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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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’!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Discuss the needs to find the talent necessary to keep up with the demand of Ventura County’s manufacturing industry and the resources available to help.
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.
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.
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.
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.
The Wildling Museum of Art and Nature is pleased to announce its upcoming exhibition, Close to Home, Three Printmakers, featuring artists Claudia Borfiga, Karen Schroeder, and Sara Woodburn, on view in the Valley Oak gallery through February 2022. The public is invited to meet the artists on Sunday, October 17, 2021 from 3 – 5 p.m.
The works of Borfiga, Schroeder, and Woodburn center on a recurring theme of nature as a place of solace and beauty where growth and change can seem intimate or expansive. Layers of color, pattern, and printmaking are the dialogue these artists use to share stories of Earth. They value natural areas and seek to bring inspiration to the viewer.
UCSB Arts & Lectures (A&L) presents the free virtual Thematic Learning Initiative event: Meet-the-Artists Talk with Jennifer Koh, Davóne Tines, and their creative team titled Why Everything Rises Wednesday, March 2 at 7:30 p.m. Pacific. The meet-the-artist talk will be moderated by Lisa Sun-Hee Park, Department Chair and Professor of Asian American Studies at UC Santa Barbara. Panelists will include Jennifer Koh, Violin and Co-Creator; Davóne Tines, Bass-Baritone and Co-Creator; Ken Ueno, Composer; Kee-Yoon Nahm, Narrative Structure and Dramaturgy. Register for the free webinar at https://bit.ly/rises-ucsb-2022.
UCSB Arts & Lectures presents New York Times bestselling author Erik Larson in conversation with Pico Iyer on Wednesday, March 2nd at 7:30 p.m. Pacific at Campbell Hall. This presentation is part of the 2021-2022 CREATING HOPE programming initiative.
Erik Larson is a wizard of narrative non-fiction whose many bestsellers include Thunderstruck, Dead Wake, Isaac’s Storm and National Book Award-nominee Devil in the White City, which remained on the New York Times bestseller lists for a combined total of over six years. The Splendid and the Vile, his biography of Winston Churchill’s first year as prime minister, is a New York Times Notable Book of 2020 and a Kirkus Best Book of 2020. Larson’s first foray into fiction, the audio-only No One Goes Alone, is a suspenseful ghost story underpinned with actual people and events.
The Ventura County Civil Grand Jury is inviting the public to its annual Open House which will be held on Thursday, March 3, 2022, from 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM.
The Civil Grand Jury is a panel of 19 Ventura County citizens who conduct investigations into the effective and efficient operations of all governmental entities within the county. Investigations originate either from a public complaint or from within the Grand Jury.
Ventura County Mobile Library will hold “Story Time at the Museum of Ventura County” from 3 to 4 p.m. Friday, March 4 at 100 E. Main St., Ventura
The Museum of Ventura County has been partnering with the county library to bring in-person Story Time. We’re welcoming you back to the Museum for the first one of the year.
The Oxnard Performing Arts Center Corporation (OPAC) is presenting its first music festival, LOS FEST, on Saturday, March 5, 2022 from 12 noon to 11 pm, in conjunction with Numbskull Shows. The event features 3-stages spotlighting local and regional talent covering a wide range of genres, from the 70’s power pop/punk sound of Ventura’s TV Party and the sludgy indie punk of Romper to Los Hurricanes, serving up Chicano Soul from Orange County, and the Afro-centric house music of DJ Legacy.
The Wildling is thrilled to host Florencia Ramirez, author of Eat Less Water, for a special presentation and conversation with Steve Beckmen, the winemaker behind Beckmen Vineyards, at the Museum on Sunday, March 6, 2022, 3 p.m. as the Wildling Museum kicks off a year of climate-focused exhibitions and programming.
By 2030, experts predict two-thirds of people living on this planet will not have enough water, a situation expected to result in the deaths of millions and an unprecedented rise in military conflicts. Can we as individuals hope to reverse these dire predictions? Award-winning author and water activist, Florencia Ramirez, believes we can if our conservation efforts focus on the 70 percent of freshwater flowing to the fields and ranches that grow our food. Eat Less Water takes the reader on a journey to meet America’s food producers growing food with less water. Florencia exposes the seldom- seen connection between dwindling water resources and the choices we make when shopping for groceries for our families and offers us the solution that begins in the kitchen.
Join the Meadowlark Service League at Las Posas Country Club on Monday, March 7, for their annual Tennis and Pickleball Tournament, accompanied by the outdoor Spring Charity Luncheon, as well as a Silent Auction and boutique which is open to the public. The ladies of the Meadowlarks have been working to create opportunities to raise funds that will continue to benefit the many charities that their events support. “As we look back on the challenges of the past few years, and how many curveballs were thrown our way, I am proud of how resilient the Meadowlark Service League has been through it all” noted longtime Meadowlark and event chair, Gwen Speakes, “and we are so excited to be able to host this luncheon and tournament.”
UCSB Arts & Lectures presents Memphis Jookin’: The Show featuring street dance phenomenon Lil Buck on Tuesday, March 8th at 8:00 p.m. Pacific at The Granada Theatre. This presentation is part of the 2021-2022 CREATING HOPE programming initiative.
An ode to the birthplace of the singular dance style known as Memphis Jookin’, this evening-length show chronicles how the art form grew from local street dance to an international phenomenon. Starring renowned dance artist Lil Buck (who also conceived and choreographed the piece) alongside ten highly-skilled dancers and a DJ, Memphis Jookin’: The Show transports audiences to the streets and the clubs where the style originated.
Employment law firm LightGabler is providing live, online sexual harassment and bullying prevention training courses for supervisors and non-supervisory employees on Tuesday, March 8.
California law requires that companies with five or more employees provide two hours of supervisory training and one hour of staff training every two years on harassment, discrimination, bullying and retaliation prevention. Agricultural employers must provide this training every year. New supervisors need to be trained within six months of starting a supervisory position and new employees must have training within six months of being hired.
Looking Ahead During Extraordinary Times
2022 Ventura County Economic Forecast
NEW DATE: Tues. March 8 | 8:30 AM
This premier networking and forecast event will include an in-depth analysis of the county’s economic performance and an assessment of its economic and demographic future, plus detailed analysis and forecasts for the U.S. and California economies.
In-person – LEARN MORE
Moorpark College’s biotechnology program offers a comprehensive curriculum in bio-manufacturing that includes hands-on learning in a state-of-the-art biotech lab. Students and the community who are interested in this rapidly growing industry are invited to attend the Biotech Open House, 5 – 7 p.m., March 9.
Visitors can watch lab demonstrations, explore the lab and examine how recombinant cells are grown in bioreactors and see how chromatography columns are used to purify life-saving biotech products.
UCSB Arts & Lectures presents New York Times and Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Andrea Elliott on Invisible Child: Poverty, Survival and Hope in an American City, Wednesday, March 9th at 7:30 p.m. Pacific at Campbell Hall. This presentation is part of the 2021-2022CREATING HOPE programming initiative.
