Category: Cultural

June 7 — Bilingual report — Dementia Friendly Ventura County One-Stop Shop

Dementia Friendly Ventura County’s next one-stop workshop to help people living with a dementia-related disease and their caregivers is scheduled for Wednesday, June 7, at the Goebel Adult Community Center in Thousand Oaks.

The public is encouraged to stop by anytime during the “Living Well, Caring Well” event and meet with many local providers who can assist with dementia-related issues, including adult day centers, adult protective services, the Alzheimer’s Association, caregiver resources, financial resources, in-home care, health insurance counseling and advocacy, legal and advanced planning, long-term care ombudsman, neurology, and public benefit programs.

June 10 — Promoting LGBTQ+ Youth Pride in Santa Clara Valley

Join us as we launch the 2nd Annual LGBTQ+ Youth Pride in Santa Paula as a community gathering and resource fair, celebrating PRIDE Month ? in a welcoming space to engage and empower LGBTQ youth and their allies from the Santa Clara Valley. Rainbow Breakfast is presented by Big Brothers Big Sisters of Ventura County, Coalition for Family Harmony, and the Museum of Ventura County and will include Santa Paula’s first openly gay City Council Member Pedro Chavez as emcee along with special guests.

June 11 — Temple Etz Chaim in Thousand Oaks to host acclaimed Jewish musical groups

Temple Etz Chaim is proud to announce it will host two critically-acclaimed music groups, Nefesh Mountain Band and Mostly Kosher, on June 11 for a community concert, Cantor Kenny & Friends: An Entertaining Evening Celebrating Jewish Music. 

Cantor Kenny Ellis, who will emcee the event,  has been a cantor for over 30 years, serving at numerous synagogues in the Los Angeles area. Cantor Kenny produced Hanukkah Swings!, the world’s one-and-only big band Hanukkah album. He has performed at West Point and Avery Fisher Hall at the Lincoln Center. He has played a rabbi on many shows including Curb Your Enthusiasm and Law and Order.

The concert will be held Sunday, June 11 from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Temple Etz Chaim at 1080 East Janss Road in Thousand Oaks. The concert will be held in the temple’s newly re-opened state-of-the-art sanctuary and social hall. 

June 17 — VCCDC’s Homeownership Virtual Conference

VCCDC’s Homeownership Virtual Conference is the place to be if you want all your homeownership questions answered! Whether you are a renter or homeowner, this is an event you don’t want to miss!

If you’re ready to learn and connect with experts in the homeownership industry, you’re in the right place. Most people come to us feeling like homeownership is impossible, but with over 2,000 families who have successfully purchased homes, and countless more engaged on the path, we can confidently be the source of information that you need to make homeownership happen for you and your family. Through resources like our Homeownership Conference, we can help you find “a new way home”. Register for FREE today!

June 22 — Channel Islands Maritime Museum to present An Evening with Simon Spalding ‘Food at Sea from Ancient to Modern Times’

Simon Spalding presents a sweeping panorama of food at sea, based on his book “Food at Sea – Shipboard Cuisine from Ancient to Modern Times.” Simon offers tantalizing stories of maritime culinary history, from the ingredients and practices of ancient Argonauts and Vikings through Renaissance explorers, sailing navies and merchant ships, steamships, ocean liners, cruise ships, and submarines.

June 25 — Oxnard Guelaguetza Festival 2023!

Mixteco/Indigena Community Organizing Project (MICOP) is inviting the public to attend its annual Oxnard Guelaguetza Festival on June 25th, 2023, from 11 a.m to 5 p.m at Plaza Park in Oxnard: 500 S. C Street, Oxnard, CA, 93030.  

MICOP (Mixteco/Indígena Community Organizing Project) was founded in 2001 “to support, organize and empower the Indigenous immigrant community in California’s Central Coast.” MICOP serves over 12,000 unduplicated Indigenous migrant men, women, and children annually. MICOP organizes and trains the indigenous migrant community to become self-sufficient and successful members of the broader community. MICOP programs and advocacy in California’s Central Coast have created the state’s most advanced network of services available to indigenous farm workers.

