Capital Campaign

Watch a Video Walk Through of the New Building

“Architectural design by KBZ”
“VR walk-thru by WorldViz”

 

Help VADA Build Our New Campus for Arts and Creative Education

 

STATUS UPDATE: We have raised $7.25M TOWARD OUR TARGET OF $10.75M!

 

STATUS UPDATE: Friend of VADA have raised $7.25M toward our target of $10.75M! - Building commences for the New Design and Art Studio. 
Exciting news! VADA has launched a $10.75 million dollar capital fundraising campaign to expand and modernize our aging buildings, transforming the campus into an integrated Design Lab and Art Studio. The new campus will provide the flexibility and space needed to prepare our creative minded students to flourish. 

FOV have successfully raised $7.25M to enable us to commence construction of the new Design and Arts Lab with a completion date of December 2024. FOV will continue to work with private, local and state organizations to raise the additional $3.25M.

VADA combines art and design education with rigorous academic curriculum, including options for AP and Honors level coursework. The truly exceptional, creativity driven program fills a major gap in modern education. Inclusivity and community are foundational to the program and our students directly reflect the many kinds of diversity in our city. 

Our mission is to enable students to achieve their highest potential and professional readiness by teaching them the most sought after 21st century job skills of complex problem solving, critical thinking, collaboration, emotional intelligence, and cognitive flexibility, all of which are purposefully developed within VADA’s approach to learning.

Through partnership with the SB Unified School District, a matching grant from the California Department of Education, and initial private donations, we have secured more than $7.25M towards our goal. 

Please join us to achieve this goal!

For more information please contact a member of our Donor Relations Committee:
Dean Dawson: deanjdawson@gmail.com

or

View a list of Donors

 

Images and Information on the New Facility

 

The new VADA Campus links Santa Barbara High School's historic legacy to our mission of preparing students for their future.

rendering of proposed new building exterior
Designer's rendering of proposed new building

 

Download the Capital Campaign Brochure

capital campaign brochure

 

 

The New VADA Campus

21st Century Training Requires 21st Century Spaces

The new VADA space will be purpose-built to optimize the experience for our growing students and staff, overcoming the current overcrowding and inflexible classroom workspaces. It will be designed to mirror the standards of colleges, design firms, and creative businesses that are depending on us to prepare these students for their professional lives.

The goal is to double the campus space with a new building of 3350 sq. ft. while also taking a flexible approach to classroom organization and additionally provide a designated photography area and exhibition space. Improvements will also be made to existing buildings to enhance our academic and creative programs so all of our students are learning in a state of the art campus.

The environment of the new building will provide significant outdoor light with interconnecting, outdoor corridors to provide an interactive community space.

students painting live at the spring exhibition
Artists paint on location at VADA's massive Annual Spring Exhibition, where all students showcase their work.
proposed studio workspace
VADA students fluency with both traditional art and digital design media is fundamental to the VADA mission. The new building architecture physically links these two, creating an integrated design/studio work space.

 

 

Help Us Make This Visionary Creative Workspace a Reality

proposed classroom rendering

 

proposed classroom rendering

 

 

How We Plan to Achieve Our Objectives

 

Through our partnership with the Santa Barbara Unified School District, a matching grant from the California Department of Education, and private donations, we have secured $7.25M towards our goal of $10.75M funding. 

Please join us in raising the additional funds to make the new VADA campus a reality!

 

New Facility Budget

new facility budget

 

 

Your Donation Will Impact SBHS Students for Generations to Come

For more information please contact a member from our Donor Relations Committee:

DANIEL BARNETT, Program Director

DEAN DAWSON, deanjdawson@gmail.com