Category: Events

CLU School of Management — Vote now in the People’s Choice Awards in our student competitions and more upcoming events

We are coming down to the wire, just a few more days/hours to vote in both competitions! We have surpassed our goal of 800 participants voting by 400% but we want more. If you haven’t seen the work of our students, check it out today and select your favorites. The PRiME Competition closes on Tuesday followed by the New Venture Fair on Wednesday.

Museum of Ventura County — THIS WEEKEND: Grab & Go Bag Giveaway!

Join us at the Agriculture Museum (926 Railroad Ave., Santa Paula) this Saturday, May 1st @ 10am and at the Museum of Ventura County (100 E. Main St., Ventura) this Sunday, May 2nd @ 10am for our next Grab & Go Bag giveaway!

Discover creative ways to help protect our planet by using the 3Rs: Reducing, Reusing, and Recycling. Each fun-filled bag contains Small Footprints: Mateo Learns About the 3Rs storybook, Small Footprints: Activity and Coloring booklet, Paper Populous Garbage Truck Favor Box Craft, Food Forward’s Get Crafty with Your Food Waste Recipes, Play-Well TEKnologies wrist band, Compost Circle of Life, Composting at Home!, and so much more.

Carnegie Art Cornerstones endows $50,000 scholarship for CSUCI Art students 

An Oxnard non-profit organization designed to support and encourage aspiring young artists has endowed CSU Channel Islands with a $50,000 scholarship fund for students majoring in Studio Art or Art History.  

Carnegie Art Cornerstones evolved out of the Carnegie Art Museum, which closed in summer of 2019 owing to Oxnard city budget cuts. As a non-profit, Cornerstones will continue to promote art and art appreciation but will now do so through college scholarships. 

“I think this is really going to help students, especially coming out of a pandemic,” said CSUCI Art Professor and Chair of the Art Program, Liz King. “We’ve always had such an amazing relationship with the Carnegie Art Museum. Some of our faculty have had shows there, our students have been interns—it’s a treasured, vital relationship and I’m so happy to hear about Carnegie’s transition to Cornerstones.” 

Vita Art Center’s “Through Our Eyes” community art project documents children’s pandemic experiences

Twelve-year-old Phoebe Hopp’s wide eyes stared hauntingly out at her grandmother from the self-portrait she’d drawn in art class.

Lydia Hopps couldn’t see her granddaughter’s expression. Most of her face was covered by a mask, which she and other students had worn to prevent spread of COVID-19 during the class at Vita Art Center in Ventura.

“It made me think, what is this child thinking? What is she feeling?” Lydia Hopps said. “What have these children been through this past year? It just called me to take action.”

83 student-authors from Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties compete for the best project proposals to reduce their home’s environmental footprint & receive awards

On Friday, April 30, 7th-12th-grade students from seven public schools in Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties participating in the MERITO Foundation’s EECCOA Challenge 2021 will be competing for cash and in-kind prizes with their environmental business proposals focused on water conservation, energy efficiency, or waste reduction in their homes, or to educate a community about ocean acidification. In the past, the program focused on reducing the environmental footprint of school campuses, but this year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, most students have been learning remotely. As a result, the challenge was adapted to allow students to submit proposals that reduce the environmental footprint of their homes. The main sponsors and partners of the EECCOA Program and EECCOA Virtual Challenge 2021 Awards Event are NOAA B-WET Grant, Ventura Water, Clean Power Alliance, and the City of Ventura’s Environmental Sustainability. The event will take place virtually on Friday, April 30 between 4:00 and 5:30 pm and will be live-streamed on the MERITO Foundation’s Facebook page.

OC LIVE Online — Motivation and Movement ~ A Discussion with Women

In this episode we revisit WEspeak spring 2019 with an inspirational speech given by Oxnard College student, Crystal Harris, live on stage.  With the theme of “moving forward,” Crystal joins Oxnard College Communication Studies Professor Dr. Amy Edwards, Film Professor Anitra N. Lawson and Oxnard College Student Health Coordinator Dr. Deanna McFadden for a powerful conversation about protecting mental and emotional health, fighting to overcome trauma, and living your best life!  

Santa Barbara Earth Day and Partners Announce Community Mural Artists

The Community Environmental Council (CEC), The Arts Fund, Museum of Contemporary Art Santa Barbara, Paseo Nuevo, and Santa Barbara BCycle are delighted to announce is proud to announce that artists Adriana Arriaga and Claudia Borfiga have been selected from an online Call For Entries to paint the 2021 Earth Day Mural. The Call For Entries prompted Santa Barbara County artists to respond to this year’s Earth Day Festival theme: Climate Leadership. The mural by Arriaga and Borfiga, entitled Nurture our Mother, is a celebration of the power of the Earth and the many magical things within it that play vital roles in our ecosystem.