July 2 — Music At Portside — Chamber music concerts by the sea at Ventura Harbor

Music At Portside, a new classical concert series in Ventura County, offers monthly chamber music recitals, played by brilliant local and international musicians.

Our opening concert features classical duo Nicole Taylor, soprano and Natasha Marin, piano — performing an intimate program on the different seasons of love, with beautiful songs by Brahms, Rachmaninov, R. Strauss, Chausson, and Hahn.

This is classical music in an intimate, informal, “come as you are” setting, perfect for a relaxing Sunday afternoon, a few steps away from the sea at Portside Ventura Harbor. If you are a classical music lover or if you don’t know very much about classical music, but want to learn more… Come and listen!

Doors open at 5:15PM. The exact location at Portside Ventura Harbor will be shown after ticket purchase.

July 4 — Pierre Claeyssens Veterans Foundation Invites the Community to a Free Patriotic Outdoor Concert featuring Santa Barbara’s Beloved Prime Time Band and a Special Performance by Hula Anyone

SANTA BARBARA — Celebrate Independence Day with Pierre Claeyssens Veterans Foundation’s free outdoor concert featuring Santa Barbara’s beloved The Prime Time Band, Vandenberg Space Force Base Honor Guard, and a special performance by Hula Anyone. The concert will take place on Tuesday, July 4, 2023 at 5:00 PM at the Santa Barbara County Courthouse Gardens (1100 Anacapa St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101).  

Through July 6 — Bilingual report — Alternative Action Programs (AAP) presenting a 12-week Community Workgroup Series ‘Anger Management Groups’ in Oxnard, Ventura

OXNARD — Alternative Action Programs (AAP) in Oxnard will present a 12-week Community Workgroup Series Anger Management Groups in Oxnard, Ventura.

Click on images for more information.

July 6 — SBMA to present Art Matters Lecture on Zurbarán and Murillo

During the 1620s and 1630s, Seville’s many religious foundations kept Francisco de Zurbarán and his large workshop busy with commissions. After about 1640, however, Zurbarán’s sober and restrained style lost favor to the softer look and more emotional appeal of younger artists, and he began to actively produce paintings for export to the New World.

Through July 7 — Bilingual report — Alternative Action Programs (AAP) presenting a 12-week Community Workgroup Series ‘Grief Groups’ in Oxnard, Ventura

OXNARD — Alternative Action Programs (AAP) in Oxnard will present a 12-week Community Workgroup Series “Grief Groups” in Oxnard, Ventura starting April 21 in Oxnard, April 24 in Ventura and April 25 in Zoom. on Zoom and April 27 in Ventura.

Click on images for more information.

July 8 — La LoCA Milonga is back with more tango in Santa Barbara

SANTA BARBARA — La LoCA Milonga is back with more tango at 1724 E. Haley St., Santa Barbara.

La LoCA Milonga started back in 2021. And now, in 2023…a whole tango orquesta sprouted in Los Angeles, partly based on the teaching of the very same artist we brought to Santa Barbara, that first time. 

July 15 — July @ SPAM: California Art League, Fused Glass, Florals in Oil, and More

Premiere Party: California Art League’s “The California Scene”

Saturday, July 15, 2023, from 4 PM to 6 PM

$5 SPAM Members • $10 Non-members

Join us at the Santa Paula Art Museum for the premiere of “The California Scene,” a spectacular summer exhibition showcasing 59 quintessential California scenes in a variety of media by 44 artists from the long-established California Art League (CAL). The show is CAL’s 2023 Gold Medal Exhibition and multiple awards will be announced during the premiere party. Meet the artists and delight in a diversity of California scenes: from beaches to barns, from wildflowers to waves, to vineyards, the desert, the High Sierra, and more. Many of the artworks will be available for purchase.

July 15 — Local Artist Chris Gocong’s Art Exhibit MAGNETIC Opens at Helena Mason Art Gallery in Santa Barbara

SANTA BARBARA — Get ready for Magnetic by Chris Gocong. In each generation a handful of individuals emerge that resonate and represent the collective. Gocong’s newest portrait series attempts to capture magnetic icons through explorative portraiture. 

