Category: Local

Jan. 26 — Housing Trust Fund Ventura County hosts 2022 ‘Our Community Promise’ Annual Public Meeting

Housing Trust Fund Ventura County (Housing Trust Fund VC), will host their 2022 “Our Community Promise” Annual Public Meeting on Wednesday, January 26, 2022 from 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. via Zoom. Register for this free informative event about housing equity and affordability at www.housingtrustfundvc.org.

Jan. 26 — ‘Coffee With A Black Guy’ presents ‘Processing Loss: A conversation on mental health and the disproportionate impact of Covid-19 deaths on BIPOC communities’

“Coffee With A Black Guy” presents “Processing Loss: A conversation on mental health and the disproportionate impact of Covid-19 deaths on BIPOC communities” via Zoom at 7 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 26.

CWABG founder James Joyce III, will be joined in conversation by Michael Cruse, Bereavement Services Manager for Hospice of Santa Barbara who will offer a “Human” perspective and the role of “Culture” on the subject of bereavement and mourning.  That couple with the impacts of several highly visible cultural losses and the processing of loss throughout our history – think Strange Fruit, provides context for an engaging and enlightening conversation about processing loss and grief. 

Jan. 26 — CLU School Management to present ‘Being a Successful Latina in a German Company in the U.S.’ and more events

We are excited to invite Judith Sanchez Lopez, SVP General Manager at Jafra USA to be our next speaker in our Forward Together webinar series. Judith is an international leader with more than 28 years in the beauty and cosmetics industry. She is a visionary with a strategic mindset and a focus on developing high-potential teams to achieve results and ensure business profit and growth. She has deep experience in launching and driving business growth in a variety of LATAM countries, South America, the USA, and Asia.

Jan. 26 — Museum of Ventura County to present ‘Legal Issues for Artists: Protecting Your Works from the Moment of Creation and Beyond’

The Museum of Ventura County & the Ventura County Bar Association Present “Legal Issues for Artists: Protecting Your Works from the Moment of Creation and Beyond” from noon to 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 26.

Inviting artists of all media, at all stages of their career, to attend this informational panel, free, live via Zoom.

Jan. 27 — Santa Paula Art Museum — Clubs, Classes, and Collabs!

Premiere Party: En Plein Air: An Exploration of Malibu and Ventura County

Presented by California Art Club

Saturday, January 15, 2022, from 4 PM to 6 PM
Free admission

An exhibition of plein air scenes from Malibu and Ventura County by 32 artist members of the famed, century-old California Art Club. All of the artworks are for sale. En Plein Air will be on view through May 8, 2022.

Jan. 29 — Association of Mexican American Educators – Oxnard Chapter to hold Oxnard Panda Express Fundraiser

The Association of Mexican American Educators – Oxnard Chapter will hold an AMAE Oxnard Panda Express Fundraiser for scholarships from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 29 at 2121 N. Rose Ave., Suite 480, Oxnard.

“Help us in funding our local scholarships to high school students,” the organization reported.

Jan. 30 — Central Coast photographer Nic Stover to lead January workshop focusing on image review at the Wildling Museum

The Wildling Museum of Art and Nature is pleased to announce an upcoming workshop with Central Coast photographer Nic Stover on Sunday, January 30, 2021, 2 – 4:30 p.m. Stover will lead a photography critique and image review session designed for photographers of all skill levels looking to improve their editing skills and take their work to the next level.

“In this session, class participants will see how the most impactful and compelling images are the those that have the proper balance of technique, vision, and processing,” says Nic Stover. “All of these skills need to be developed and continually refined through our own artistic and creative processes.” 

Feb. 2 — Those with a Family Member Living with a Mental Health Disorder Encouraged to Take NAMI Family-to-Family Course

Family-to-Family course is a free, 8-session education program designed to help family members understand and support their loved one living with a mental health disorder, to understand and access local resources, all while taking care of themselves. 