Andrea Elliott puts a human face to topics ranging from child poverty to Muslim life in the U.S. Her recent five-part series, Invisible Child, examined homelessness through the lens of an 11-year-old Brooklyn girl. The series won a George Polk Award, helped reignite a conversation about the dire state of poverty in America and inspired a bestselling book of the same name. Previously, Elliott’s coverage of
Islam in America broke new ground in the study of radicalization and earned her a Pulitzer Prize for feature writing.
The Moorpark College Theatre Arts and Dance departments are proud to announce the opening of “Kinky Boots,” a high-energy and timely story of all the wonderful things that happen when people from different worlds embrace diversity and inclusion. This Spring 2022 production of the six-time Tony Award® Winning Best Musical runs March 10 – 27, Thursday through Saturday nights at 8 p.m., with Sunday matinees at 2 p.m.
‘‘‘Kinky Boots’ has been an amazing journey for Moorpark College, our faculty and students on all fronts,” said director and Theatre Arts faculty member John Loprieno. “What started with fully masked outdoor rehearsals in our parking garage on cold January night has miraculously transformed into a fully realized and triumphant return to our mainstage.”
William Peters and Dr. Raymond Moody Host “How the Shared Death Experience Changes Everything” at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 12.
Founder of Sharing Crossing Project (SCP) and author of At Heaven’s Door, William Peters will be joined by philosopher, psychiatrist, physician and author of Glimpses of Eternity, Dr. Raymond Moody on Saturday, March 12th at 10:00 a.m. PST for a FREE LIVE WEBINAR on How the Shared Death Experience Changes Everything.
The Oxnard Performing Arts Center will present “IL Divo — Greatest Hits Tour,” with special guest vocalist Steven Labrie, at 8 p.m. Sunday, March 13. The concert will feature a special tribute to Carlos Marin. Doors open at 7 p.m.
IL Divo has always stood out for its peculiar mix of opera and pop in songs of different genres, and is the most important reference in the world of the crossover groups of classical music. Since its debut in 2004, IL Divo has triumphed on the most important venues around the world, and has sold over 30 million records.
The Santa Barbara Museum of Art will present “Through Vincent’s Eyes: Van Gogh and His Sources” exhibit symposium from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, March 13.
In conjunction with the exhibition Through Vincent’s Eyes: Van Gogh and His Sources, join five scholars for a one-day seminar on the themes of the exhibition.
Join us for this special evening of classical dance from India! Performed by acclaimed dancer Vijayalakshmi, Mohiniyattam is a traditional dance form rooted in the feminine spirit and resonating with contemporary relevance. Experience the beauty and be inspired by the divine enchantress!
Vijayalakshmi is a world-renowned Indian classical dancer, choreographer, actress and singer. Founder of the Mohiniyattam Institute, she is a leading exponent of this ancient dance form of South India.
The Channel Islands Maritime Museum (CIMM) is happy to announce that acclaimed local author and Oxnard historian Jeffrey Maulhardt will be its featured speaker for March.
Jeffrey’s presentation on “Preserving History Through Books and a Museum” will explore the history of Oxnard and his role of founder in the creation of the Oxnard Historic Farm Park Foundation. Jeffrey will also be discussing his most recent book “Oxnard (Past and Present).”
As early as 1910, Oxnard was known as the Biggest Little City on the Coast, when the population was a mere 2,200. A hundred years later, the population topped 200,000, and Oxnard became the most populous city in Ventura County. Built around the largest sugar processing plant in the world in 1898, the city now hosts an 800,000-square-foot Amazon fulfillment center on the land that once grew sugar beets.
We are THRILLED to announce that this weekend, March 19-20, Ventura County Animal Services will be holding a fee-waived St. Patrick’s Day Bunny Promotion!
Never considered adopting a bunny? Here are a few reasons to make the hop: 1) House-rabbits make EXCELLENT members of the family. 2) They’re quiet, curious, and very loving. 3) They’re litter-box trained!
Studio Channel Islands Art Center (SCIART) presents its first 2022 Concert in the Gallery, Emergence, March 19, featuring emerging musicians tenor Matthew Miles and soprano Natalie Buickians, in collaboration with world-renowned pianist, Armen Guzelimian and internationally recognized cellist Yoshika Masuda.
The Wildling Museum of Art and Nature is pleased to announce Sharing the Light: Ansel Adams and Alan Ross, opening to the public on Saturday, September 25, 2021 in the Wildling Museum’s main gallery. The exhibition will explore the American West through the lenses of both Ansel Adams and Alan Ross, and also includes selections from Ross’ international photography projects. The Wildling Museum’s exhibition will mark the first institutional show dedicated to the two photographers’ works.
Sharing the Light highlights the careers of both Adams and Ross, who were close friends and colleagues. Ross, who served as Adams’ longtime assistant, later developed into an internationally-acclaimed photographer in his own right. The exhibition will provide insight into their respective connections to nature, and technical and artistic mastery of photography.
Santa Barbara Museum of Art to present Paris-based Arod Quartet AT 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 22 at SBMA’s Mary Craig Auditorium, 1130 State St.
With all four members only in their twenties, the Paris-based Arod Quartet has already dazzled awestruck chamber-music lovers in concerts at such prestigious venues as the Auditorium of the Louvre in Paris and the Verbier Festival in Switzerland.
Employment law firm LightGabler is presenting a free webinar, “Employing the Absent Employee–Navigating California’s Leaves of Absence Laws.” The webinar is Wednesday, March 23 from 10:30 a.m. to noon.
California has more mandatory leaves of absence than any other state. To maintain business operations and avoid costly litigation, employers must understand when a leave is available to an employee, what rights must be provided to the employee, and what employee obligations can be enforced.
The Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse (CADA) will hold the annual Gratitude Luncheon celebrating its Mentor Program on Thursday, March 24, 2022, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., at the Hilton Santa Barbara Beachfront Resort. The outdoor gathering will feature “Santa Barbara Foundation 2021 Person of the Year” John Daly, who will speak about the power of mentoring. The luncheon is hosted by Founder and Event Chair Anne Smith Towbes.
According to CADA’s Executive Director Scott Whiteley, Ph.D., “Having a mentor can be a life-changing experience for a young person, particularly in times of uncertainty. Being connected with a caring adult mentor can help a young person learn to navigate challenges, avoid risky behaviors, and develop personal and academic confidence. As the pandemic continues to challenge local youth and their families, the request for mentors is greater than ever, and we are deeply grateful to our supporters for their generosity in helping us meet this critical need.”
Dianne Lake was a beautiful and innocent wide eyed seventh grade student whose hippie parents abandoned their traditional suburban lifestyle to join a commune called The Wavy Gravy’s Hog Farm Commune in Tujunga, California. Along the way her parents met a man named Charles Manson.
With shackles and bullet holes, a child’s Ku Klux Klan outfit, and signs reading “Colored only,” the collection called “Forgotten Images” is raw, unblinking and authentic.
“You look at these images and you can’t help but have some kind of emotion evoked,” said CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) Outreach and Engagement Librarian Lydia Collins. “I hope it will create opportunities for authentic dialogue and disruptive discourse that leads to positive changes and helps us learn about one another.”
Rural California — The history of racism and slavery runs deep in the veins of agribusiness rooted in the United States. It keeps shifting names and rebranding as Big Ag finds sources of cheaper labor. Join us in a three part webinar series (March 25) where you will have the opportunity to hear from advocates, organizers, elders and community who have been intergenerationally impacted by exploitation in the fields of the United States. This series will be presented in Spanish with interpretation into English and Mixteco. We hope you can join us.
