Nominations are now opeN for the 2026 city of santa barbara business in art award

Know a local business that goes above and beyond to support the arts? Nominations are now open for the 2026 City of Santa Barbara Business in Art Award, which recognizes businesses that uplift arts and culture through exemplary and innovative programs or practices. Community members are invited to nominate businesses within Santa Barbara city limits that support artists, culture bearers, creatives, and arts organizations through partnerships, creative initiatives, or philanthropy. Eligible nominees must operate as a retail or commercial establishment, sole proprietorship, LLC, or corporation, and past recipients are not eligible.

CITY AND COUNTY ARTS Award PROGRAMs

Each year, the City of Santa Barbara and County of Santa Barbara recognize exceptional community arts supporters with the City Business in Art Award program and the County Leadership in Arts Award program.

City of SANTA BARBARA BUSINESS in Art Award

Each year, the Santa Barbara community is invited to nominate businesses that demonstrate a commitment to the cultural vibrancy of Santa Barbara through support for artists, culture bearers, creatives, and arts and culture organizations, via collaborations or partnerships, innovative programs or methods, or philanthropy.

Past business in art award Recipients

The Grace Fisher Foundation | The Santa Barbara Arts Collaborative | Montecito Bank & Trust | Ablitt’s Fine Cleaners & Tailors I Doug Lochner- Art That Works I EOS Lounge I Voice Magazine I Paseo Nuevo Mall l Montecito Bank & Trust | Santa Barbara Center for Art, Science and Technology (SBCAST)I 2015 Hotel Indigo I Laura Knight, Pascucci Restaurant I MichaelKate Interiors & Art Gallery and Brad Nack I lynda.com I Gary Atkins Sound Systems I Art Essentials I The Santa Barbara Independent I Art From Scrap I Santa Barbara Downtown Organization First Thursdays I Barry Berkus I CASA Magazine

county Leadership in ArtS Award

The Leadership in the Arts Award was established in 2006 by the Santa Barbara County Arts Commission as an annual award “to honor and recognize individuals or organizations that have made a significant impact on the arts and culture of our region through innovative thinking and exemplary commitment to promoting, sustaining, and advancing our quality of life through the Arts.”

PAST leadership in arts award Recipients

Stefanie Hassett | The Ian M. Hassett Foundation | Celesta Billeci | City of Santa Maria Recreation and Parks Department | Josef Woodard | Montecito Bank & Trust I Solvang Theaterfest l City of Buellton’s Arts & Culture Committee I Patricia Gregory I Kate and Brooks Firestone and Family I The Arts Fund l Vicki Andersen | Lompoc Mural Society | Kathy Koury and the Children's Creative Project | Santa Barbara Bowl Foundation l Connie Rohde-Stanchfield | Rod Lathim | Zaveeni Khan-Marcus, founding director of UCSB MultiCultural Center l Kerry Methner and Mark Whitehurst: Voice Magazine | Bill Cirone and Tina Fanucchi | Joe and Margie Talaugon | Nat Fast l Susan Rose