The course will begin on Wednesday, February 2nd and will cover information on illnesses such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, major depression and other mental health conditions. The class is taught by trained teachers who are also family members that know what it is like to have a loved one struggling with a mental health disorder and is offered through the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to building better lives for those affected by mental health disorders.

Feb. 3 — UCSB Arts & Lectures presents Celebrated Violin Virtuoso Joshua Bell, violin and Peter Dugan, piano

Join UCSB Arts & Lectures as they present Celebrated Violin Virtuoso Joshua Bell, violin and Peter Dugan, piano on Thursday, February 3rd at 7:00 p.m. at The Granada Theatre.
With a career spanning almost four decades, Grammy-winning violinist Joshua Bell is one of the most celebrated artists of his era. Named Musical America’s 2010 Instrumentalist of the Year and an Indiana Living Legend, Bell also serves as music director of the Academy of St Martin in the Fields. He appears in recital with Peter Dugan, the “fearlessly athletic” (San Francisco Chronicle) pianist and host of NPR’s From the Top.

Through Feb. 3 — Psychedelic art focus of Cal Lutheran exhibit

California Lutheran University’s largest-ever exhibit features two centuries of international psychedelic art ranging from famous album covers to religious paintings.

“The Otherworld,” curated by Cal Lutheran art professor Michael Pearce of Thousand Oaks, is on display in the William Rolland Gallery of Fine Art through Feb. 3. 

All of the art depicts alternative visions of the world. Some of the visions were brought on by drugs like peyote, marijuana and LSD; others were spiritual or religious visualizations.

Included are a Japanese woodblock print from the 1800s, hallucinogenic-influenced art from the mid-20th century, and digital prints representing a new frontier for contemporary artists. While links to drugs once stifled appreciation for psychedelic art, changing laws and societal norms have increased interest today.

Feb. 4 — United Way of Ventura County — Early Bird Special for Virtual Homelessness Symposium Tickets!

We’re excited to share that our ticket registration link is now LIVE for our second United to End Homelessness VC Virtual Symposium, with keynote speaker, Jessica Bruder, author of “Nomadland.” 

If you purchase your tickets by Dec. 31, 2021, we’re offering an Early Bird special — 15% off for both VIP (includes signed copy of the book!) and General Admission tickets.

Learn more about the event and purchase your virtual tickets on our event page.

Feb. 4 — UCSB Arts & Lectures presents Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis

Join UCSB Arts & Lectures as they present UCSB Arts & Lectures presents Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis on Friday, February 4th at 8:00 p.m. Pacific at The Granada Theatre.

International jazz ambassador, nine-time Grammy winner and Pulitzer Prize recipient Wynton Marsalis returns with the legendary Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra (JLCO), comprising 15 of the nation’s finest soloists, ensemble players and arrangers. The remarkably versatile orchestra performs a vast repertoire ranging from original compositions to rare historic gems and masterworks by jazz greats including Duke Ellington, Thelonious Monk, Dizzy Gillespie and many others. Delight in the full vigor and vision of America’s music in this evening awash with Marsalis’ and JLCO’s infinite charm and warmth.

Through Feb. 5 — Friendship Center 2022 Virtual Fundraiser

We invite YOU to join our 23rd Annual
Festival of Hearts Virtual Fundraiser!

Please join us at:
www.friendshipcentersb.org/FOH22
Monday, January 24 to Saturday, February 5

Your purchases and donations will raise money for our HEART program (Helping Elders At Risk Today), making it possible for low income seniors with dementia and other age related challenges to participate in our day program.

Feb. 5 — SCIART Invites the Public to its First 2022 Exhibition, Emergence

Studio Channel Islands Art Center (SCIART) opens its first 2022 exhibition, Emergence, Feb. 5, featuring local emerging artists Maria Laura Hendrix and Andy Lepe, both resident artists at SCIART. The exhibition will also include a curated selection of “emerging artists” work in all visual media by juniors, seniors and recent graduates from local universities. The exhibition takes place in SCIART’s Blackboard Gallery located at 2222 E. Ventura Blvd. in Camarillo and is free to attend.

