Museum of Contemporary Art Santa Barbara (MCASB) seeks to enrich lives and inspire critical thinking through meaningful engagement with the art and ideas of our time. MCASB provides Santa Barbara and the Central Coast with exhibitions and programming that encourage discovery, cultivate new perspectives, and challenge the way we see and experience the world, ourselves, and each other.

Vision

SERVE. As a cultural center located at the heart of downtown Santa Barbara, we are committed to listening and responding to our community’s diverse needs. We are dedicated to being a safe space for learning and exploration - inclusive in all aspects of race, religion, age, gender identity, ability, and socioeconomic status. We aspire to remain flexible in order to (co)create compelling, relevant programming that adapts to an ever-changing social dynamic.

CONNECT. We aspire to be a platform for open, respectful, and impactful discourse with our community and beyond. Through collaborative relationships with cultural organizations, area nonprofits, academic institutions, local governing bodies, hospitality partners, and more, MCASB is able to extend our programming to reach a broad and diverse public.

IMPACT. MCASB is passionate about making a positive difference in the lives of individuals, and society, through engagement with contemporary art and culture. MCASB’s exhibitions inform our educational and experiential programming, which are designed to inspire curiosity, cultivate empathy, and broaden perspectives through the art and ideas of our time.