This event is happening on Saturday, Jul 15, 2023, from 6 – 9 pm at Helena Mason Art Gallery located at 48 Helena Avenue, Santa Barbara, CA 93101.

It will be an unforgettable night filled with art, beats by Diego Rockwell, drinks by Cutler’s Artisan Spirits and Flying Embers. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to be a part of something truly special. 

July 16 — Temple Etz Chaim to present Jared Diamond at the Bank of America Performing Arts Center, Scherr Forum Theatre in Thousand Oaks

Temple Etz Chaim is proud to host an annual speaker series for the local community. The 2023 Speaker Series is entitled “Our World Evolving: Global Thought Leaders in Our Community.” This is a series of socially relevant conversations with modern thought leaders, authors and scholars. Rabbi Averbach will introduce our speakers and moderate a Q&A with those in attendance after the speech. 

July 20 — Santa Barbara Museum of Art to present Reading and Conversation of ‘Blue Skies’ by T.C. Boyle

Returning to the Museum in what has become a much-anticipated and highly-animated annual event, T.C. Boyle, Santa Barbara’s prolific and perennial favorite, reads from his latest novel, Blue Skies.

Through July 21 — Bilingual report — Alternative Action Programs (AAP) presenting a 12-week Community Workgroup Series ‘Co-Parenting Groups’ in Oxnard, Ventura

OXNARD — Alternative Action Programs (AAP) in Oxnard will present a 12-week  Community Workgroup Series “Co-Parenting Groups” through July 21.

Click on images for more information.

July 28 — UCSB Arts & Lectures presents The Fifth Element at the Santa Barbara County Courthouse Sunken Garden

SANTA BARBARA — Get ready to explore the galaxy this summer with UCSB Arts & Lectures’ 2023 FREE Summer Cinema line-up: “Out of This World.” The series continues with Luc Besson’s outrageous sci-fi adventure, The Fifth Element at the Santa Barbara County Courthouse Sunken Garden on Friday, July 28 at 8:30 p.m. 

July 29 — Community Roots Garden in Oxnard will host free cultural art workshops

OXNARD — Community Roots Garden, at 1801 Joliet Pl. in Oxnard, will host  some beautiful collective workshops and conversations guided by some wonderfully talented individuals. These workshops are geared towards healing and connecting by sharing knowledge of ancestral ways of being through storytelling and cultural art practice shares. All workshops start at 10 a.m. with options to stay to help paint the mural after each workshops.

Through July 31 — Livingston Memorial Visiting Nurse Association and Hospice to present ‘Healing Grief Through Poetry’ group

Livingston Memorial Visiting Nurse Association and Hospice to present ‘Healing Grief Through Poetry’ group.

This group will provide an opportunity for those seeking a creative and inspirational way to express feelings of grief through poetry. This grief support group meets every Monday from 6:00 to 7:00 PM and will start on July 10th and end on July 31st. Registration is required.

Aug. 3 — SBMA’s Art Matters Lecture explores the Paradox of Art Restoration

Bart Devolder discusses the role a conservator plays in the life of an artwork. What does it mean to respect the artist’s original intention during a restoration treatment and can we even know what those intentions were? Using several case studies, Devolder illustrates that restoring a work of art to its former glory is not always straightforward.

Aug. 10 — Jardín Bajo Las Estrellas Fundraiser for Campus Park in Oxnard

OXNARD — Friends of Campus Park, the organization dedicated to enhancing the quality of life of Oxnard’s diverse community, is excited to announce a fundraiser in celebration of grants received for Campus Park’s first phase. The event will take place on August 10th at 6:30pm in Downtown Oxnard’s Heritage Square.

The fundraiser aims to commemorate the grants, which have been instrumental in bringing Campus Park to life and advancing Friends of Campus Park’s mission. It also serves as an opportunity to gather support and resources for the organization’s ongoing efforts in developing the park and creating enjoyable spaces for the community.

Aug. 11-12 — Teatro de las Américas — Will you be at opening night for Entre Pancho Villa y una mujer desnuda?

