Santa Barbara Studio Artist Tour Canceled
Workspaces Remain Shuttered Due to COVID-19
![](https://www.independent.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Screen-Shot-2020-05-19-at-1.20.58-PM.png)
Each spring for nearly two decades, Santa Barbara artists have opened up their studios for the public to take a peek. This year, however, the artists’ workspaces will remain shuttered due to COVID-19. “It was a very difficult decision to make, not wanting to lose our momentum over the last 18 years, but necessary to protect our artists and their guests,” said Francis Scorzelli, SBSA board president in a prepared statement.
Although the event is canceled, folks can still donate to the nonprofit to which the 2020 tour ticket monies would have gone — Foodbank of Santa Barbara County. At press time, the Foodbank had already distributed more than three million pounds of food (80,000 pounds per day) since the March lockdown went into effect. “This is more than double our food distribution from the same period last year, and we anticipate the dramatic increase in need for food support to continue throughout the year,” said Lauren Coiro, the Foodbank’s grant writer and special events coordinator.
SBSA is a nonprofit trade organization of professional artists whose goal is to promote Santa Barbara as an art destination. See santabarbarastudioartists.com. Click here to donate directly to Foodbank.