Our Lady of Mount Carmel School Fostering Community with Movie Night Under the Stars

The Our Lady of Mount Carmel School community celebrated Spring with their annual Spring Raffle drawing and Family Movie Night on the grass, on Saturday, April 17, 2020. The school came together in a socially distanced way by reserving family circles and staying masked during the viewing of Raya and the Last Dragon. In addition to the movie hosted by the Parent Board Guild, there was a raffle drawing that awarded cash prizes. Congratulations to all of the raffle winners. The annual Spring Raffle raises much needed money to help support the operations of the school.

Museum of Ventura County — Changemakers Series + New Virtual Learning Module + More!

The Museum of Ventura County is pleased to present the next installment in its series of conversations with Changemakers.

You are invited to join us on Thursday, April 29, 2021 from 6:30—7:30PM for Changemakers: Local Heroes Combatting Climate Change. Admission is free with registration.

Panelists include Dr. Chris Funk, Director of the Climate Hazard Center at UCSB and author of Drought, Flood, Fire: How Climate Change Contributes to Recent Catastrophes, Hans Cole, Director of Environmental Campaigns and Advocacy at Patagonia, Florencia Ramirez, Ventura County Climate Emergency Council and author of Eat Less Water, and Michelle Stevens, Founder of the Refill Shoppe, public artist and environmental activist. This is not to be missed!

Museum of Contemporary Art Santa Barbara — Adriana Arriaga and Claudia Borfiga have been selected to paint the 2021 Earth Day Mural

The Arts Fund, Community Environmental Council, Museum of Contemporary Art Santa Barbara, Paseo Nuevo, and Santa Barbara BCycle are delighted to announce that artists Adriana Arriaga and Claudia Borfiga have been selected to paint the 2021 Earth Day Mural! Selected from over 27 submissions, the Call For Entries prompted our artists to respond to this year’s Earth Day Festival theme: Climate Leadership. The mural by Arriaga and Borfiga, entitled Nurture our Mother, is a celebration of the power of the Earth and the many magical things within it that play vital roles in our ecosystem.

Santa Barbara Earth Day Festival 2021 Highlights Announced; Virtual Event April 22 – 24 Gathers Community to #CelebrateClimateLeadership

The Community Environmental Council (CEC) is hosting #CelebrateClimateLeadership, a virtual Santa Barbara Earth Day Festival dedicated to inspiration, community building, and climate action. The FREE livestream event begins on Thursday, April 22 at noon and runs until Saturday, April 24. It will be available to view at SBEarthDay.org.

The virtual Santa Barbara Earth Day Festival – which will be fully online again this year due to ongoing COVID-19 restrictions – is FREE to attend and will feature three days of conversations with climate leaders, musical performances, art contests, inspirational speakers, and opportunities for individuals to learn how they can lean into action at this urgent moment.

SEEAG Kicks Off 2nd ‘Let’s Grow A Garden’ At-Home Student Learning Program through April 23

For the second year, Students for Eco-Education and Agriculture (SEEAG) is hosting its “Let’s Grow A Garden”–an at-home garden program for students in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties that teaches kids how to grow vegetables while learning healthy eating habits and proper nutrition.

“‘A garden gives kids a sense of accomplishment as they care for their plants and then harvest their crops. They also come to appreciate the role of our local farmers and the importance of eating healthy,” says Mary Maranville, SEEAG’s founder and CEO.

To help start their gardens, Agromin, an Oxnard-based manufacturer of earth-friendly soil products, composts and mulches made from recycled organic materials, is giving away 4-quart bags of potting soil to Let’s Grow A Garden participants. The bags (one per child) are available at Agromin (201 Kinetic Drive, Oxnard) April 19 through Aprils 23, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. in the Agromin parking lot.

Friendship Center — Dine & Donate Deliciousness on April 21 – Reserve yours now!

LIMITED SUPPLY – Please reserve yours now
$upport Friendship Center with a delicious dinner! Thanks to our partners Santa Barbara Association of Realtors (SBAOR)
***Please note, entrée selections are chosen at the end of the checkout process, with your choice of enchiladas, taco bar or chicken fajitas, with options available. Generous portions with all the fixings are large enough for two or more people and include two margaritas. 

