Carpinteria Arts Center Marks 25 Years with New Teen Mural
CARPINTERIA, Calif. (KEYT) - The Carpinteria Arts Center is celebrating 25 years of bringing art and arts education to the community.
Thousands have visited the nonprofit over the years to take classes, attend events, display artwork and explore their creativity.
Last year alone, about 30,000 visitors came through the center. It also hosted more than 100 free events and provided hundreds of hours of arts education.
“It’s an incredible place to come and learn about art and display your art,” said David Powdrell, advisory chair for the Carpinteria Arts Center.
About 150 volunteers now help keep the center running.
Volunteer Kathleen Waltrip is helping highlight the center’s history through a special anniversary mural made up of pieces representing volunteers, donors and past events.
Local teenage artists are also contributing to the celebration.
They created a dayglow mural that transforms under black light, offering visitors a new way to experience the artwork.
“Every year we give the teenage artists in our town a chance to see the world through their eyes,” said Carpinteria Arts Center Director Kristina Calkins.
Calkins considers the center an important gathering place for the community.
“We don’t have a community center in Carpinteria, so we have risen to become the community center. This is the gathering spot,” she said.
The 25th anniversary celebration runs from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Carpinteria Arts Center.
Waltrip hopes the milestone also brings attention to the importance of supporting local arts and future generations of artists.
For a center built around creativity, the anniversary itself is now becoming part of its history.
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