Vacant storefronts at Santa Barbara’s La Cumbre Plaza have filled with art studios and galleries.
The new La Cumbre Center for the Creative Arts is a way to address the number of unoccupied storefronts in the outdoor mall as it struggles to keep up with changing shopping habits.
The center rented three storefront spaces on a year lease at the mall, at 121 S. Hope Ave., and 24 diverse artists are showcasing their paintings, photographs, sculptures, 3D work and other art.
The spot provides 7,000 square feet of affordable, artist-run galleries and studio spaces, as well as classes.
“Hopefully, this will grow into something that brings feet into the La Cumbre mall,” local artist Sol Hill told the Santa Barbara Arts Advisory Committee during a meeting Thursday. “We are hopeful and it’s exciting to see so many artists together.”
Some artists dreaming of having an art studio in Santa Barbara now have a location for the first time, he said.
Artist Judi Weisbart said in an email that the new space was made possible by the vision of Santa Barbara businessman Mike Cregan.
He was walking in New York City when he noticed a blend of businesses on every block, often including art galleries and other art-related activities.
Cregan wanted to create something similar for the local community, Weisbart said, and now the artist spaces are bringing new life to the shopping center.
“The iconic Tiffany (& Co.) was standing lonely and proud among the empty stores until it became surrounded by LCCCA,” she said, adding, “It takes a village to create a place where art thrives, and we all have a voice at the La Cumbre Center for Creative Arts.”
The center fills a void in the arts community by providing reasonably priced studio and gallery spaces, classes, and resources for artists striving to reach their creative and professional goals, Weisbart said.
The grand opening earlier this month drew nearly 1,000 people, she said, and the spaces are open for business.
“Our hope is to involve many people, including nonprofits that will receive a percentage of the sales when they partner with LCCCA to bring their people into the space,” Weisbart said.
“This is how we move forward and retake the spaces that have felt lost and orphaned by our community. Together we can and will create an exciting place to hang out, have fun and thrive.”
— Noozhawk staff writer Brooke Holland can be reached at bholland@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.