Santa Barbara City College — The Bridge — ‘SBCC ranked No. 2 Community College in the U.S. for 2021’ and more news

Best Value Schools has ranked Santa Barbara City College as the No. 2 Best Online College among community colleges in the nation for 2021. Their rankings explore multiple categories designed to help students looking for the best and most affordable schools including amenities and overall valuable college experiences that suit their needs. Read more…

Santa Barbara First District Supervisor Das Williams — My Turn, Appointments, Webinar for Businesses, & A Look at Last Year

The Santa Barbara County Public Health Department is beginning a phased roll-out of the My Turn scheduling platform offered by the State of California. 

The My Turn tool is part of an effort by state health leaders to organize California’s broad-reach vaccination drive, consisting of public and private health systems, pharmacies, hospitals, community health clinics, pop-up sites, and mobile sites. 

CLU School of Management — “NADA is Impossible in Tech Entrepreneurship’ at the next Entrepreneur Speaker Series on April 14

First, a big THANK YOU to those that contributed to the School of Management on Cares Day! We were able to meet and exceed our goals because of our caring community. We are grateful to all. Secondly, If you missed out, a contribution can still be made through April 21st. Visit SOM Cares Day.

2021 National Cesar E. Chavez Virtual Event to be held April 11

The 2021 National Cesar E. Chavez Virtual Event to be held at 11 a.m. Sunday, April 11, 2021.

Join us in celebrating the life and legacy of Cesar Chavez.

Visit YouTube @Publoysalud

Facebook Live @CCCC.SVC

Presented by the Organizing Committees of:

Si Se Puede March for Justice Committee — Oxnard
Farmworker Caravan — San Jose
Cesar Chavez Commemorative Committee — San Fernando Valley
Cesar Chavez Day — Las Vegas, Nevada
Cesar Chavez Service Clubs Inc. — San Diego

Santa Paula Art Museum — See You Saturday, and Hopefully All Week!

Find Your Ride to the Museum This Saturday

This Saturday, April 10 is the perfect day to visit the Santa Paula Art Museum! Artists Duane Dammeyer, Rima Muna, and Anette Power will all be stopping in to share their exhibitions with visitors. The cost of admission to the events below is just $4.00 for adults, $3.00 for seniors, and free for students and members (payment will be collected at the door – credit card only).

United Way of Ventura County — 3-Day Countdown on United To End Homelessness Virtual Symposium on April 9

Our United to End Homelessness Virtual Symposium on Friday, April 9, from 9-11 a.m., is fast approaching. Don’t miss the chance to register for this important discussion featuring keynote speaker Pulitzer Prize Author Dr. Matthew Desmond (“Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City”). Follow Desmond’s Q&A session, Henry Dubroff, editor of the Pacific Coast Business Times, will moderate a local panel of experts on addressing homelessness in our county. 

Only a few premium tickets remain (which include a signed copy of Evicted) — now’s the time to register for this event!

Culture is Back! Oxnard Museums Set to Reopen

With the County of Ventura moving into the State’s Orange Tier this week, Oxnard museums are set to re-open after a long year of closures. The museums will follow health and safety guidelines set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), State of California, and County of Ventura to help reduce the spread of COVID-19.

The Murphy Auto Museum returned Saturday, April 3 with a “soft opening” and a “full-blown reopening” Saturday, April 10. The Murphy will be open Saturdays and Sundays from 10am to 4pm. The museum features an impressive display of beautiful vintage automobiles and Americana; it is also home to the Fireball Art Gallery and Gold Coast Modular Rail Road Club.

Community Environmental Council Invites Everyone to Take Part in Earth Day — Every Day Campaign

The Community Environmental Council (CEC) is kicking off the annual Santa Barbara Earth Day Festival with the Earth Day — Every Day Campaign.

The campaign runs April 1 through April 21 and invites individuals to take meaningful, personal actions to help the environment. Together we can help our communities reduce climate impact and, at the same time, create healthy habit changes for ourselves.

Santa Paula Art Museum — 7 Ways To Visit (and People To Meet) in April

The Santa Paula Art Museum is now open to the general public! Visit the Museum Wednesday through Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., or Sunday from noon to 4:00 p.m. Enjoy three excellent exhibitions: Inspiration and Influence, Santa Paula Sojourn, and Silver Linings: Journey of Light. Take a walk around our outdoor Art Park exhibit, shop in the gift shop, and more!
In accordance with public health directives, all museum guests are required to wear a face mask for the duration of their visit, to sanitize their hands upon entry, and to sign a waiver upon entry. Reservations are not required. The Museum will be CLOSED on Easter Sunday, April 4, 2021.

