ISLA VISTA, Calif. – Let there be light in Isla Vista!
“We’ve never done anything like this to celebrate queer community,” said general manager Kimberly Kiefer of Isla Vista Recreation and Park District. “We are funded by the IVCRC, Isla Vista Community Relations Committee.”
“I mean, it’s about building community right feeling safe I’m feeling seen until i think that’s perfect,” said Marilyn Castro of UCSB.
Organizers hope this light installation will bring a greater sense of unity to Isla Vista.
“Because it’s a pride thing because the the rainbow is the symbol of pride colors this time usually will do some kind of color combination. What’s a blue magenta in and read or something in this case we’re doing them all,” said CEO Jonathan Smith of the Environment Maker.
The district hopes the lights will help locals celebrate the vibrancy of the pride community.
“The message messages and pride in being who you are and you should not be ashamed that and you should be able to hold your head up high no matter what that is no matter what you identify as that’s what this messages you are included. You are a part of us and you were a part of our family,” said artist Kym Cochran of Santa Barbara.
Isla Vista Recreation & Park District is hosting its first-ever “Art in the Park” event this week.
The district is partnering with the UCSB AS Trans & Queer Commission and the Arts Fund of Santa Barbara to celebrate the vibrancy of LGBTQIA+ community through public art.
As part of TQComm’s Queerfest celebration during UCSB Pride Week 2023, “Art in the Park” will showcase Queer artists and their talents.
The focus is to help foster a sense of collective community building and solidarity.
The event will feature more than a dozen LGBTQIA+ small business artists promoting their art, arts and crafts ranging from succulent flowerpot decorating to T-shirt tie-dyeing, tabling organizations such as Gauchos for Recovery and the UCSB Resource Center for Sexual and Gender Diversity, and live music performances by the artist REDD and the band Lemon Generation.
IVRPD will also unveil a Pride Week mural, commemorated with the theme “The Future is Queer,” that will become a permanent fixture of the park.
“The Trans and Queer Commission at UCSB is so grateful to have such a welcoming community to celebrate Pride Week with! We thank everyone for their continued support and acceptance!” said Isabella Ramirez, Pride Week Coordinator for UCSB. “The Arts Fund was so excited to be part of this event. It is always energizing to work with organizations like TQComm and IVRPD to bring a vision to life, and we were happy to support the search and selection of Dez Porter as the artist for the mural in Little Acorn Park. We can’t wait to unveil Dez’s piece at the Art in the Park event. It is a piece that adds to the vibrancy of our artistic community.”
“This event is truly the first of its kind in Isla Vista and our District is honored to participating in this important community-building event that supports LGBTQIA+ artists and their talents, said IVRPD General Manager Kimberly Kiefer. “We hope everyone can join us!”
This free, outdoor event will take place on Monday, Apr. 10, from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. in Little Acorn Park located at 901 Embarcadero Del Mar in Isla Vista, CA.
UCSB students may register on Shoreline at bit.ly/40aDjvk.
IVRPD encourages guests to attend the event.
Guests may request ADA accommodations by emailing ivrpd@ivparks.org or by calling (805) 968-2017.
For questions or comments, please email Nicholas A. Norman at nnorman@ivparks.org or call (805) 350-8751.
Isla Vista Recreation & Park District is located at 961 Embarcadero Del Mar in Isla Vista or online at www.ivparks.org
For the first time, the Isla Vista Recreation and Park District is presenting a lights installment to celebrate LGBTQ week.
The district is collaborating with local artists to create inclusionary arts in their parks.
Their hope is to engage the local community and activate open spaces.
Local students are excited to see the lights installation.
Managers with the IVPRD hope the colorful lights will bring a greater sense of unity in the area.
