Brianna Johnson (Realtor); Renee Grubb (Village Properties Owner); Dianne Johnson (Realtor). Courtesy photos.
SANTA BARBARA — Families with children interested in creating their own street art for the I Madonnari Italian Street Painting Festival are invited to pick up free boxes of chalk this Saturday at a “drive through” event sponsored by Village Properties Realtors.
Village Properties staff members and members of the Children’s Creative Project arts education organization will hand out 1,000 boxes of children’s chalk between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Saturday, May 29. The event will take place at Village Properties’ Santa Barbara office parking lot (1436 State Street, off Micheltorena Street).
Families are encouraged to use the chalk to create their own “Kids Square” art pieces on their driveway or neighborhood sidewalk for the I Madonnari festival, which runs throughout the May 29 to 31 Memorial Day weekend. Photos of the Kids Squares can be posted on the festival’s Facebook and Instagram pages.
As happened in 2020, the I Madonnari will be celebrated virtually this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The beloved festival is traditionally held at the Santa Barbara Old Mission. This year, instead of showcasing work at the Mission, invited artists and sponsored artists will create chalk masterpieces at private locations such as driveways and parking lots. These works, along with progress shots and time lapses, will be displayed online and visible in neighborhoods throughout the city. The Kids Squares offer an opportunity for children and families to join in the fun and creativity.
Last year’s online festival drew thousands of visitors from around the world to the I Madonnari’s social media pages. The chalk art by professional, sponsored and child artists also brought color and beauty to driveways and sidewalks in Santa Barbara’s neighborhoods amid the dark months of the pandemic. Festival organizers are hopeful the event can return to the Old Mission in 2022.
Village Properties is a major sponsor for the festival, which is now in its 35th year. The I Madonnari serves as the main fundraiser for the Children’s Creative Project, a non-profit organization that brings arts education to thousands of school children throughout Santa Barbara County through professional-led workshops and performances by multicultural touring artists. Sadly, fundraising income has declined during the pandemic, and the organization is seeking additional donations and support to continue its work during the 2021 to 2022 school year.
For information about the I Madonnari Italian Street Painting Festival, including participation and sponsorship opportunities, visit https://ccp.sbceo.org/i-madonnari/welcome. To support the Children’s Creative Project go to https://ccp.sbceo.org/donate.
For information about Village Properties visit https://www.villagesite.com/ or email info@villagesite.com.