OUR TEAM
"A SMALL TEAM, COMMITTED TO A CAUSE BIGGER THAN THEMSELVES,
CAN ACHIEVE ABSOLUTELY ANYTHING."
-SIMON SINEK
The Arts Fund could not carry out it's mission without the talented staff, volunteers and board of directors.
Volunteer & Artist
Angela
she/her/they
Angela Cantu (pronounced Ann-guh-luh), pronouns she/her/they, grew up in Hanford, CA. Growing up they’ve always had a passion for visual and performing arts whether it was choir, musical theatre, drawing, you name it. Angela attended UC Santa Barbara where they studied Black Studies & took various art courses to sharpen their artistic style. They’ve had the privilege to be featured in their first-ever gallery with the Healing Justice SB & SB Arts Fund collab exhibition, Melanin, and since have been continuing to collaborate with the Arts Fund. Angela’s primary medium is acrylic paint. In addition to the arts, Angela is a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community (shout out to Crush Bar!!) and is part of the Santa Barbara Young Black Professionals networking group. You can keep up with her art on Instagram @paintingsbyacantu
Program Manager
Terra
he/they
Terra Cobian (they/them) was born and raised in Santa Barbara, and is a product of how the Arts Fund truly helps artists. They had the privilege of being a part of the Teen Arts Mentorship Program when they were in high school, and in 2021 had the honor of teaching photography through Studio 2 Student to youth over zoom in the midst of the pandemic. Outside of the Arts Fund, they are a photographer, curator, educator, painter, drag artist, activist and community organizer.
Acting Executive Director
Jamie
she/her
Jamie Dufek has been serving on the board of the Arts Fund since 2015. A native Minnesotan, she earned a BA in Studio Art and holds a MBA with a specific focus in nonprofit management and corporate social responsibility. Currently she works for TIGER 21, a membership organization for successful, high-net worth entrepreneurs and has her own consulting business for non-profits focused on fundraising and board cultivation. Jamie's passion is centered around service and community, and currently serves as Communications Chair for The Women's Fund and also serves on the board of A Different Point of View. Jamie is a mixed media and print artist and teaches art classes on the West Side with students K-12.
Gallery Manager
Bella
she/her
Bella currently works for the Arts Fund supporting administrative duties, curating guest experiences, and promoting MSME on various social media platforms. When Bella is off the clock, Bella loves listening to music, watching TV, and writing- both fiction and non-fiction. Bella is so honored and excited to be a part of the Arts Fund team.
Gallery Attendant & Programs
christina andrea
she/they
christina andrea is nonbinary, multimedia artist originally from Kerman, CA, in the Central Valley, but is currently occupying Chumash land in Santa Barbara. With a B.A. in Art from UCSB C/O ‘22, their artistic practice focuses on utilizing materials to their fullest ability, holding space for appreciation of all art forms, and creating sustainability and change through various artistic practices. Because of their familiarity with the lack of accessibility in the art world, especially in lower-income, underrepresented communities, christina andrea appreciates the ArtsFund and their dedication to continuing and encouraging artistic practices. In terms of christina andrea’s mediums, they range from acrylic, watercolor, and oil paint to collage and textile, to performance and public art.
Gallery Coordinator & Technician Intern
Paige
she/her
Paige Wells (she/her) grew up on the Central Coast and moved to Eugene, Oregon to get a BFA in Sculpture and minor in art history at the University of Oregon. In her artistic practice she focuses on assemblage of found objects and film photography. Her work mixes both 2-D and 3-D, and it engages with humor through decontextualization of material. The art is made with the intention to challenge ideas of autobiographical honesty and world building. After graduating, Paige moved back to the Central Coast in 2023 and was introduced to the Arts Fund by other artists in the community. Paige is currently an intern at the Arts Fund, focusing on gallery work in Santa Barbara and the North County. Outside of the Arts Fund, Paige is a teaching artist for the Children's Creative Project in Santa Maria and the surrounding area.
Ceilidh (kale) creates work at the intersection of fantasy and technology, with focus on overlap between the human and the nonhuman. They enjoy theatre, visual art, composing, whispering sweet nothings at the sky, photography, writing, and have "had a piano hobby” for over thirteen years. Aside from the arts, they also enjoy making bird noises, star fruit, and pretending to be a dragon. Ceilidh can usually be found with a pen in their hand, pocket, hair—or at least somewhere in their general vicinity. They can be found in various places on the internet as @suitcasedragon.
Gallery Attendant
Kale
they/them
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