Through March 25, the Channel Islands Maritime Museum (CIMM) will present its latest temporary exhibition “Coast Guard Art” in its Brenda and Gary Farr Gallery.
The Coast Guard Art Program, tasked with revealing the truth and educating the public through diverse mediums, goes beyond the simple recording of events. Coast Guard Art, made by those who protect our shores, commemorates, instructs, documents, and raises morale at home and at the front.
Ventura Land Trust is pleased to partner with renown native plant guide and educator Lanny Kaufer for a wildflower walk at Harmon Canyon Preserve on Saturday, March 26th from 9:00 am to 11:00 am. There are 20 spaces available for the hike at $35 each.
Kaufer is well-known in Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties for his Herb Walks, interpretive native plant walks and nature hikes, which he began leading more than 40 years ago in 1976. This will be the first hike led by Kaufer at Harmon Canyon Preserve.
Museum of Contemporary Art Santa Barbara’s Annual Fundraiser is back!
Save the date for this captivating immersive art experience.
Join in a dynamic discussion led by @jerrygogosian about the art world, art market, and how museums continue to serve artists and their communities.
The event will come to life with an immersive installation designed by
Travis Hutchison, featuring a suite of virtual reality films of three legendary artists melding art, music, and innovation.
Lumina Alliance is hosting its inaugural fundraiser, Lumina Nights, on Sunday, March 27 at La Lomita Ranch in San Luis Obispo. The gala will be the first major event following the merger of RISE and Stand Strong in July 2021 and will raise funds to support those impacted by sexual and intimate partner violence in San Luis Obispo County.
An evening filled with music, wine, dining, and dancing under the stars, Lumina Nights will create new traditions and celebrate those leaders making an impact in our community and in the movement to end gender-based violence. Shining Light awards will be given to four community members and partners for their dedication to survivors of sexual and intimate partner violence.
After two years of Zoom services, Unity of Ventura has returned to in-person gatherings. Its March 27 service will feature the Rev. TJ Woodward, author and founding minister of Agape Bay Area in Oakland. Services are at 10:00 a.m. every Sunday at the Santa Paula Room in the Poinsettia Pavilion (3451 Foothill Rd., Ventura).
Woodward is a bestselling author, inspirational speaker and recovery expert who is the creator of The Conscious Recovery Method for treating addiction. He speaks with wisdom, humor and insight.
UCSB Arts & Lectures presents Silkroad, Home Within, Kinan Azmeh, composer, clarinet, Kevork Mourad, live illustrations, visuals, Thursday, March 31st at 8:00 p.m. at Campbell Hall.
The Santa Barbara Museum of Art will present Parallel Stories “On Freedom: A Conversation with Author Maggie Nelson” at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, March 31.
Author Maggie Nelson returns to SBMA’s Parallel Stories with a reading and discussion of On Freedom: Four Songs of Care and Constraint, a boundary-pushing, provocative work that explores the notion of freedom through four lenses: art, sex, drugs, and the climate. In this highly anticipated follow-up to the award-winning The Argonauts, Nelson continues to astound as “one of the most electrifying writers at work in America today, among the sharpest and most supple thinkers of her generation” (The Guardian).
Students for Eco-Education and Agriculture (SEEAG) will join the Camarillo Public Library in commemorating Cesar Chavez and his contribution to agriculture, labor rights, and environmental justice. Following a reading of Kathleen Krull’s “Harvesting Hope: The Story of Cesar Chavez,” SEEAG will provide children and their families with a look into the importance of our agricultural workers, the crops grown in Ventura County and how these crops contribute to our nutritional well-being.
The Annual Cesar Chavez Memorial March Committee will present “The Legacy of Cesar Chavez the Farm workers and Dolores Huerta” celebration online and from 3 to 8 p.m. Thursday, March 31 at the Open Door Art Studio, 329 N. 5th St., Oxnard.
The Association of Mexican American Educators – Oxnard Chapter will hold a fundraiser from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday, April 1 at Panda Express.
Order online @www.pandaexpress.com or on The Panda Express App. Enter Code 332885
Beginning April 1, 2022, the Channel Islands Maritime Museum (CIMM) will be presenting its latest exhibition, The Oxnard Union High School District Student Art Show, in its Brenda and Gary Farr Gallery.
Art is a strong, unifying element within the community and students will be showcasing their talents in a variety of two-dimensional and three-dimensional mediums.
“We are proud to host a show where students can share their creative expressions and lived experiences,” said CIMM’s Collections and Exhibitions Manager Olivia Williamson. “We invite you to come and witness the next generation of great artists.”
The Museum of Ventura County has been partnering with the county library to bring bilingual (in English and Spanish) in-person Story Time every first Friday of the month at 3 p.m. That way kids will have time to come right after school. This month’s theme is EARTH DAY. Join us for stories, then play and learn in the Chumash Garden and Evelyn and Howard Boroughs Children’s Garden, a fabulous and FREE outing for ALL!
A recital of cello and piano music at California Lutheran University will consist entirely of works written by female composers.
Cellist Yoshika Masuda, director of string studies at Cal Lutheran, and guest pianist HyeJin Kim will present the faculty recital at 2 p.m. Sunday, April 3, in Samuelson Chapel.
They will perform works for cello and piano written by female composers over a 250-year span. The concert will help Masuda prepare to record his first CD, which is being funded in part by a Cal Lutheran Faculty Research and Creative Work Award.
“My goal with this recital and CD is not just to highlight these underappreciated female composers, but to bring to light their talent and skill as simply great composers,” Masuda said.
Founder of Sharing Crossing Project (SCP) and author of At Heaven’s Door, William Peters, hosts “Awaken to the Transformational Power of the Shared Death Experience (SDE) with special guest and founder of The Centre for Sacred Deathcare, Sarah Kerr PhD,” at 5 p.m. Thursday, April 7.
Most people are afraid of death of dying and fear that their loved ones might die alone. Death is also stressful, as all too often it comes without adequate preparation. Our culture views death as the ultimate finality–the end of all things.
As such, our society encourages us to avoid discussing death, overcome feelings of grief, and dismiss serious consideration of life after death. The cumulative effects of this are that we know very little about dying, death, and what might exist afterward.
Resource Innovation Institute (RII), in collaboration with Tri-County Regional Energy Network (3C-REN), will launch “Efficient Cultivation to Increase Cannabis Profit & Productivity,” a four-part workshop series and virtual classroom for cannabis cultivation operations in San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties. This training and education program is free to regional producers and industry partners, and features vetted subject matter experts from RII’s Technical Advisory Council.
Santa Barbara Museum of Art to present “Van Gogh the Anglophile: Looking Through his Eyes at Victorian Art Art Matters Lecture with Malcolm Warner” from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Thursday, April 7 at SBMA’s Mary Craig Auditorium, 1130 State St., Santa Barbara.
As a pioneer of the modern movement, Van Gogh seems an unlikely fan of what we call Victorian art. But his time in London left him with a love of English painting and illustration. He looked up to the pre-eminent English painter, John Everett Millais, and collected gritty, working-class images from London magazines. “For me,” he wrote to his brother Theo in 1882, “one of the highest and noblest expressions of art is always that of the English.”
