The Santa Barbara Community Art Association records span 31.22 linear feet and date from 1915 to 1955. The collection is primarily related to the Association's Plans and Planting section and contains architectural drawings and reprographic copies that were entries for the various architectural competitions the Community Arts Association sponsored. The collection also includes black-and-white photographs and negatives that document Santa Barbara community events and activities in the 1930s, ephemera and letters regarding various competitions the Community Arts Association sponsored, the association’s budget for the year of 1924, newspaper clippings, sketches, specifications for the houses submitted to the small house competition of 1926, presentation boards, art supplies, photolithography blocks, VHS tapes, one DVCAM tape and original 35 mm film reels.

The Santa Barbara Community Arts Association was a non-profit corporation, founded on April 24, 1922. The non-profit’s stated purpose was “to afford individuals the opportunity of self-expression, training and education in Music, Drama and the Allied Arts and to aid in the cultural improvement of the people and in the beautification of the City of Santa Barbara.” The Community Arts Association contained four branches: Drama, Music, Plans and Planting, and the Art School. In November of 1922, the Community Arts Association received a five year grant of $25,000 a year from the Carnegie Corporation. The grant was secured through the efforts of Dr. Pritchett who at the time was the President of the Carnegie Corporation of New York and a current resident of the city of Santa Barbara. The work of each branch was under the control of its own board, which in turn, was responsible to the general board on which each branch had representation. The Santa Barbara Community Arts Association dissolved in the mid to late 1930s.

31.22 Linear feet (5 half record storage boxes, 4 oversize boxes and 4 flat file drawers)

Open for use by qualified researchers.