Museum of Ventura County — Reopening Update + What’s New at MVC

As more businesses are allowed to open in California and Ventura County, the Museum of Ventura County plans to open gradually as we continue to offer current online services and launch new programs like our Journal Flashback and Local History Happy Hour series, which you can read more about in this newsletter.

When we do re-open, you will get to see improved gardens and galleries along with new exhibits, public art installations, and family programs at both sites.

And in recognition of your support over the last year, we are excited to announce that admission at all sites will be FREE for all of 2021!

Earth Day Organizers to Honor Greenpeace USA’s Annie Leonard as 2021 Environmental Hero

The Community Environmental Council (CEC) proudly announces Annie Leonard, Executive Director of Greenpeace USA, as the recipient of its 2021 Environmental Hero Award, presented as part of CEC’s Virtual Santa Barbara Earth Day Festival being held Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, April 22-24. The free festival is available to view at SBEarthDay.org.
Annie Leonard will join the festival on Saturday, April 24 to share insights into her vital work and accept the award in an interview with Community Environmental Council CEO Sigrid Wright and UC Santa Barbara Dehlsen Chair of Environmental Studies and Director of the Global Environmental Justice Project Dr. David N. Pellow. Check SBEarthDay.org for the confirmed time closer to the event.

Museum of Contemporary Art Santa Barbara — Earth Day Mural Call for Artists

ONE WEEK LEFT to submit your artistic concepts to the Earth Day Mural Call For Entries hosted in partnership by The Arts Fund, Community Environmental Council, MCASB, Paseo Nuevo, and Santa Barbara BCycle. Due by March 31, 2021 5 pm PST.

One concept will be selected to appear on the Paseo Nuevo Arts Terrace Parking Deck, on the exterior wall of MCASB. The selected artist, or artist group, will receive a stipend and a materials budget to paint their mural between April 19-23, 2021. Support for painting the mural will be provided by the project partners. The completed mural will be revealed on the final day of the virtual Earth Day Festival, April 24! Spread the word

Channel Islands Maritime Museum, Channel Islands Harbor Lessees Association host mini ‘Eco-Boat’ contest in April

The Channel Islands Maritime Museum (CIMM) is releasing more details on its upcoming April event/contest as part of its continuing 30th anniversary year celebration and Earth Day.

The Museum is calling for mini “eco-boat” contest entries which are boats that utilize recyclable or compostable materials. Entries should be no larger than 24” in length. Winning entries will be chosen based on the most creative use of materials. Wood, paper, glass, aluminum, cardboard, and plant fibers (including cotton fabric, canvas, hemp, twigs, leaves, non-nylon rope, etc.) are all acceptable materials. Plastics and foams may not be used in the construction of boats. Prizes will be awarded in four age categories: Adults (18 years and older), Young Adults (13-17 years of age), Kids (7-12 years of age), and Kids (6 years and younger). There will be one winner in each category. The Channel Islands Harbor Lessees Association is generously sponsoring the cash prizes for the contest.

Museum of Contemporary Art Santa Barbara announces upcoming events

ump into spring with MCASB as we learn how to take your shortbread cookies to the next level by utilizing fresh or dried edible flowers and herbs! Bake along with us as we go through the steps of mixing, cutting, and decorating the shortbread dough. This tutorial will include a section on balancing taste and flavor to best help you learn about pairing ingredients for your baking! This event is free to all, and we encourage people of all ages to attend. Click here to register, or visit our website to learn more! 

Santa Barbara Foundation Sponsors Hospice of Santa Barbara’s illuminateSpeaker Series 

Hospice of Santa Barbara (HSB) is proud to announce that the Santa Barbara Foundation (SBF) is a sponsor of the illuminate Speaker Series, a virtual series that brings world-renowned speakers every month to discuss how COVID-19 is impacting us all.  

As local nonprofits in Santa Barbara adapt to find new ways to serve their clients and causes, HSB is adjusting to the new realities that come with COVID-19 through theirilluminate Speaker Series, which provides helpful resources to our community and beyond as we cope with our new reality. 

News from The Foundation at Hearst Castle

We recognize that this is a truly unique and challenging time and we want to send our utmost gratitude to everyone who has supported The Foundation at Hearst Castle — in every small and large way — especially over the past year.

Hearst Castle remains closed, but our nonprofit organization remains quite busy. Enjoy this update and please continue to support vital efforts to conserve this magnificent monument and to empower future generations.

We hope to see you back on the Hearst Castle hilltop soon enough

The Santa Paula Art Museum Will Reopen Wednesday, March 24

We’re getting ready to reopen the doors to the Museum on Wednesday, March 24! Meet us at the Museum to enjoy our three outstanding current exhibitions, and the debut of our new, outdoor Art Park. Scroll down to see some of the Museum’s additional offerings as we head into spring.

