Santa Barbara Center for Art, Science and Technology

Santa Barbara Center for Art, Science and Technology

Santa Barbara Center for Art, Science and Technology Logo

513 Garden Street
Santa Barbara, California 93101
(805) 252-1065

Hours: M-F: 9am-5pm

WHAT IS SBCAST?

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The Santa Barbara Center for Art, Science and Technology (SBCAST) supports Artist/Scientist/Technologist collaborations to encourage new fusion models of interaction for design, development and research. SBCAST encourages educational and public outreach components to further public understanding of Art, Science and Technology through a new window provided by their juxtaposition in a creative environment.

SBCAST is a live/work creative design and development community located in downtown Santa Barbara. The community consists of full-time, accomplished, working “multi-disciplinary” residents who focus on the juxtaposition of art, science and technology. The intent of SBCAST is to provide a shared creative environment to promote thought and action.

SBCAST is a vibrant “arts incubator” and is focused on developing meaningful relationships with complimentary organizations, both in Santa Barbara and around the world. The defining concepts associated with SBCAST can be seen bracketed by organizations as diverse as:

  • BaseKamp (Philadelphia, PA)
  • Eyebeam (New York, NY)
  • Leonardo (Oakland, CA)
  • Machine Project (Los Angeles, CA)
  • Platform4 (Aalborg, Denmark)
  • Steim (Amsterdam, Netherlands)
  • TheShop (San Francisco, CA)
  • V2 (Rotterdam, Netherlands)

THE PRINCIPLE OPERATIONAL ELEMENTS OF SBCAST ARE:

  1. artist/scientist living and working studios
  2. provision for domestic and international guest residencies
  3. shared workspace, tools and material storage
  4. green transportation focus (downtown setting, live/work environment, bicycles provided for residents)
  5. efficiency and economy in operations (solar power, comprehensive recycling, efficient design/construction and space utilization)

Up to eighteen multi-disciplinary residents may be living at SBCAST. Residents may be in short term (typically 1-3 months), or longer term (18 months) residencies. A key aspect of SBCAST is shared working environment. Participants often work collaboratively on projects. Communal workspace and studios are provided for residents and are outfitted with commonly-used equipment, tools and materials. Provisions for SBCAST Working Studios are oriented to cleaner and quieter endeavors towards the front of the site (closer to Garden Street), and directed to messier and louder work efforts, in the separate Workshop, at the back of the site.

In the City of Santa Barbara, along Garden Street and between Haley and Ortega Streets, the nucleus of an “Arts Corridor” is evolving. The Community Arts Workshop (CAW), Explore Ecology’s Art from Scrap and SBCAST establishes a concentration of arts-related activity. The closeness of these establishments will create new opportunities for collaboration, facility use, availability of art supplies and associated tools.

Automobiles are typically not required, or encouraged, for residents at SBCAST, as it’s located in downtown Santa Barbara. Even so, sufficient parking is provided for residents, in accordance to city planning requirements. For quick and easy transportation, on-site bicycles are available to assist with transportation needs. A small grocery store and the Saturday morning Santa Barbara Farmer’s Market are about one block away. Materials, tools and supplies providers, as well as non-profit creative arts organizations, such as Explore Ecology’s Art from Scrap, Community Arts Workshop (CAW), Home Improvement Center, Buena Tool, Smart and Final, Office Max and Hayward Lumber are all within easy walking distance. There are numerous restaurants and coffee shops within a few blocks and lower State Street is just three blocks away. An MTD cross-town electric shuttle sheltered stop is just ½ block away, on the corner of Cota and Garden streets. A trip to UCSB consists of taking the cross-town electric shuttle (one every 23 minutes) to the MTD Transit Center, then boarding the UCSB Express (one every 30 minutes). There is a Ralphs Supermarket across the street from the MTD Transit Center, so groceries are readily available.

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