Downtown Santa Barbara Celebrates Launch of Window Beautification Program

The Downtown Santa Barbara Improvement Association (DSBIA) invites the community to a celebration on Thursday, March 5th, at 5:00 pm marking the official debut of the Downtown Window Beautification Program.

The purpose of the program is to transform vacant storefront windows into vibrant works of art, while helping present prospective spaces as active, visible, and ready for new business opportunities. 

To bring this project to life, Santa Barbara County-based artists were invited to apply and submit their work for consideration. Following a selection process, the chosen artworks have been custom-formatted and printed on window film to fit unique storefront dimensions.

These installations are now officially in place and ready for the public to enjoy with more to be installed over time. The effort is a result of a collaborative partnership between DSBIA, the Santa Barbara County Office of Arts & Culture, Santa Barbara Arts Collaborative, Historic Landmark Commission, SB Signs, PIP Printing, and Graphic Designer Irene Ramirez. 

This new program is part of DSBIA’s ongoing effort to create a more welcoming, clean, and economically vital space for downtown  businesses to thrive and for our community to enjoy. Learn more about the new community benefit improvement district and DSBIA’s new programs and services at downtownsb.org. 

During the March 5th, 1st Thursday Art Walk, all four initial program storefronts have been designated as official Art Walk venues:

• Alli Berry – 1235 State St. Elisa Rodriguez – 811H Paseo Nuevo
• Miles Shapleigh – 913 State St. Brad Betts – 428 State St. (Reception Location)
• 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM: Community Reception – 428 State Street

From 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM, a public reception will be held at 428 State Street. Attendees can explore the activated storefront, meet the featured artists, enjoy light refreshments, and learn more about downtown leasing opportunities and DSBIA’s broader beautification efforts.