Congratulations to everyone who has worked so hard to bring this production to life. Break a leg!

Entre Pancho Villa y una mujer desnuda
Presented By Teatro De Las Americas

Aug 11th 2023, 7:00 PM
Aug 12th 2023, 7:00 PM

Aug. 14 — County of Ventura Elections Office seeking volunteers for Language Accessibility Advisory Committee

The County of Ventura Elections Office seeking citizen volunteers to serve on a Language Accessibility Advisory Committee Committee (LAAC) in Ventura County.

The next quarterly meeting will be held on Monday, Aug. 14, 2023 at 10 a.m. We will be conducting the meeting via the Zoom web conference platform. Attached is a flyer for you to share with your organizations.

Aug. 19 — Santa Barbara Museum of Art to present ‘Wares!’ exhibition artist Seth Bogart in Conversation and Free Workshop

Join WARES! exhibition artist Seth Bogart for a casual conversation, hands-on demo, and unique opportunity to create with clay and cardboard. Pinch, roll, repurpose, twist, glue, and build with the help from Museum Teaching Artists, and explore how the ordinary can be elevated. Dress for mess.

Aug. 19 — Santa Paula Art Museum to present 13th Annual Fine Art Auction Fundraiser

The Santa Paula Art Museum’s biggest fundraiser of the year is back in person! Sixty works of art will be up for grabs during the Museum’s 13th Annual Fine Art Auction Fundraiser on Saturday, August 19. The silent auction featuring 40 fine art pieces will run from 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. The live auction featuring 20 museum-quality artworks will run from 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. led by professional auctioneer John Eubanks of California Auctioneers. Admission to the auction event is $15.00 for SPAM members and $20.00 for non-members. All proceeds benefit the Santa Paula Art Museum, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

Aug. 19, 20 — Art Comes Alive at the Channel Islands Maritime Museum

OXNARD — The Channel Islands Maritime Museum (CIMM) is pleased to present its ever-popular Art Comes Alive event on August 19 and 20.

Paintings & ship models come to life with live maritime characters from the ages at Art Comes Alive. Museum docents, museum supporters, and local actors get into character and bring the Museum’s famous collection to life. 

Through Aug. 25 — UCSB Arts & Lectures presents the 2023 FREE Summer Cinema

UCSB Arts & Lectures presents the 2023 FREE Summer Cinema line-up: Out of This World, seven nights of space-inspired movies under the stars at the Santa Barbara County Courthouse Sunken Garden, Friday nights from July 7 through August 25. (No screening Friday, August 4 due to Fiesta)

Aug. 26 — Bilingual report — Ventura County Animal Services (VCAS) joins ‘Clear the Shelters’ event

VENTURA — Ventura County Animal Services (VCAS) is thrilled to announce their participation in Clear The Shelters, the nationwide pet adoption event organized by NBC Universal.  This one-day pet adoption event will be held on Saturday, August 26th, 2023, from 11:00am – 5:00pm at both the Camarillo and Simi Valley Animal Shelters.  Shelter Director, Jackie Rose, says “The goal of Clear The Shelters is to find a loving home for every available animal in our care!”

To assist residents with the initial cost associated with adopting a shelter animal, VCAS will be waiving all pet adoption fees, though a small pet license fee may apply.  Adoption gifts provided by Hill’s Science Diet, VCA Animal Hospital, and Assemblymember Steve Bennett.

Aug. 27 — Santa Barbara Museum of Art to present ‘Dancing Out Loud: Free Public Performances’

SANTA BARBARA — Santa Barbara Museum of Art to present “Dancing Out Loud: Free Public Performances” at 5 and 5:30 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 27 at the Santa Barbara Museum of Art Front Terrace, 1130 State St., Santa Barbara.

Award-winning dancer, choreographer, and deaf artist and advocate Antoine Hunter is joined by members of the Urban Jazz Dance Company, which he founded, in an imaginative, joyful celebration to accompany the exhibition The Private Universe of James Castle: Drawings from the William Louis-Dreyfus Foundation and James Castle Collection and Archive. Enjoy the electric energy of dancing out loud with this free public performance that Mr. Hunter has said, “puts the capital D in Deaf, representing power, culture, and strength.”

