Vibiana Pizano is a woman who doesn’t worry over a decision. When she speaks, her thoughts flow with the crisp assertion of a person who’s been raised to believe that effecting change begins with a clear delivery — a lesson learned, no doubt, from her late father, Alberto Pizano, an esteemed political activist whose dedication to the Latino community fueled such organizations as Los Angeles’ Plaza de la Raza and the Santa Barbara Hispanic Achievement Council. So when Vibiana Pizano was in Seville to witness the stunning array of performances at the reputable Bienal de Flamenco some 20 years ago and made up her mind to create a festival in Santa Barbara offering the same caliber of international talent, it was only a matter of details.
As a teenager growing up in East L.A., Pizano wiled away her afternoons in the throes of flamenco dance lessons. It was an interest that began at the urging of her parents but quickly escalated into a passion that she carried with her when the family moved to Santa Barbara and eventually took her overseas to study with a roster of legendary Spanish masters. Through the years, Pizano’s love of the art form continued to grow, and in 1999, she and her father joined forces to launch what would be the state’s first international festival dedicated exclusively to the art and history of flamenco.
Part symposium and part celebration, the four-day Flamenco Arts Festival intentionally coincides with National Hispanic Heritage Month, underscoring the Pizano family’s lifelong dedication to Latino advocacy work. “My father was passionate about the arts and the role Hispanics have played in enriching the narrative of music and dance throughout the world,” explained Pizano. Through workshops, talk-backs, and performances, the festival aims to expose audiences and participants to a kaleidoscope of cultural offerings while serving as a proactive vessel for thoughtful dialogue about Hispanic identity.