Feb. 8 — UCSB Arts & Lectures to present Contemporary Nordic Folk Trio Dreamers’ Circus

Join UCSB Arts & Lectures as they present Contemporary Nordic Folk Trio Dreamers’ Circus on Tuesday, February 8th at 8:00 p.m. Pacific at Campbell Hall. 

Featuring Danish String Quartet violinist Rune Tonsgaard Sørensen, Nikolaj Busk on piano and accordion and Ale Carr on cittern, Dreamers’ Circus performs a thrilling blend of contemporary and traditional folk music from Denmark, Sweden, Iceland, Finland and the far reaches of the windswept Faroe Islands. Through their adventurous attitude and their outstanding musicianship, what began as a chance meeting of three musicians at a bar in Copenhagen has brought them to the forefront of the Nordic folk and world music scene and earned them five prestigious Danish Music Awards.

Feb. 10 — UCSB Arts & Lectures presents 2021 Time Magazine 100 Honoree Cathy Park Hong in a presentation of her award-winning memoir Minor Feelings: An Asian American Reckoning

UCSB Arts & Lectures presents 2021 Time magazine 100 Honoree Cathy Park Hong who will present her award-winning memoir Minor Feelings: An Asian American Reckoning on Thursday, February 10th at 7:30 p.m. Pacific at Campbell Hall. This presentation is part of the 2021-2022 CREATING HOPE programming initiative.

Cathy Park Hong is an award-winning poet and essayist whose memoir, Minor Feelings, integrates personal stories, historical context and cultural criticism into a radically honest meditation on the Asian-American experience. In this presentation and moderated conversation, Hong discusses race and identity, utilizing poetry for social change, and the power of creating art that is influenced by politics, culture and the current societal moment.

Feb. 11 — Economic Development Collaborative (EDC) — Free Webinar- How to Create a 2022 Social Media Content Calendar

Join the EDC for a free webinar on creating a 2022 social media content calendar presented by Small Business Development Center Advisor, Deborah Deras!

Who’s ready to get organized this 2022!? Let’s be honest, we all get overwhelmed by Social Media because we often wear too many hats and think we need to be on every platform. The fact is we only need to be posting on the platforms where our target market is spending their time. The best way to get organized and efficient is to create a social media calendar. Deborah has a saying: schedule it in your calendar, see it in your life and she will show you how to do it to save time, energy and make you money.

Feb. 12 — OPAC’s Native Plant Fest sprouts

The Oxnard Performing Arts Center Corporation (OPAC) welcomes its first annual NATIVE PLANT FEST on Saturday, February 12th from 11AM-4PM. The event brings together our community to celebrate and showcase local plant-inspired culture, food, traditions, and creativity! This festival is community-led by plant enthusiasts of diverse backgrounds who will share their plants, services, artwork, culinary creations, products, educational resources, and much more! 

Feb. 12 — Oceanview Pavilion to present DSB (Journey Tribute) W/Nearvana

DSB (Don’t Stop Believin’) has been highly revered as the world’s greatest tribute to Journey. They have captured the lush and signature sound of renowned vocalist Steve Perry and Journey in their prime. Complete with a band of world-class musicians, DSB remains true to Journey’s musical legacy and delivers the nostalgic concert experience that will keep you believin’!

Feb. 13 — UCSB Arts & Lectures presents A.I.M by Kyle Abraham’s An Untitled Love featuring the Music of D’Angelo

UCSB Arts & Lectures presents A.I.M by Kyle Abraham’s An Untitled Love featuring the Music of D’Angelo on Sunday, February 13th at 7:00 p.m. Pacific at Campbell Hall. This presentation is part of the 2021-2022 CREATING HOPE programming initiative.