Through Sept. 4 — ‘Bird’s Eye View: Four Perspectives’ coming to Wildling Museum in Solvang

Exhibition: Bird’s Eye View: Four Perspectives, featuring Chris Maynard, David Tomb, Shae Warnick & Chester Wilcox On view: Through September 4, 2023
Where: Wildling Museum, 1511-B Mission Drive, Solvang, CA 93463 Website: www.wildlingmuseum.org/news/birds-eye-view

Sept. 8, 9, 10 — Bilingual report — ¡Viva el Arte de Santa Bárbara! Launches 2023-2024 Season with Three Free Performances by Grammy-Nominated Perla Batalla

SANTA BARBARA — ¡Viva el Arte de Santa Bárbara! (Viva) is back with the first event of its spectacular 2023-2024 season. The season will launch with a free community performance by grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Perla Batalla. A collaboration between UCSB Arts & Lectures, The Marjorie Luke Theatre, the Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes Center, and the Isla Vista School Parent Teacher Association, Viva is dedicated to bringing  the rich cultural heritage of Latin America to Santa Barbara County students and community members.

Through Sept. 17 — Santa Barbara Museum of Art Presents The Private Universe of James Castle: Drawings from the William Louis-Dreyfus Foundation and James Castle Collection and Archive

With more than 90 works, this exhibition features many of the most beautiful and accomplished drawings created by the extraordinarily gifted, self-taught artist James Castle (1899 – 1977). The Santa Barbara Museum of Art (SBMA) represents the sole venue for this show, which highlights the artist’s remarkable technical skills and attempts to foster a better understanding of his evocative and unconventional images, particularly his landscapes and architectural interior scenes. Unfortunately, the common perception of Castle and his art has tended to be very limited due to emphasis on his physical impairments—he was profoundly deaf and largely mute—and his geographic isolation, working in rural Idaho.

Sept. 18 — Unite to Light Presents ‘Mike Love Benefit Concert’ in Santa Barbara

SANTA BARBARA — Unite to Light, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing clean, renewable light and energy to people living without electricity, is partnering with REACH For Uganda to host the Mike Love Benefit Concert, an electrifying musical event with a purpose.

Reach For Uganda.
The concert aims to provide 2,000 solar powered Luke Lights to create Light Libraries at REACH For Uganda schools. A Light Library is where schools possess a number of solar-powered Luke Lights for students to “check out.”

Sept. 23 — Santa Paula Parks & Recreation Department Presents the 10th Annual Mariachi Dinner: A Night of Live Music, Dining, and Community Support

SANTA PAULA — The Santa Paula Parks & Recreation Department is thrilled to announce the much-anticipated return of the 10th Annual Mariachi Dinner, a captivating evening of cultural celebration, live music, and dining. Hosted by the City of Santa Paula Parks & Recreation Department, this event promises a memorable experience for all attendees, young and old.

The 10th Annual Mariachi Dinner is an opportunity for the community to come together, show support for a noble cause, and revel in the joy of shared moments. This year’s event will be held at the Parks and Recreation Community Center Auditorium located at 530 West Main St., Santa Paula, CA 93060 on Saturday, September 23rd, 2023, from 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm.

Sept. 26 — Bilingual report — Cottage Virtual Care Hosts Free Virtual Event in Spanish ‘Stay Healthy: When and Where to Go for Medical Care’

SANTA BARBARA — Cottage Virtual Care will host a free virtual event in Spanish titled “Stay Healthy: When and Where to Go for Medical Care” on Tuesday, September 26, from 6-7 p.m. This event will feature Maria Rivera, Nurse Practitioner with Cottage Virtual Care, and Cottage Health experts who will be available to share their expertise on different health care options.

During the event, Cottage will provide valuable insights into the differences between healthcare options such as urgent care, virtual care and the emergency department and why understanding these healthcare options is critical to seeking appropriate care. Attendees will gain the knowledge to help make informed decisions about their healthcare.