Skip to Main Content

Downtown Window Beautification Program

The Downtown Santa Barbara Improvement Association (DSBIA), in partnership with the Santa Barbara Arts Collaborative (SBAC), and Santa Barbara County Office of Arts & Culture (SBCOAC) launched an ongoing initiative in 2025 to transform vacant storefront windows into vibrant works of art, while helping present prospective spaces as active, visible, and ready for new business opportunities. 

To bring this project to life, Santa Barbara County-based artists were invited to apply and submit their work for consideration. Following a selection process, the chosen artworks have been custom-formatted and printed on window film to fit unique storefront dimensions. These installations are now officially in place and ready for the public to enjoy with more to be installed over time. The effort is a result of a collaborative partnership between DSBIA, the Santa Barbara County Office of Arts & Culture, Santa Barbara Arts Collaborative, Historic Landmark Commission, SB Signs, PIP Printing, and Graphic Designer Irene Ramirez.

The Downtown Santa Barbara Improvement Association (DSBIA) invites Santa Barbara County–based artists—those who live, work, or create art within the county—to submit existing original artwork in digital format for consideration in our new vacant window beautification program. All artwork is provided digitally, and selected pieces go into an artbank to later be enlarged, formatted to fit unique storefront dimensions, and printed on window film for building owners wanting to participate.

Artists: Submit Work for Consideration

Property Owners: Explore Participation

Calling all Santa Barbara County-based artists! Submit existing original artwork for consideration in our window beautification program.

Click here to submit work for consideration

Guidelines & Considerations:

  • Artwork must be original and artists must hold full rights to submit their work.
  • Submissions must be digital and may include graphic art, photography, or scans of 2D flatwork.
  • Work should be designed to enhance surrounding architecture and complement downtown colors (terracotta, beige, green trees).
  • All work must be family-friendly and intended to beautify vacant storefronts.
  • No words, advertising, or signage elements may be included.
  • Artwork must be available in a vectorized format suitable for large-scale production.

For submission purposes, please:

  • Upload a JPEG or reduced-size version of the artwork for evaluation, and
  • Provide a cloud-based link (Google Drive, Dropbox, etc.) to access the full-resolution or vector file.

Who May Apply:

  • Open to artists who live, work, or create in Santa Barbara County.
  • Open to artists 18 and over.
  • Each artist may submit up to three (3) works for consideration. 


Selection Process & Honorarium:

  • Submissions will be reviewed by the DSBIA Placemaking & Identity Committee.
  • Selected works will first be added to a curated image bank.
  • If your work is later matched to a storefront installation, you will receive a $250 honorarium and your name will be included on the final print.
  • Artist information and credit will be incorporated into the final display design.

Licensing & Usage:

By submitting, artists grant DSBIA a license to digitally reproduce selected works for the purposes of the Vacant Window Beautification Program.

Artwork may be cropped, modified, framed with additional elements, and formatted to fit the space.

Please note window sizes vary and may be rectangular, curved, grid, etc.

Questions may be directed to windows@downtownsb.org