A veritable who’s who of Santa Barbara’s performing arts community are rallying their respective troupes and putting pressure on government officials to allow small, socially distanced outdoor shows to resume amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Led by Realtor and guitarist Steve Epstein, the group ― including the heads of the Granada and Lobero theaters, as well as the directors of Opera Santa Barbara and Symphony Santa Barbara ― is asking city leaders to lay out a set of guidelines for modest, busker-style live music along State Street and in other public spaces.
“We all feel we can do this in a safe and sane manner,” said Epstein, citing the ever-mounting financial pressure on artists as the shutdown drags on. “We need to support this important aspect of Santa Barbara’s character. Otherwise, we’re going to lose a lot of great local talent.” So far, Epstein said, he hasn’t gotten much help from city staff, who say the pandemic must completely subside before performances can resume. “Cool,” Epstein said, “then everyone will have moved to L.A.”