_An Edhat Reader
By Legacy Art Santa Barbara
Legacy Art Santa Barbara in the “Arts Zone” at 1230 State Street (between the historical Arlington and The Granada Theatres) is a new apex for the Santa Barbara cultural community and the arts. Curators – owners Crispin Barrymore and Laela Duncan (joined September 2023) have opened their doors and hearts to the Santa Barbara arts, music, dance and performance community to provide a gathering space, amazing and unique musical salons, workshops and community dialogues since December 2022.
LASB is a 3,000 sq. ft. event space with an 8 x 12 ft stage, 16-ft high ceiling, PA System, 55″ HDTV, ADA access, a Video/Media Projector, 13-ft Projection Screen, a gong with multiple singing/sound bowls, didgeridoo, flute and other sound healing instruments, and more exciting amenities that can accommodate 130 people.
Their mission is to “elevating the human experience with powerful and healing modalities of the arts while providing an intimate oasis & artistic venue for dialogue, community, and positive changes while evoking joyful and unforgettable experiences.” ~ Laela & Crispin.
Summer Solstice Celebration has held numerous exciting and successful events in this space since November 2023 when it kicked off the 50th Anniversary Jubilee Party!
Solstice’s mission statement of “Bringing the Community Together Through the Arts” is in complete alignment with LASB’s. It coincides with Solstice’s own Legacy Project initiated in collaboration with the Santa Barbara Historical Museum’s 50 year Solstice Anniversary Exhibition in May-June this year.
“The Legacy Project includes preserving the legacy and expertise of celebration arts in order to guarantee a new generation of artists to carry on this beloved event; it feels like some sort of synchronicity, being reunited with my friends the Barrymores, and having similar visions for the future of Santa Barbara as an art destination city.” – Penny Little, Executive Director, Summer Solstice Celebration.
One of the elements of Crispin and Laela’s curation is that every exhibit has a meaningful story. Both are talented artists and entrepreneurs in their own right – Crispin is a former Music Ambassador to the United Nations, a composer, multi-instrumentalist, and a singer-songwriter, while Laela is a former Sony BMG Music artiste, poet, model, dancer, and a fine artist.
Legacy Art Santa Barbara started as an exhibition for the Legacy artists in residence, Susanne’s stunning silk Japanese Scrolls and Carroll Barrymore’s extraordinary ceramics. The eclectic and unique exhibitions recently included the Solstice Poster Exhibition last March 2024. As such, it continues to evolve into the latest artistic oasis it is today. It offers a European atmosphere and platform for local, regional and national artists and musicians to share their talent, their wares, have dialogues, creating a space for everything from an Old Time Appalachian music circle every Wednesdays 4-7p in the winter, the new SB Film Club, All Arts Open Mics every 3rd Thursdays 630-8p, SB Illuminate Film Festival Talks most recently with Deepak Chopra, soothing Sound Healings every 1st Fridays and Saturdays 530-615p, to modern classical and danceable original music!
If you are a looking for an event space with an intimate, friendly, warm vibe, surrounded with beautiful art and culture, a business owner, working artist, fine or folk artist, and are looking to collaborate and share, you might find a home at Legacy Art….a place to expand your reach in the community, meet new, talented and interesting collaborators or just enjoy the ambience and welcoming atmosphere evoking joyful and unforgettable experiences.
