Post-Wild: Nature in the 21st Century Exhibition

The Santa Barbara County Office of Arts and Culture and the Santa Barbara County Arts Commission invite Santa Barbara County artists to submit work to 'Post-Wild: Nature in the 21st Century,' a juried exhibition to be presented at the Betteravia Art Gallery located at 511 Lakeside Parkway, Santa Maria. This ambitious exhibition examines how contemporary artists depict, interpret, or challenge ideas of nature in the 21st century. The exhibition will feature works that reflect present-day conditions through traditional or digital media, photography, or conceptual approaches addressing environmental change, urbanization, and human impact. The exhibition explores how deeply nature and landscape shape the human experience, and how changes to them, whether human-made or natural, are felt across the community. It provides opportunities for emerging and established artists to confront the environmental realities directly in front of us, making its impact both timely and incredibly important. The exhibition is limited to small works. All submissions will be evaluated by a review panel including representatives from the County Arts Commission, Allan Hancock College, and the Santa Barbara County Office of Arts and Culture. Artists selected for the exhibition will be notified in early March, with a public opening reception planned for May 21, 2026. There is no application fee required.