Fair competition
Rev up your talent and get ready for the 2009 Santa Barbara County Fair. Staffers are accepting entries for competitive exhibits. Whether it’s the best apple pie, a stunning painting of a vineyard, or a well-fitted steer, enter now. All exhibitors must enter online at santamaria fairpark.com.
Copies of the Santa Barbara County Fair Exhibit Guidebook are available at the Santa Barbara Fairpark, Farm Supply, Jedlicka’s Saddlery in Los Olivos, the UC Extension Office in San Luis Obispo, Santa Ynez Feed and Mill in Santa Ynez, Broken Bow in Buellton, the Buellton Chamber of Commerce, the UC Extension Office in Santa Maria, and the Lompoc Chamber of Commerce.
The 2009 Santa Barbara County Fair runs July 15 through 19 with the theme of “It’s a Groovy Time in 2009.” For more information, call 925-8824.
Artists: Money is at hand
The Santa Maria Arts Council is ready to help artists with a drive to succeed. The council is urging locals to apply for grants in visual arts, music, drama, and dance. A total of $10,000 will be awarded in May, with first place awards of $1,500 and second place awards of $1,000 in each. The grants are intended to help an artist’s professional growth, which can include instruments, tools, materials, travel, tuition, and more.
Competitors must be at least 12 years old and have lived in northern Santa Barbara County for two years, or be completing their second year of study locally.
Applications will be available at a grant workshop. For more information, visit smartscouncil.org.
This year’s awards will be presented in honor of Allan Hancock College Fine Arts instructor Bob Nichols, whose community involvement has included a lesson in public art leading to the Highway 101 mural project, featuring 48 ceramic murals on freeway overpasses. He also donates hundreds of bowls to the annual Empty Bowls fundraiser for the Food Bank each year.
For more information on the grants competition, contact Kate Burridge at 489-9649, Marti Fast at mfast@hancock college.edu, or Storm Hogan at 922-6966, Ext. 3252.
Arts Briefs is compiled by Arts Editor Shelly Cone. Information should be sent to the Sun via fax, e-mail, or mail.
This article appears in Feb 19-26, 2009.