UCSB Arts & Lectures to present FREE film screening and conversation of “Manzanar, Diverted: When Water Becomes Dust,” featuring Director/Producer Ann Kaneko on Thursday, April 7th at 7:00 p.m. at Pollack Theater.
An inspired and poetic portrait of a place and its people, Manzanar, Diverted explores the rich yet painful history of California’s Owens Valley, from colonization to water rights. Capturing the intersectionality of the region, the award-winning film chronicles the efforts of an unexpected alliance of Indigenous, environmental activist and Japanese-American World War II incarceree women as they defend their water, history and culture against Los Angeles’ endless thirst. (Ann Kaneko, 2021, 84 min.)
The West Ventura County Business Alliance, the chamber of commerce serving Camarillo and Oxnard, is hosting a Spring Business Expo & Mixer on Thursday, April 7, 2022.
The semi-annual event is designed to bring together businesses and potential new customers in a fun, casual networking environment. The WVCBA Spring Business Expo & Mixer is free to the public.
Local business owners and representatives will showcase their products, explain their services, and make valuable in-person connections for strategic partnerships or new customers.
The Museum of Ventura County will present Mariposas del Campo Documentary Screening from 2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, April 9 at 100 E. Main St., Ventura.
FREE EVENT!
RSVP: https://interland3.donorperfect.net/weblink/weblink.aspx?name=E342153&id=113
Pre-event music with Juan Mendoza and bar will start at 2 pm. Event formally starts at 3 pm.
Mariposas del Campo, an award-winning film by Bill Yahraus and Robin Rosenthal, shares the stories of indigenous Mixtec, Zapotec, and Purépecha teenagers from Mexico striving to change their families’ destinies in the strawberry fields of Oxnard, California. The documentary captures their journeys—with help from the characters’ own intimate videos—as they navigate cultural identity, parental expectations, economic challenges, and the justice needs of their migrant farmworker community. For young people whose lives have always been steeped in uncertainty, it takes a leap of faith to chase a dream.
Just in time for the busy summer swim season, the Southeast Ventura County YMCA is offering a Red Cross lifeguard certification course at its Yarrow Family YMCA branch, Saturday and Sunday, April 9 and 10. The two-day program will be held in the Yarrow Y’s indoor pool (31105 Thousand Oaks Blvd., Westlake Village). Class hours are 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
The lifeguard certification class includes training in CPR/Automated External Defibrillator use and first aid. Participants will receive the skills to prevent, recognize and tend to injuries until emergency medical services arrive. This is a blended learning course with an online component to be completed prior to the start of the in-person class.
UCSB Arts & Lectures presents the world premiere of Everything Rises, a commission featuring Jennifer Koh and Davóne Tines, Tuesday, April 12th at 8:00 p.m. Pacific at Campbell Hall.
Recognized for her dazzling virtuosity and technical assurance, violinist Jennifer Koh is a forward-thinking artist dedicated to exploring an eclectic repertoire while promoting diversity in classical music. Davóne Tines, lauded as a “depths-plumbing bass-baritone” byThe New York Times, is building an international career commanding a broad spectrum of opera and concert performance. Everything Rises is a multimedia collaboration born from the artists’ desire to understand themselves as the descendants of refugees and slaves and reveal a universal history shared by immigrants and minority Americans.
Earl Warren Showgrounds is pleased to announce its first Community Engagement Forum, which will be a regularly scheduled public meeting to discuss the community’s hopes and vision for the future of the showgrounds, and to provide updates and answer questions.
UCSB Arts & Lectures presents performances by Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater on Thursday, April 14th at 8:00 p.m. at the Granada Theatre. This presentation is part of the 2021-2022 CREATING HOPE programming initiative.
UCSB Arts & Lectures presents Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater featuring Robert Battle, Artistic Director and Matthew Rushing, Associate Artistic Director on Wednesday, April 13th and Thursday, April 14th at 8:00 p.m. Pacific at the Granada Theatre.
Celebrating over 60 years of unparalleled artistry, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater stands tall as an enduring cultural touchstone, reminding us of the power of dance to bring people together. The Ailey company has cultivated the best and brightest choreographers working today – gifted artists exploring themes of hope, sorrow, joy and resilience – and its dancers dazzle with their trademark technical brilliance and passionate energy. The groundbreaking company returns to Santa Barbara with new and classic works, including founder Alvin Ailey’s masterpiece Revelations.
This moving series gives the stage to OC students to speak their own truths through the stories of their lives. This year, we feature four dynamic OC graduating students Reina Gallardos, Carina Rios, Viviana Cardenas, and Melanie Jean Burke who all share their stories of resilience and fortitude in achieving their educational goals during this toughest year. These inspiring OC grads help us see how we can adopt the same hope and commitment in our lives! WEspeak is guided and directed by OC English Professor José Maldonado and OC ASL Professor Emily Zwaal.
The Santa Barbara Museum of Art will present “Shadow Art: Influences and Inspirations,” Parallel Stories with Sameer Pandya and Andrew Winer, at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, April 14 at SBMA’s Mary Craig Auditorium, 1130 State St., Santa Barbara.
The exhibition Through Vincent’s Eyes: Van Gogh and His Sources reconnects this iconic artist to his 19th-century context and invites us to consider the artists, musicians, and writers he admired.
The West Ventura County Business Alliance, the chamber of commerce serving Camarillo and Oxnard, is pleased to welcome Keith Freitas, Director of Airports for Ventura County, as the keynote speaker for the Business & Economic Outlook on Thursday, April 14.
Freitas is expected to discuss their economic impacts of the county-operated airports and share the latest updates. The County of Ventura Department of Airports owns and manages Camarillo Airport and Oxnard Airport.
Freitas accepted his current position in Ventura County in November 2021. He previously worked at Long Beach Municipal Airport, Mineta San Jose International Airport, and Contra Costa County, where he was the Director of Airports for 19 years.
UCSB Arts & Lectures presents Founder of Homeboy Industries Father Gregory Boyle The Power of Extravagant Tenderness on Monday, April 18th at 7:30 p.m. Pacific at Campbell Hall. This presentation is part of the 2021-2022 CREATING HOPE programming initiative and Justice For All series.
Father Gregory Boyle has transformed thousands of lives as the founder of Homeboy Industries, the largest and most successful gang intervention and rehabilitation program in the world.
UCSB Arts & Lectures presents Britain’s breakout stars Sheku Kanneh-Mason, cello, Isata Kanneh-Mason, piano on Tuesday, April 19th at 7:00 p.m. Pacific at Campbell Hall. This presentation is part of the 2021-2022 CREATING HOPE programming initiative.
Cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason first gained renown as winner of the 2016 BBC Young Musician competition (the first Black musician to take the title), soon launching to stardom after his performance at the 2018 wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.
Join Hospice of Santa Barbara on Wednesday, April 20th at 6:00 PM for their next illuminate Speaker Series Event, Amanda Kloots: Maintaining Positivity Through Life’s Challenges.
Amanda Kloots is a television host, bestselling author, broadway actress, award-winning fitness entrepreneur, and most recently a finalist on the 30th Season of Dancing with the Stars.