One of today’s most in-demand choreographers, A.I.M. Artistic Director Kyle Abraham mixes modern, contemporary, ballet and hip-hop dance.

Feb. 15 — Economic Development Collaborative (EDC) — Economic Incentives/Tax Credits for California Manufacturers

CONOMIC INCENTIVES/TAX CREDITS FOR CALIFORNIA MANUFACTURERS

Tuesday, February 15, 2022 @ 10:30 – 11:30 AM PST

This FREE webinar, co-hosted by CMTC and the CA Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz), will provide practical guidance to California manufacturers on multiple economic incentives, resources, and workforce training funding to save money and foster growth:

Partial Sales & Use Tax Exemption

Workforce Training Funding (ETP)

California Competes Tax Credit

New Employment Tax Credit

Sales & Use Tax Exclusion

R&D Tax Credits

New Grants

Resources & No-Cost Assistance

There will be an opportunity for Q&A, and you are also welcome to submit questions in advance during registration.

Feb. 16 — Hospice of Santa Barbara Virtual illuminate Speaker Series Returns with Sharon Salzberg

Since 2020, Hospice of Santa Barbara (HSB) has adjusted to the new realities that come with COVID-19 by creating their freeilluminate Speaker Series – a series which not only addresses aspects of the COVID-19 pandemic but also offers help on how to navigate through this new reality.

One way the organization transitioned to serve these past two years is by providing helpful resources to our community and beyond as they relate to COVID-19 through this virtual series. Past speakers include Roshi Joan Halifax, Frank Ostaseski, Katy Butler, Sharon Salzberg, Dr. BJ Miller, Dr. Sunita Puri, Jenée Johnson, Daniel Goleman, Nora McInerny, and Pico Iyer.

Feb. 16 — Amanda Nguyen: “Hopeanomics” and How Social Entrepreneurs are Transforming Grassroots Activism

Join UCSB Arts & Lectures as they present Amanda Nguyen “Hopeanomics” and How Social Entrepreneurs are Transforming Grassroots Activism on Wednesday, Feb. 16 at 7:30 p.m. at Campbell Hall.

Harvard graduate Amanda Nguyen is the CEO and founder of Rise, a social movement accelerator that teaches grassroots organizing. She helped draft the Sexual Assault Survivors’ Bill of Rights – one of just a handful of bills in U.S. history to pass unanimously through Congress – following her painful experience navigating the justice system as a rape survivor. Nguyen has been recognized on Forbes’ 30 Under 30 and Time magazine’s 100 Next lists, and was named one of InStyle’s 50 Badass Women of 2020 and Foreign Policy’s leading global thinkers of 2016.

Feb. 17 — Ventura County Civic Alliance to present The State of the Region Report

Every two years, the State of the Region Report provides a trusted and unique perspective on Ventura County life. Register for this free event to hear these community leaders discuss the data in the State of the Region Report and their perspectives on life in Ventura County. 

CANCELED — Feb. 17 — UCSB Arts & Lectures presents Pulitzer Prize-winning journalists and authors Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn for ‘Tales of Hope on the American Landscape’

UCSB Arts & Lectures presents Pulitzer Prize-winning journalists and authors Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn for Tales of Hope on the American Landscape onThursday, February 17th at 7:30 p.m. Pacific at Campbell Hall. This presentation is part of the 2021-2022 CREATING HOPE programming initiative.

Renowned for their relentless chronicling of human rights abuses and giving a voice to the voiceless, Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn have co-written the bestselling books Half the Sky, A Path Appears, China Wakes, Thunder From the East and most recently, Tightrope. Together, they won a Pulitzer Prize for their coverage of China’s Tiananmen Square democracy movement. Their work is the subject of two full programs created by Oprah Winfrey and has inspired multiple PBS documentary series. More recently, Kristof left The New York Times to run for governor of Oregon to address pragmatic problems like homelessness and addiction that afflict his hometown. The husband-wife team will discuss what they learned while researching Tightrope and their reflections on the political landscape in Oregon and America today.

