The art scene in Santa Barbara boasts a wide array of media and genres from creators ranging from talented enthusiasts to world-class professionals. But more importantly, this community is planting seeds in schools across town and carefully cultivating the next generation of artists.
Spring has sprung, and high school theater practitioners are blooming under the guidance of educators such as Dana Caldwell, Otto Layman, Shannon Saleh, and Clark Sayre. Don’t sleep on the area’s high school spring musicals: These productions feature professional-level design in beautiful venues, giving young performers the experience of treading the boards in a working theater. These teens are talented and dedicated, and many go on to continue their work in art after graduation.