*In accordance with public health directives, all museum guests will be required to wear a face mask for the duration of their visit, to sanitize their hands upon entry, and to sign a waiver upon entry.

UCSB Arts & Lectures presents House Calls Spring 2021, a new suite of virtual events just added for April and May featuring intimate, interactive online performances, conversations and Q&As with world renowned thought leaders; environmental and health advocates; best-selling novelists; dance innovators and filmmakers

Events include: Conservationist and UN Messenger of Peace Jane Goodall; health psychologist Dr. Kelly McGonigal; critically-acclaimed novelist Mohsin Hamid; urban dance innovator Ephrat Asherie performing Odeon and featuring the movement workshop Shake-a-Leg with Archie & Ephrat; classical music treasures Yo-Yo Ma, cello and Kathryn Stott, piano; novelist and former president of the American Enterprise Institute Arthur C. Brooks; and acclaimed producer and filmmaker Mira Nair

UCSB Arts & Lectures announces Race to Justice Spring 2021 events highlighting leading activists, musical artists, authors and inspired thinkers confronting racism in America and guiding us towards racial equality

Race to Justice Spring 2021 virtual events include: Olympian Allyson Felix; Gullah musicians Ranky Tanky; Father of the Environmental Justice Movement Dr. Robert Bullard; Urban Planner, Artist and Activist Theaster Gates; Author of the bestselling memoir Just Mercy, Bryan Stevenson; Advocate and Public Policy Expert Heather McGhee; and UCSB Reads Author Patrisse Cullors

Museum of Contemporary Art Santa Barbara — DJ Javier x MCASB Limited Edition Launch!

We are thrilled to release our limited edition collaboration with Santa Barbara-based artist and designer, DJ Javier.

This limited edition was created to communicate a sense of diversity and inclusion within the surf community. The design features a group of characters with varying skin tones, genders, and styles, all of whom carry surfboards, as they walk together in the same direction.

Welcome the arrival of springtime, with summer soon to follow, by purchasing your own DJ Javier x MCASB beach towel before they’re gone! Visit our web store to get yours today!

The Foundation of VCCU provides $31,000 in grants to local nonprofits

The Foundation of VCCU, a philanthropic nonprofit organization established by Ventura County Credit Union (VCCU), gave a total of $31,000 in grants to eight local nonprofit organizations.

The grant recipients included the Boys & Girls Club of Camarillo, El Concilio Family Services, People’s Self-Help Housing, Project Bicycle Love, Ventura College Foundation, Ventura County Area Agency on Aging and Westminster Free Clinic. The nonprofits will use the grant money to support a wide variety of programs and services that benefit the Ventura County community.

Bilingual report — Oxnard Fire Department Hosts Virtual Head Shaving Event to Raise Funds for Childhood Cancer Research on March 23-25

On March 23-25, 2021, more than 30 Oxnard firefighters will shave their heads to promote and raise funds for childhood cancer research through the St. Baldrick’s Foundation.

“Firefighters often become heroes to people whose lives they save in emergencies. By shaving our heads bald, we hope to raise awareness of the heroic children battling cancer,” said Chief Hamilton. “It’s a unique way to stand in solidarity with these children while also literally creating a buzz for an honorable cause.”

Ridley-Tree Cancer Center Sponsors Hospice of Santa Barbara’s illuminate Speaker Series

Hospice of Santa Barbara (HSB) is proud to announce that Ridley-Tree Cancer Center is a sponsor of the illuminate Speaker Series, a virtual series that brings world-renowned speakers every month to discuss how COVID-19 is impacting us all.  

As local nonprofits in Santa Barbara adapt to find new ways to serve their clients and causes, HSB is adjusting to the new realities that come with COVID-19 through theirilluminate Speaker Series, which provides helpful resources to our community and beyond as we cope with our new reality. 

Santa Paula Art Museum — This One Is for the Ladies

California. Considering how much the Santa Paula Art Museum has learned and benefited from women creatives, we think the two celebrations coincide perfectly. Thank you to all of the amazing women who support the Museum; that includes our women artists, docents, donors, teachers, board members, and our all female staff.

Scroll down to see all of the ways that we are honoring women artists this month and in the year ahead. We are also looking forward to announcing the Museum’s reopening date in the coming weeks!*

*The Santa Paula Art Museum remains temporarily closed to the general public in accordance with COVID restrictions. Please call or email the Museum to make a private viewing appointment.