Feb. 20 — Wildling Museum to honor Ansel Adams on 120th birthday with special virtual presentation by photographer and former assistant Alan Ross

The Wildling Museum of Art and Nature is pleased to announce a special virtual program in honor of Ansel Adams on what would have been the iconic photographer’s 120th birthday. The public is invited to tune in to Ansel Adams: The Man Behind the Camera on Sunday, February 20, 2 – 3 p.m. via Zoom for an insightful presentation by photographer Alan Ross, Ansel Adams’ friend and former assistant. The two photographers are currently featured in the Wildling Museum’s exhibition Sharing the Light: Ansel Adams & Alan Ross, on view through March 20, 2022.

Feb. 22 — Teen Vaccination Clinic Set for at the OPAC

El Concilio Family Services is hosting their third mobile vaccination pop up clinic as a collaborative effort between The Oxnard Performing Arts Center, Boys & Girls Club of Greater Oxnard and Port Hueneme and the Ventura County Public Health Department.

In response to the pandemic and the low vaccination rates amongst teens,  El Concilio Family Services Breakthrough Youth for Success Program launched a new initiative called the Youth Leadership Ambassador Program-VaxNation Project in October 2021.

Feb. 22, 23 — UCSB Arts & Lectures presents Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour Celebrating 30 Years in Santa Barbara!

 UCSB Arts & Lectures (A&L) presents the Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour, Celebrating 30 Years in Santa Barbara on Tuesday, February 22nd and Wednesday, February 23rd at 7:30 p.m. Pacific at the Arlington Theatre. This presentation is part of the 2021-2022 CREATING HOPE programming initiative.

Special Appearance by Roman Baratiak, A&L Associate Director Emeritus

A Santa Barbara institution, the Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour is a perennial fan favorite. Featuring the world’s best films and videos on mountain subjects, the tour awes viewers with thrills and grandeur captured in exotic locations the world over. The show’s wide variety of film subjects – from extreme sports to mountain culture and environment – will amaze audiences. An entirely different program of films screens each night.

Feb. 23 — LWV Ventura County Wraps Up Lunch and Learn Online Series with County Supervisor Interview

What do our local elected officials do every day? What are the main challenges their office is facing? What skills do they need to be successful? These are just some of the questions that will be asked of County Supervisor Linda Parks, the last of six local elected officials to join League President Betsy Patterson for an informal online interview/Q&A presented by the League of Women Voters of Ventura County.

Feb. 24 — Museum of Ventura County to present ‘Ivor Davis: Up Close and Personal’ with Harry Benson

The Museum of Ventura County is thrilled to present the next “Ivor Davis: Up Close and Personal with famous photographer Harry Benson,” from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 24 at 100 E. Main St,, Santa Barbara. In this popular series, author, journalist, and investigative reporter Ivor Davis speaks with a rotating guest list of extraordinary individuals.

Harry Benson has been featured in LIFE, Vanity Fair, Vogue, Time Magazine, and many more. He’s had 40 solo exhibits, including at The Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery. He’s photographed every US President from President Eisenhower to President Biden. He marched with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.; was next to Senator Robert Kennedy when he was assassinated; and photographed the Berlin Wall going up and down.

Feb. 25 — UCSB To Present ‘The Magic Flute’ Opera

The University of Santa Barbara’s Department of Music and Department of Theater and Dance will present a whimsical co-production of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s The Magic Flute, with singers and instrumentalists from UCSB’s Opera Theatre Program, dancers and actors from the Department of Theater and Dance, and puppets of all shapes and sizes.

Feb. 25 — Museum of Contemporary Art Santa Barbara to present ‘This Basic Asymmetry’

Museum of Contemporary Art Santa Barbara (MCASB) is pleased to announce This Basic Asymmetry a group exhibition featuring work by artists Patricia Ayres, Simone Forti, Miguel Angel Payano Jr., Paul Mpagi Sepuya, and Gabriela Ruiz.