Woman-owned business professionals seeking to increase publicity for their companies in 2022 can learn the latest marketing tips and tricks at the upcoming National Association of Women Business Owners Santa Barbara (NAWBO-SB) event on Wednesday morning, April 20.
Jennifer Goddard Combs, leading expert in publicity and marketing, will present “Tips on How to Market Your Business 101” at the Women’s Economic Ventures (WEV) Community Room, located at 21 East Canon Perdido, Suite 301, Santa Barbara, CA. The presentation will offer inspirational ideas for boosting publicity and sales. As Combs says, “Publicity is free, and advertising is paid.”
Join UCSB Arts & Lectures as they present Michael Steele How to Win Elections and Lose the Country on (Rescheduled to April 21, 2022) at Campbell Hall.
To paraphrase Friedrich Nietzsche, madness is rare in individuals – but in political parties it’s the rule. Yet how do political activism and the rise of grassroots movements impact policymakers and the status quo? MSNBC analyst and former Republican National Committee chair Michael Steele examines our political parties and the systems they create in the fight for electoral success. And how the emergence of Donald Trump, Bernie Sanders and future presidential contenders may signal not just a profound transformation of both political parties but their eventual end.
UCSB Arts & Lectures presents Director of the MIT Media Lab’s Space Enabled Program, Danielle Wood, Space Enabled Earth Justice: Using Space Technology to Improve Life on Friday, April 22nd at 7:30 p.m. Pacific at Campbell Hall.
Please join us on Saturday, April 23 for the annual VADA DRAW fundraiser in support of Santa Barbara High School’s Visual Arts and Design Academy. The VADA DRAW will be a fun evening of art, music, and delicious food and drinks from Cape D’Or Wines, Ysidro Sake Spritz, and Apropos Catering. The exciting DRAW raffle features art donated by over 100 local and global artists, celebrities, and talented VADA students.
UCSB Arts & Lectures presents Danish String Quartet The Doppelgänger Project, Part II on Wednesday, April 27th at 7:00 p.m. at Campbell Hall.
This season, the Danish String Quartet introducesDoppelgänger, an ambitious four-year project supported by Arts & Lectures and a variety of international partners. The project pairs world premieres from four renowned composers with chamber music masterpieces by Schubert, including “Death and the Maiden” and the “Rosamunde” quartet. The quartet, featuring violinists Frederik Øland and Rune Tonsgaard Sørenson, violist Asbjørn Nørgaard and cellist Fredrik Schøyen Sjölin will perform a premiere with its doppelgänger – the Schubert quartet or quintet that inspired it.
Santa Barbara Museum of Art to present “UCSB Gagaku Project — Music of the Imperial Ceremonies of Japan, One Thousand Years of Elegance and Harmony” at 6 p.m. Wednesday, April 27 at SBMA’s Mary Craig Auditorium, 1130 State St., Santa Barbara.
In collaboration with the UCSB Gagaku Project, a multidisciplinary initiative spearheaded in 2019 by UCSB Professor Fabio Rambelli, SBMA’s Friends of Asian Art is proud to present a Japanese gagaku performance.
In celebration of National Arab American Heritage Month, join us for the third session of our “From Local to Global: Celebrating Diversity” event series, as we feature a dynamic panel of Arab & Middle Eastern American founders and leaders from Southern California based companies, who will share how they have successfully grown their businesses internationally.
Shakespeare meets Green Day in an original musical parody of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” that will be performed April 28 through May 1 at California Lutheran University.
“A Midsemester Prom Night’s Dream” will begin at 8 p.m. April 28, 29 and 30 in Preus-Brandt Forum on the Thousand Oaks campus. A 2 p.m. matinee will be presented on May 1.
The Santa Barbara Museum of Art will present the Valencia Baryton Project at next Chamber Music Concert at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 28 at SBMA’s Mary Craig Auditorium, 1130 State St., Santa Barbara.
UCSB Arts & Lectures presents An Evening with Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award-winning author Colson Whitehead on Thursday, April 28th at 7:30 p.m. Campbell Hall.
Colson Whitehead is the No. 1 New York Times bestselling author of unforgettable novels such as The Underground Railroad (winner of the Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award), Zone One, John Henry Days and The Intuitionist. He was named New York’s 11th state author in 2018, and his 2020 book The Nickel Boys also garnered a Pulitzer Prize, making Whitehead only the fourth writer to win two Pulitzers for fiction. His highly-anticipated new novel, Harlem Shuffle, was published in the fall of 2021.
The Camarillo Spring Job Fair will be held from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. Thursday, April 28 at Constitution Park, Camarillo.
On April 28, 2022, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., The Museum of Ventura County welcomes back Ivor Davis, as he gets “Up Close and Personal” with famed TV personality and game show host Bob Eubanks, best known for hosting the explosively popular, “The Newlywed Game.” Guests are welcomed in-person at the Museum’s Ventura campus on 100 E Main St., and virtually through Zoom. For more information and registration, please visit: venturamuseum.org.
UCSB Arts & Lectures (A&L) presents Ballet Hispánico Noche de Oro: A Celebration of 50 Years, Friday, Friday, April 29th at 8:00 p.m. at The Granada Theatre.
Named one of America’s Cultural Treasures by the Ford Foundation, Ballet Hispánico celebrates Latinx cultures through innovative performances that elevate diverse artists and ignite cultural pride. This 50th anniversary program from the pioneering, New York-based company features Annabelle Lopez Ochoa’s biting, West Side Story-inspired Tiburones. The award-winning Lopez Ochoa, a sought-after choreographer who excels at narrative ballet, has created works for 68 dance companies worldwide. Noche de Oro also includes Gustavo Ramírez Sansano’s 18+1 and Vicente Nebrada’s Arabesque.
UCSB Arts & Lectures presents Musical America’s 2019 Artist of the Year, Daniil Trifonov, piano on Saturday, April 30th at 7:00 p.m. at Campbell Hall. The performance is part of the CREATING HOPE programming initiative.
UCSB Arts & Lectures presents photographer and filmmaker, Ami Vitale, Wild Hope on Sunday, May 1st at 3:00 p.m. at Campbell Hall.
Photographer and filmmaker Ami Vitale’s award-winning work illuminates the unsung heroes and communities working to protect our wildlife and find harmony in our natural world. From the reintroduction of northern white rhinos and giant pandas to the wild, to Kenya’s first indigenous-owned and run elephant sanctuary, Vitale’s awe-inspiring images and adventures will enthrall audiences of all ages.
Oxnard College will welcome families on campus for a day of festivities and fun at its inaugural Family Festival on May 1. This family-friendly event from noon – 3 p.m. is free and open to the community. It will take place in front of the college’s Performing Arts Building and will be hosted in tandem with the Oxnard College Foundation’s weekly Community Market.
“We hope to grow this event into an annual tradition so that young children can begin thinking about college from an early age and so our community can learn about Oxnard College’s award-winning programs,” said Luis Sanchez, president of Oxnard College.
UCSB Arts & Lectures presents Data Scientist and Bestselling Author Cathy O’Neil, The Shame Machine: Who Profits in the New Age of Humiliation on Tuesday, May 3rd at 7:30 p.m. Pacific at Campbell Hall.
