(VENTURA, Calif.) – The streets of the city of Ventura’s historic Downtown and Westside Cultural District will transform into a mecca of artistic expression for the 21^st ArtWalk Ventura event the weekend of July 19-20.

The two-day Southern California art tradition will highlight the diverse works of more than 700 regional artists, exhibiting paintings to sculpture to performance art. This year’s Artist of Distinction is Paul Lindhard of Art City Studios.

After an extensive international search, the Southwest Florida Symphony chose five finalists, including Kabaretti, for the position of Music Director and Conductor. Maestro Kabaretti was ultimately chosen through polling the Southwest Florida Symphony’s musicians, through audience polls and recommendations made by the selection committee and Symphony administrative staff. The Southwest Florida Symphony feels strongly that the organization will benefit from Maestro Kabaretti’s international and regional orchestra experience, forward thinking and strong artistic leadership.

(VENTURA COUNTY, Calif.) ArtWalk Ventura, an annual two-day tradition of Ventura’s thriving arts community, which returns for its 21^st year July 19-20, has announced renowned sculptor, Paul Lindhard, as this year’s Artist of Distinction.

Lindhard’s career as a working sculptor spans more than 40 years and has evolved through woodcarving and bronze casting into a reverence for and fascination with stone, his principal medium for the past 25 years. He creates large and monumental sculptures, many of which that have been showcased in museums and galleries throughout the United States.

At the Museum of Contemporary Art’s booth at Santa Barbara’s “Taste of Milpas” during Hispanic Heritage Month, visitors left with dirt on their hands and cans full of soil. Balloons marked Thai to Mexican restaurants and booths from wineries to art installations up and down Milpas street. Under the Museum’s tent, artist Alejandro Diaz exhibited a hands-on workshop called A Can for All Seasons II.

On September 28, an ensemble of dancers and musicians arrive from Spain to bring the drama and glamour of Flamenco dance to Santa Barbara on The Granada Theatre stage.

 While many exhibitions usually represent a certain artistic school, a specific era, or a single artist, Degas to Chagall transcends categories, showing comparisons between artists and artistic movements not usually exhibited together.

Edgar Degas, Three Dancers in Yellow Skirts, ca. 1891. Oil on canvas. Michael Armand Hammer and the Armand Hammer Foundation.

Santa Barbara Studio Artists is pleased to welcome Bud Bottoms and Irma Cavat as new members. Both award winning artists are recognized internationally with pieces displayed worldwide.

 Myron Freedman has been named the new Executive Director of the Museum of Ventura County. Freedman assumed his new duties Monday 8 April and will be directing both the downtown Ventura location near Main and Ventura Avenue and the Agricultural Museum in Santa Paula.  Freedman joins the museum from the Hayward Area Historical Society, where he served as Executive Director since 2008.