The city of Santa Barbara has named ArtLabbé the recipient of the 2026 Business in Art Award.
The honor recognizes the nonprofit’s work supporting artists with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and expanding opportunities to participate in Santa Barbara’s cultural life.
Established in 2005 by Santa Barbara’s Arts Advisory Committee, the annual Business in Art Award recognizes local businesses that demonstrate leadership in supporting the arts through innovative programs, partnerships or philanthropy.
Community members nominate businesses for the award, with the recipient selected by the City Arts Advisory Committee.
“Among all the candidates that were considered for the award, ArtLabbé distinguished itself not just for establishing an art forward business, but also as a nonprofit partner-in-community, using their platform to advocate and engage underserved neurodivergent communities,” said Darrell McNeill, Arts Advisory Committee chair.
“Their model stimulates creativity and ensures this sector is seen and fully expressed,” he said.
ArtLabbé serves more than 150 individuals in Santa Barbara through arts education, vocational programs and other creative opportunities.
Its programs include the free ArtLabbé Academy, which provides weekly music and visual arts classes; Liberté, an international art and poetry competition for neurodivergent artists; and ArtLabbé Artisans, a vocational program that provides participants opportunities to earn income from their work while developing professional skills.
“As a small nonprofit that is just celebrating its one-year anniversary, receiving this recognition is a huge privilege for us,” said Nathaniel Grotenhuis, executive director of ArtLabbé Santa Barbara.
“We want to thank the city for their continued support and partnership as we strive to bring free art and music therapy programs to our special needs community in Santa Barbara,” Grotenhuis said.
ArtLabbé will be publicly acknowledged on Sunday, Sept. 27 as part of the Santa Barbara Beautiful Award Ceremony. The nonprofit will receive a commemorative certificate for display, along with recognition at the city and county levels.
The Business in Art Award is honorary and does not include a monetary award.
Past Business in Art Award recipients include Ablitt’s Fine Cleaners & Tailors, Montecito Bank & Trust, Grace Fisher Foundation, Santa Barbara Independent and lynda.com.
For more, visit the Office of Arts and Culture Leadership Awards.
The Santa Barbara County Office of Arts and Culture (SBCOAC) serves as the local governmental umbrella for arts and culture projects and programs.
The SBCOAC represents a longstanding partnership between Santa Barbara County and the city of Santa Barbara, and serves as a State-Local Partner of the California Arts Council.
Through public-private partnerships, SBCOAC seeks to support and catalyze art, culture, and creative expression. For more visit the SBCOAC website.