I Madonnari at the Santa Barbara Mission
The I Madonnari Italian Street Painting Festival is celebrating its 37th anniversary this weekend, May 25 – 27, at The Mission. Each day, artists will use pastels to design more than 150 vibrant, large-scale scenes showcased on the pavement. In addition to the beautiful street art, the event will feature live entertainment, delicious food, and local vendors.
Established in 1987, the local festival was inspired by the international street painting competition in the small town of Grazie di Curtatone in Italy. The art of street painting likely began in 16th-century Italy, where local artists, known as Maddanori, traveled to festivals to draw on the streets. Santa Barbara’s I Maddanoari festival has benefited arts education programs at the Children’s Creative Project since its inception.
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