbara County resident over the age of 18. A judging event will be held on May 4 at 10:30 a.m. in the Faulkner Gallery in the main branch of the Santa Barbara Library.
A statement released by Old Spanish Days said anyone can show up on May 4 with their artwork. The top 40 will be shown in the Fiesta Summer Art Show at the Nelson Gallery.
Three jurors whittle the 40 pieces down to 20 that will be considered by Taylor. The winner will receive a prize and as much as $2,000. Three runners-up will also receive cash prizes.
The application is available at www.oldspanishdays-fiesta.org. Each participant will be required to pay a $20 entry fee.