Mathematician and data scientist Cathy O’Neil explores the realities and dangers of social networking, the consequences of algorithm design, and defending human dignity in the context of predatory capitalism.
Join us at the 10th Annual World Trade Week Event! Trade consuls from around the world, high-ranking Department of Commerce officials, local elected officials, business leaders and maritime industry experts will gather to present an important program with a special focus on environment, green technology and economics related to the marine realm.
You are invited to attend an event to discuss how Tourism, Arts, Culture, and the Creative Economy contribute to the Economic Vitality of our County. The Tourism and Creative Economy Summit will feature speakers and a panel to discuss the economic impact of tourism and the creative economy. After the event, plan to stay for a special Art Exhibit and Cocktail Reception featuring an art display curated by the Ventura County Art Council. The reception will be held in the yet-to-be-unveiled new restaurant opening soon at the beautiful Crowne Plaza Ventura Beach.
UCSB Arts & Lectures presents Dazzling French Masters, Gautier Capuçon, cello Jean-Yves Thibaudet, piano on Wednesday, May 4th at 7:00 p.m. at Campbell Hall.
A 21st century ambassador for the cello, Gautier Capuçon is a multiple award winner celebrated for his “extraordinary sophistication, dynamic daring and supple phrasing” (The Times, U.K.).
Check out the student startups, and vote for your favorite ideas
In person on Cal Lutheran’s campus – May 4
Cal Lutheran’s New Venture Fair (NVF) is back in person! The NVF 2022 showcases 60 student-led startup projects, including those from Cal Lutheran’s undergraduate, graduate, and Executive MBA in Europe programs, in addition to high school teams from Oaks Christian School, Thousand Oaks High School, Bakersfield Christian High School, and primary school teams from Start-Up Kids and One Spark Academy.
The NVF is an expo-style event where each team furnishes its booth and demos its product. The community is invited to circulate the room, meet the teams, learn about their startup ideas, and vote for their favorites. Awards will be presented at the end of the evening.
Santa Barbara Museum of Art will present Free Community Day at SBMA for Santa Barbara and Ventura County residents at 8 p.m. Thursday, May 5 at 1130 State St., Santa Barbara.
Santa Barbara and Ventura County residents enjoy free admission to the Museum (including the special exhibitionThrough Vincent’s Eyes: Van Gogh and His Sources). Enjoy art activities from 5:30 to 7:30 pm in the Family Resource Center. Proof of residence is required upon entry.
UCSB Arts & Lectures presents Roots/Alt-rock Powerhouse, Amythyst Kiah on Thursday, May 5th at 8:00 p.m. at Campbell Hall.
With an unforgettable voice that’s both unfettered and exquisitely controlled, singer-songwriter Amythyst Kiah has been dubbed “one of Americana’s great up-and-coming secrets” by Rolling Stone.
On Thursday May 5th, approximately forty 7th-12th-grade students from Ventura Unified School District (VUSD)will be presenting their environmental business proposals to a panel of judges. Students had the option of choosing a project from 4 categories: water conservation, energy efficiency, waste reduction at their school campuses, or to inform their communities about the benefits of removing the relic Matilija Dam from the Ventura River. The event will take place at the Museum of Ventura County, in downtown Ventura, from 4 -7 pm. The keynote speaker for the event is Chipper Bro, Entrepreneur, Environmental Advocate, and professional Surfer.
KCLU’s General Manager Mary Olson will be MCing the Southeast Ventura County YMCA National Day of Prayer Breakfast again. The breakfast is Thursday, May 5 at CLU’s Gilbert Sports Center in Thousand Oaks.
“Mary always brings an upbeat energy to the breakfast,” says Ronnie Stone, Southeast Ventura County YMCA President/CEO. “She sets the tone for a truly wonderful event.”
David Sedaris is a master of satire, known for his wit, weirdness and seriously funny observations about himself and the world around him. Through his legendary live events, numerous personal essay collections and regular contributions to the New Yorker and NPR’s This American Life, Sedaris has become one of today’s most beloved writers addressing the human condition.
Southeast Ventura County YMCA is holding a free community event to inspire more kids to keep their minds and bodies active during the summer. The YMCA’s Healthy Kids’ Day, the Y’s national initiative to improve health and well-being for kids and families, will be held from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. and will feature crafts, face painting, inflatables, a poster contest, games, enrichment classes and a fun slime-the-Y-teacher activity. Healthy Kids’ Day will be held at the Yarrow Family YMCA in Westlake Village on Saturday, April 30 and at the Simi Valley Family YMCA on Saturday, May 7.
Studio Channel Islands Art Center (SCIART) invites the public to the Shelter art fundraiser, noon to 6 pm, May 7, in support of Ukrainian refugees. SCIART’s Members Gallery is currently showing Displacement and Resilience, a very special exhibition curated by artist Elana Kundell in response to the current war in Ukraine. This exhibition explores how artists are transforming trauma and the generational impacts of displacement through their creative process.
Join MCASB to celebrate the opening of the exhibition Through What Agency? on Saturday, May 7, 2022. MCASB’s members are invited to join us from 5-6 PM for the Member + VIP Walkthrough featuring a unique performance by exhibiting artist Jacob Kirkegaard. Not yet an MCASB member? Click here to sign up now!
Over the course of four months, MCASB will turn its galleries into an evolving community-driven space dedicated to exploring how individuals, organizations, and businesses in Santa Barbara County address issues related to climate change, and climate justice.
Esta obra reflexiona sobre la interacción entre las relaciones humanas, la burocracia y el significado de la vida y la muerte. Un hombre se embarca en el último viaje de su vida, solo para ser confrontado por una enfermera que desafía su existencia y cómo tener equipaje nunca ha sido más importante.
The California Art Club and Santa Paula Art Museum present “En Plein Air: An Exploration of Malibu and Ventura County,” featuring 32 artist members of the famed, century-old art club. As one of the oldest, largest and most active art organizations in the country, the California Art Club (founded in Los Angeles in 1909) is a community of artists dedicated to contemporary-traditional fine art and its time-honored skills. All of the artworks featured in the exhibit will be for sale. “En Plein Air” will be on view at the Santa Paula Art Museum through May 8, 2022.
UCSB Arts & Lectures presents “Ted Chiang,” moderated by Melody Jue, Associate Professor, UCSB English on Tuesday, May 10th at 7:30 p.m. at Campbell Hall.
Acclaimed science fiction and fantasy short story writer Ted Chiang has won four Hugo, four Nebula, and four Locus awards.
Acclaimed science fiction and fantasy short story writer Ted Chiang has won four Hugo, four Nebula, and four Locus awards.
Beginning May 10, 2022, the Channel Islands Maritime Museum (CIMM) will be presenting its latest exhibition “71% ? Honoring Vital Waters” in its Brenda and Gary Farr Gallery.
“71%: Honoring Vital Waters” is an eclectic, mixed media show of pieces by local artists Shannon Celia and Mary Neville. Through figurative expressionism and colorful abstraction, both Celia and Neville delve into the beauty of our world’s waters, including oceans, freshwater lakes, rivers, swamps, glaciers, and ice caps.
UCSB Arts & Lectures presents The Joffrey Ballet on Thursday, May 12th at 8:00 p.m. Pacific at the Granada Theatre.
