The Santa Barbara nonprofit Unite to Light has opened a search for artists to participate in an immersive art installation this fall.
The call is open to artists of all genres, with a focus on two and three dimensional art submissions that play with light to create an immersive experience.
The exhibition will be part of a three-day fundraiser, “Unite to Light the Night,” to be held Oct. 6-8 at the Community Arts Workshop, 631 Garden St., Santa Barbara.
Artists, who must be 18 or older, should apply online by July 1 at www.tinyurl.com/3nsw2ebc. Submissions can involve light projection, lightmapping, neon light and LED sculptures.
Unite to Light aims to have up to 10 $1,000 grants available to help artists cover material and equipment costs and to increase the diversity of people participating in the exhibition. Artists can sell their works during the event with a small part of the proceeds going to the nonprofit.
“More than a billion people live without electricity, struggling in darkness after sunset, being poisoned at night by kerosene fumes, spending meager resources on fuel instead of better nutrition and healthcare. That darkness brings illiteracy, poverty and illness,” said Megan Birney, CEO of Unite to Light.
Unite to Light is the only nonprofit that manufactures and distributes its own lights and chargers providing light and power to those living without electricity across the globe. The solar lights and chargers help children study at night, equip healthcare workers to save lives, offer relief from disasters and enable connection to vital services for those experiencing homelessness.
“Including artists into the fundraiser stemmed from the wish to celebrate the power of light. The exhibition is the perfect way to showcase light as not only an essential aspect of life but also a creative medium that can bring people together,” said Ms. Birney.
With the support of the SBCC Foundation, as well as other community partners such as The Fund for Santa Barbara and Santa Barbara Foundation, Unite to Light plans to install works by students and amateur artists as well as some well-known Santa Barbara artists.
“The unique aspect of this fundraiser is that it will run for three-consecutive days with a different program for each evening, giving the artists opportunity to connect with a broader audience and have greater exposure,” said Ms. Birney.
“The Community Arts Workshop is a perfect venue for the exhibition. A project of the Santa Barbara Arts Collaborative, a nonprofit committed to sustaining and growing all forms of the arts in Santa Barbara, the space is truly a blank canvas. Smaller and more fragile artworks will be displayed inside one of the indoor spaces and larger installations will be placed outside in the courtyard.”
email: mmcmahon@newspress.com
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For more information about “Unite to Light the Night,” visit www.unitetolight.org.
