What we do

Four programs.

Every dollar the Foundation raises goes into one of these four buckets. Pick the one that fits, or email us and we'll help you figure it out.

Annual Scholarship

One emerging Santa Barbara artist receives a year of one-on-one mentorship and direct career support. The recipient is selected from the fall Plein Air Santa Barbara show.

The scholarship is the centerpiece of what we do. It pairs financial support with a year of working alongside an established local painter — studio visits, critiques, a path through the practical stuff (pricing, framing, shows).

Selection happens at the fall Plein Air Santa Barbara show, where applicants paint alongside the rest of the community for a working day. The award is announced shortly after.

Materials Grants

Direct funding for supplies — paints, canvas, brushes, framing — so cost never decides whether the next piece gets made.

Materials grants are smaller, faster awards reviewed on a rolling basis. They're for artists who are actively making work and need a specific piece of support — a stack of canvases for a new series, framing for a show, a better easel.

Apply with a short note about what you're making and what the funding would cover. We aim to respond within two weeks.

Mentorship

Free consultations with established local artists. Real working painters, real working sessions, no gatekeeping.

A mentorship session is a one-on-one meeting with a Santa Barbara painter who has been doing the work for a while. Bring questions, bring paintings, bring whatever's stuck. Sessions usually run an hour or two.

Mentorship is open to any emerging artist in the community — no application form, just an email.

Free Plein Air Classes

A five-class series with rotating instructors. Bring a panel, leave with a painting, learn the way Chris learned — outside, in California.

The class series runs once a year, usually in the spring. Five sessions, five different instructors, five locations along the Santa Barbara coast. Materials are not provided, but if cost is a barrier, ask — we have help.

These classes are open to any emerging artist regardless of experience. Beginners welcome.

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