Classically trained to the highest standards, the Chicago-based Joffrey Ballet is considered one of the premier dance companies performing today. Heralded as “America’s Company of Firsts,” the Joffrey was the first dance company to perform at the White House (at Jacqueline Kennedy’s invitation), the first to appear on American television, the first to create a ballet set to rock music and the first to appear on the cover of Time magazine. Committed to artistic excellence and innovation, the company performs a unique repertoire encompassing past masterpieces and cutting-edge works.
Housing Trust Fund Ventura County (Housing Trust Fund VC) announced (on April 7) that Housing and Community Development (HCD) Director Gustavo Velasquez will keynote the nonprofit’s signature event – Compassion Campaign 2022 on Thursday, May 12th at Maravilla Gardens in Camarillo.
“We are honored that Director Velasquez sees the work we are doing here in Ventura County to provide safe, equitable homes for all and will be sharing his perspective on the state of affordable housing in California,” said Linda Braunschweiger, CEO, Housing Trust Fund Ventura County.
Family Service Agency welcomes you to our annual fundraiser, an evening with Dr. Sarah Y. Vinson, esteemed youth and child psychiatrist, and co-editor of Social (In)Justice and Mental Health and Pediatric Mental Health for Primary Care Providers. Dr. Vinson will be presenting on the topic of Supporting Youth Mental Health, followed by a Q&A. This discussion and reception will take place on Thursday May 12th, 2022 at 5PM at the Santa Barbara Woman’s Club, followed by a paddle raise to support Family Service Agency, Santa Maria Youth & Family Center, and Guadalupe’s The Little House By The Park.
Housing Trust Fund Ventura County (Housing Trust Fund VC) will host their 2022 Compassion Campaign on May 12, 2022, from 5PM-9PM, in-person at Maravilla Gardens in Camarillo. Sponsored in part by City National Bank, this unique evening invites guests into an immersive experience highlighting that all lives are connected through one common need – safe and secure housing. For tickets and sponsorship opportunities, please visit: www.housingtrustfundvc.org/compassioncampaign2022
The Oxnard Performing Arts Center Corporation (OPAC) is proud to partner with Pinaysphere, a Filipinx Arts Mentorship nonprofit, to present its first Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Celebration, Friday, May 13, 2022 from 5pm to 12am. The event is in celebration of AAPI Heritage Month which recognizes the contributions and influences of Asian Americans and Pacific Islander Americans to the history, culture, and achievements of the United States. OPAC’s event amplifies the narratives of our AAPI community by spotlighting local and international talent, entrepreneurs, healers, and grassroots leaders. Guests will enjoy a headlining performance by legendary master taiko drummer Kenny Endo and his Ensemble.
UCSB Arts & Lectures presents Bestselling Author and Pulitzer Prize Winner Elizabeth Strout in conversation with Pico Iyer at 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 13 at UCSB Campbell Hall.
??A New York Times Best Seller List mainstay, Elizabeth Strout captivates audiences with her finely drawn characters, incisive prose and powerful ability to transform the ordinary into the extraordinary.
California Lutheran University will hold its 2022 Traditional Undergraduate Commencement at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, May 14. It will take place in William Rolland Stadium on the Thousand Oaks campus for the first time since 2019 because the pandemic necessitated a virtual ceremony in 2020 and an off-campus drive-in event in 2021.
California Lutheran University will hold its 2022 Graduate and Professionals Commencement at 9 a.m. Saturday, May 14. It will take place in William Rolland Stadium on the Thousand Oaks campus for the first time since 2019 because the pandemic necessitated a virtual ceremony in 2020 and an off-campus drive-in event in 2021.
The 59th annual ceremony will honor 79 students in the Bachelor’s Degree for Professionals program, 428 earning master’s degrees and 32 receiving doctorates. A separate ceremony will be held later in the day for traditional undergraduate students receiving bachelor’s degrees.
Join us at MCASB on Saturday, May 14 from 3-5 PM to celebrate the opening of the Teen Arts Collective exhibition Footprints!
MCASB is proud to present Footprints, a group exhibition by the 2022 Teen Arts Collective (TAC) cohort, on view at the Museum from May 14-29, 2022. As the global ecological footprint continues to grow at an alarming rate, these six young artists have united to explore environmental issues that not only affect them personally but also speak to the current state of affairs in their local and global communities. Addressing topics such as sustainability and the human impacts of climate change, Footprintsprovides a glimpse into each artist’s individual journeys of environmental awareness and accountability. TAC comprises six students from Santa Barbara, spanning several different schools and grade levels.
Teen Arts Collective is a hands-on program that makes the contemporary art world acces
The Santa Barbara Museum of Art to present the Ying Quartetat 7:30 p.m. Monday, May 16 at SBMA’s Mary Craig Auditorium, 1130 State St., Santa Barbara.
The Ying Quartet occupies a position of unique prominence in the classical music world, combining brilliantly communicative performances with a fearlessly imaginative view of chamber music in today’s world. Now in its second decade as a group, the Quartet has established itself as an ensemble of the highest musical qualifications in its tours across the United States and abroad. Their performances regularly take place in many of the world’s most important concert halls, from Carnegie Hall to the Sydney Opera House. The Ying Quartet performed at SBMA in 2013 and 2017.
UCSB Arts & Lectures (A&L) is pleased to welcome new Senior Writer/Publicist Charles Donelan to its team effective May 16, 2022. A&L is the premier arts presenting organization between Los Angeles and San Francisco, producing more than 100 public events annually with world-renowned artists and speakers, and an equally robust array of complementary community outreach and arts education activities. In this role, Donelan will apply his extensive experience with arts and entertainment writing and media relations to continue to elevate A&L’s profile locally and nationally.
“We are thrilled to welcome Charles Donelan to the Arts & Lectures team. As a journalist, Charles has been one of our strongest allies. His familiarity with our program and the local arts scene is unparalleled, and we look forward to working with him more closely than ever to shine a light on our events and impact in the community,” said Celesta M. Billeci, Miller McCune Executive Director.
United Way of Santa Barbara County’s Women United Derby Luncheon will be on Wednesday, May 18, 2022, from 11:30-1:30 PM at the Plaza de Sol, Hilton Santa Barbara (633 E Cabrillo Blvd, Santa Barbara, CA 93103).
This year’s event will feature keynote speaker Beate Chelette. Beate is the Growth Architect and founder of The Women’s Code, a strategic business and balanced leadership development company.
Join an engaging conversation centered on meaningfully bringing into our workplaces Environmental Sustainability and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) practices. Hosted by NAWBO (the National Association of Women Business Owners), attendees will also share what they learned and how they adapted to the changes brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Parker Clay will open the event with an Ethiopian coffee ceremony, a way of conveying friendship and respect. Women of varied backgrounds and ages will then offer their perspectives about how to make workplaces reflective of our communities and welcoming to all ages and backgrounds.
Earl Warren Showgrounds is pleased to announce its second Community Engagement Forum, which will be a regularly scheduled public meeting to discuss the community’s hopes and vision for the future of the showgrounds, and to provide updates and answer questions.
