SBUnified
By the Santa Barbara Unified
A groundbreaking ceremony was held Wednesday for a new state-of-the-art building at Santa Barbara High School’s Visual Arts & Design Academy (VADA).
This facility will help students prepare more fully for their future through a modern, flexible approach to classroom organization and support an improved curriculum for visual arts, design, and creative studies.
The new building encompasses 3,350 square feet and includes a digital design lab, indoor/outdoor studio workspace, shop areas for new technology, photography, and integrated exhibition space.
“In executing this project Santa Barbara High, our School District and the community have made the powerful statement that we are going to support, invest in, and cultivate our students’ creativity – a life-giving and fundamentally human act that is also, arguably, the most important and marketable skill they need to thrive in the future. I’m honored to get to work with the amazing teachers and students who are going to make this happen in the incredible new space we’ve created together,” said VADA Director Daniel Barnett.
The project was approved by Santa Barbara Unified School Board in November.
“Santa Barbara Unified is always looking for new ways to teach 21st-century learners. This project does just that with its state-of-the-art design. We look forward to seeing the project’s progress and how the students unleash their creativity and learning in their new space,” said Dr. Hilda Maldonado, Superintendent.
Through a partnership with the Santa Barbara Unified School District, a matching grant from the California Department of Education was acquired to augment Measure I 2016 bond funds allocated to the project. With initial private donations, the Friends of VADA (FOV), the nonprofit group behind the fundraising effort, secured the additional funds necessary for the new state-of-the-art space.
The project was designed by KBZ Architects, and McGillivray Construction is building the new facility. The target completion date is January 2024.
“VADA has always been more than just a collection of buildings and resources. It is a community of artists, designers, and thinkers who are passionate about their craft and committed to excellence. It is a place where students can find their voice, explore their ideas, and make meaningful connections with peers and mentors. Many of our students say that it’s a place where they find their family. This new facility will allow for our students to continue to grow their creativity and innovation. We are grateful for the support we have received from our community, the SBUnified School District, and our families,” said Dr. Elise Simmons, principal.