Through internal sensation, emotion, and cognition we develop a fluid but strong sense of self that allows us to perceive the complexities and nuances of our personal experience. By contrast, it is only through external sensation, especially vision and observation, that we find the ability to develop an understanding of others, splitting our experience of self from others into an asymmetrical paradigm.

Feb. 25 — UCSB Arts & Lectures presents author and social Commentator Roxane Gay for ‘Roxane with One N’

UCSB Arts & Lectures presents author and social commentator Roxane Gay for Roxane with One N on Friday, February 25th at 7:30 p.m. Pacific at The Granada Theatre. This presentation is part of the 2021-2022 CREATING HOPE programming initiative.

Roxane Gay brilliantly critiques the ebb and flow of modern culture with wit and ferocity. Her collection of essays, Bad Feminist, is a quintessential exploration of modern feminism, and her books – including An Untamed State, Hunger: A Memoir of (My) Body, Graceful Burdens and Difficult Women – are celebrated for their honesty and humor. Gay also co-hosts the podcast Hear to Slay, pens the Work Friend column for The New York Times and was the first black woman to write for Marvel Comics. Her new podcast The Roxane Gay Agenda premiered on Luminary in partnership with iHeartMedia on January 25, 2022.

Feb. 26 — UCSB Arts & Lectures presents Nashville-based Singer-songwriter Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit with special guest Shawn Colvin

UCSB Arts & Lectures presents Nashville-based Singer-songwriterJason Isbell and the 400 Unit with special guest Shawn Colvin onSaturday, February 26th at 8:00 p.m. Pacific at The Arlington Theatre. This presentation is part of the 2021-2022 CREATING HOPE programming initiative.

Four-time Grammy winner Jason Isbell is at the top of his game. His music – whether solo, with former band the Drive-By Truckers or fronting the 400 Unit – shows his Alabama soul as he drifts between rock, country and roots. Georgia Blue, Isbell’s latest album with the 400 Unit, is a charity covers collection celebrating music from the state of Georgia.

Feb. 26 — Celebrate Black History Month at Family Fun Day at the Agriculture Museum in Santa Paula

Celebrate Black History Month by learning about the contributions of African- American Scientists and doing your own experiments.

Attend the Family Fun Day at the Agriculture Museum in Santa Paula from noon to 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 26 at 926 Railroad Ave., Santa Paula.

Feb. 27 — CSUCI will be part of the CSU’s Statewide Super Sunday

CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) President Richard Yao, Ph.D., and Provost Mitch Avila, Ph.D., will speak at two local churches as part of the 17th Annual CSU Super Sunday Feb. 27.

Yao will speak at St. Paul Baptist Church in Oxnard at 1777 Statham Blvd.  and Avila will speak at Bethel AME Church, 855 South ‘F’ Street in Oxnard with services at both locations beginning at 10 a.m. This Sunday marks CSUCI’s return to in-person Super Sunday events after the COVID-19 pandemic necessitated a virtual event in 2021.

Feb. 28 — SBCC to host discussion with Black History Month featured author

In honor of Black History Month, SBCC Interim Superintendent/President Dr. Kindred Murillo invites the community to a virtual event, Feb. 28, 12:30-1:30 p.m., when Dr. Helen Benjamin and Rev. Larry D. Smith discuss the new book “How We Got Over: Growing Up in the Segregated South.” Edited by Dr. Benjamin and 23 of her fellow graduates of Peabody High School Class of 1968, the book is a series of vignettes capturing the Black experience of childhood and teen years in mid-20th century Alexandria, Louisiana and the surrounding areas. The stories told reflect the different life experiences of the 24 graduates living with the racial, social, and economic injustices present in an entrenched Jim Crow society of the 50s and 60s.