2023 California Arts Council announces Artist Fellows of Santa Barbara County

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – The 2023 California Arts Council Artist Fellows of Santa Barbara County have been selected.
The response to this year’s artist fellow in Santa Barbara County was overwhelming.

"It was incredibly competitive, and I think that speaks to the number of artists we have living and working here," said executive director Sarah York Rubin of the Santa Barbara County Office of Arts and Culture.

As a California Arts Council Artist fellow, they are getting unrestricted funding and state-wide recognition.

"Received 11 fellowships from the state which is remarkable given our population and size so we definitely punched above our weight class but we have so many fantastic people living and working here," said Rubin.

One of the recipients is Artist Adrienne De Guevara of Santa Barbara.

:My reaction was one of incredible gratitude excitement. It will allow me a chance to work on some products that I’ve been thinking about for a long time," said De Guevara.

City leaders said you can expect everything from festivals to films and more from these artists. 

"Such a wide range of artistic practices so you’ll see art everywhere," said Rubin.

"It’s not very often that artists are allowed unrestricted funding and so often they are having to justify their work and in the sense it’s really nice to not have to do that," said De Guevara.

The program is meant to uplift individual artistic practice.

"I hope this will be an experience where they can come and witnessed something and be a part of something and experience something in a group," said De Guevara.

Fellowships will support artists of all disciplines at key career stages including artists emerging, established, or are already forming a Legacy.

The city congratulates the 2023-24 Artist Fellows from Santa Barbara County.