Earl Warren Showgrounds leadership invites the public to join its Board President, a second board member, Earl Warren Showgrounds CEO and, if available, members of its staff to provide community feedback and to discuss relevant topics. Earl Warren Showgrounds wants to solicit public feedback for board activities and facility improvements, while providing a venue for board members to listen to stakeholders and residents to understand key issues through the lens of the community.
Friends –
We need your help and muscle! 208 Kuranda dog beds were donated by members of the public, but they arrived unassembled. Will you help build-a-bed? If so, please bring a couple of required tools: 7/16″ wrench and a Phillip’s head screwdriver. We’ll be building outdoors on our lawn, so feel free to bring a shade canopy, folding table, and chairs. No RSVP needed. Please park on the street to allow front lot space for urgent shelter business. Children are welcome, but we ask parent to use their best judgement as there will be power tools in use.
See you Saturday, May 21st between 9:00am – 12:00pm.
Thank you for your support!
Ventura County Animal Services
On Saturday, May 21st from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm, Ventura Land Trust (VLT) will partner with Safeport Cannabis Dispensary and Topa Topa Brewing Company for a community volunteer event at Harmon Canyon Preserve. As many as 75 community volunteers will work to remove dense stands of invasive plant species at the preserve.
This collaborative community volunteer event is a project of VLT’s Wildlife Habitat Improvement Program (WHIP). Invasive plants like black mustard and milk thistle are choking Harmon Canyon Preserve trails and areas of the preserve recently restored with native plants. Black mustard, which grows up to six feet tall, becomes fuel for wildfires as it dries out on the summer. Community support is needed to help uproot large sections of invasive plants before seeds are produced and spread in late summer and fall.
The Ventura County Public Works Agency (VCPWA) is celebrating the resilience of its staff with its annual educational event for National Public Works Week (NPWW) 2022. Based on the hugely successful virtual Public Works Week in 2021 when over 1,500 Ventura County students took part, this year’s event promises to be even better. On Monday, May 16th, 2022, students, faculty, and the public can access a robust curriculum featuring new video demonstrations, educational materials, and interactive projects via the VCPWA website.
Since the pandemic started, experts have warned of a mental health crisis facing American children. That is now playing out at schools across the nation—and in Santa Barbara County—in the form of increased childhood depression, anxiety, panic attacks, eating disorders, fights and thoughts of suicide.
“The pandemic has dramatically increased depression and anxiety in youth,” said Megan McClintock, Director of School Based Counseling Services for Family Service Agency (FSA). “Our organization is certainly seeing more referrals for treatment as well as an increase in severity.”
Help our students blossom by participating in our virtual silent auction! Bidding will be open now through Sunday, May 22 at 5 PM, where you can choose from an exciting selection of local goods, services and experiences. All proceeds will support Camino Scholars, the education program of People’s Self-Help Housing. Don’t miss out!
The Santa Barbara Museum of Art will present “The Sound of Stars Parallel Stories with Jake Heggie” at 3 p.m. Sunday, May 22 at the New Vic Theatre, 33 West Victoria St., Santa Barbara.
In this unique collaboration between the Santa Barbara Museum of Art and Opera Santa Barbara and in celebration of the exhibition Through Vincent’s Eyes: Van Gogh and His Sources, composer, pianist, Grammy nominee, and Guggenheim Fellow Jake Heggie discusses the coming together of “The Starry Night,” a song cycle inspired by the art of Vincent van Gogh with text taken from his letters and poetry by Anne Sexton and Emily Dickinson. Performed by mezzo soprano Erin Alford.
The Santa Barbara Museum of Art features author Geoff Dyer and ‘The Last Days of Roger Federer’ at the next Parallel Stories at5:30 p.m. Thursday May 26 at SBMA’s Mary Craig Auditorium, 1130 State St., Santa Barbara.
In his latest book, the idiosyncratic and indefatigable Geoff Dyer turns his well-honed wit and sharp-edged wisdom to the consideration of endings.
The Ventura County Election Division presents a Bilingual Voter Education Workshop at 3:30 p.m. Saturday, May 28.
Learn about your voting options and the language assistance we provide!
Join us on zoom or via telephone!
Studio Channel Islands Art Center (SCIART) presents Out of Many, One, opening April 2 and on display through May 28. In this exhibition artists use their collective voices to invoke feelings such as fear, joy and frustration to explore and celebrate our differences.
Mayor John C. Zaragoza is pleased to announce that the City of Oxnard along with the Disabled American Veterans – Chapter 24, Vietnam Veterans of Ventura County, Salvation Army, Knights of Columbus Council 750, Military Officers Association of America Ventura County Chapter and the Boy Scouts of America – Troop 231 will jointly host a Memorial Day Ceremony on Monday, May 30, 2022, at Plaza Park starting at 11 a.m.
Pierre Claeyssens ??Veterans Foundation invites you to join them and local First Responders as they pay tribute to those who died serving our country on Monday, May 30, 2022 at 11:00 a.m. sharp at the Santa Barbara Cemetery (901 Channel Drive., Santa Barbara).
Representatives of local first responders attending include:
The California Highway Patrol, Santa Barbara Area
Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office
Santa Barbara Police Department
Santa Barbara City Fire Department
Santa Barbara County Fire Department
Montecito Fire Protection District
SBMA Art Matters lecture explores “The Multiple Surrealisms of Wifredo Lam” with Mey-Yen Moriuchi, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Art History La Salle University, at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, June 2.
On June 4, 2022, United Way of Ventura County (UWVC) will host its 17th annual Spirit Awards Gala, where it will present awards for volunteerism, community impact and corporate citizenship to local community champions. The event will take place from 6-8:30 p.m. at the Hyatt Regency Westlake, located at 880 S. Westlake Blvd.
This year, Midge Campbell-Thomas, President, Bank of America Ventura/Santa Barbara, will be recognized with the Milton M. Teague Award for Outstanding Community Volunteerism. She is receiving this award for her efforts as a volunteer leader with numerous nonprofit organizations with a focus on addressing social and economic concerns and building strong communities.
The second ever Oxnard Insect Festival returns on Saturday, June 4, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. to Plaza Park (500 South C St., Oxnard).
Community members are invited to see, touch, buy and even taste a variety of creepy crawlers at this free event hosted by the City of Oxnard. All youth attendees are encouraged to pick up an Insect Festival passport upon arrival and get it stamped at each booth. The first 200 youth that visit eight booths will receive a free special insect activity kit to take home!
On Saturday, June 4, the Channel Islands Maritime Museum will be presenting its next short film showcase. The Locally Sourced showcase will bring viewers unique perspectives on aquaculture. The films include Dashi Journey, The Super Salmon, and Where There Is Trout. The screening will start at 4:00 pm at the Museum.
The film Super Salmon is an intimate and inspiring look into the impacts of the proposed Susitna-Watana dam on the Susitna River in south-central Alaska.
The Wildling Museum of Art and Nature is pleased to announce Brunch al Fresco, a fundraising event taking place at the historic Alisal Ranch Adobe on Sunday, June 5, 2022, 11 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Attendees will enjoy a unique live auction supporting the Wildling Museum with opportunities to bid on getaways to Sedona, Arizona; Park City, Utah; and San Francisco, one-of-a-kind artworks, and more. Several local artists will also be onsite for the event, providing live demonstrations, as well as selling their unique handcrafted works.
