Courtesy photos.
Free Family Day on Sunday, October 28, 1 – 4 pm
SANTA BARBARA — The Santa Barbara Museum of Art (SBMA) presents a free family day in celebration of Día de los Muertos on Sunday, October 28, from 1 to 4 pm, in the Museum’s back plaza, Family Resource Center, and galleries. For the 29th year, the Museum honors the Mexican tradition of remembering the dead with a variety of family festivities including altar displays, art activities, live music, dance performances, and traditional Mexican refreshments.Admission to the family event and to the Museum is free.
Inspired by the Día de los Muertos traditions and works of art currently on view in the Museum galleries, the event’s art activities include skull charms, paper flowers, Claude Monet skeleton boxes, still-life mini altars, and an interactive sugar skull mural.
Visit the new Family Resource Center installation Deep Sky Objects Made Visible for Everyone, inspired by April Street’s installation The Mariners’ Grand Staircase (Armoured Stars, Flying Clouds), Learn to tie sailor’s knots, create Celestial Votives in honor of family ancestors, or make a talisman of good luck charms found on adventures at sea that you can wear home.
Music and dance performances include Conjunto Jardin (left), 1 – 2 pm, Folkloric Dance Group Quetzalcoatl, 2:15 – 3:15 pm, and Mariachi Sol Huasteco, 3:15 – 4 pm.
The Day of the Dead is traditionally celebrated by creating altars or “ofrendas” (offerings) that include portraits, personal goods, clothing, favorite foods, and possessions of the deceased family member. This is an important social ritual that symbolizes the cycle of life and death that is human existence. SBMA’s display of altars are created by various partner schools and community organizations including San Marcos High School, Montecito Union School, La Cuesta Continuation School, students enrolled in the Museum’s free in school and after-school programs, including Homework/Artwork After-School Program at Eastside Library, Girls, Inc. Carpinteria, Girls, Inc. Santa Barbra and A-OK After-School at Adelante, and SBMA’s Emerging Teens Program, ArtReach at Canalino School, ArtReach El Camino, SBMA’s Partnership with Knox School, and SBCC ELL program. Each group has incorporated traditional symbols and iconography to offer thanks to departed family, friends, or artists in the Museum’s collection.
Free Family Guides are available at the Visitor Services desks in both English and Spanish.
Free Family Days and all other Family Programs are made possible through the generosity of the Schlosser Family Trust and Connie Frank and Evan C. Thompson. Additional support for Día de los Muertos Free Family Day is provided by Wells Fargo.
The Santa Barbara Museum of Art is one of the finest museums on the West coast and is celebrated for the superb quality of its permanent collection. Its mission is to integrate art into the lives of people through internationally recognized exhibitions and special programs, as well as the thoughtful presentation of its permanent collection.
Santa Barbara Museum of Art, 1130 State Street, Santa Barbara, CA.
Open Tuesday – Sunday 11 am to 5 pm, Free Thursday Evenings 5 – 8 pm
805.963.4364 www.sbma.net