About Us.
Celebrating the Early Trailblazers and
Vintners of the American Riviera.
Pioneers of Santa Barbara County (Pioneers) is dedicated to promoting the history and craft of those wine making visionaries who helped to shape the region's AVAs of today. It is our mission to promote the history of these forbearers who worked the earth and connect them with wine enthusiasts through a combination of online marketing platforms and special, intimate tasting events.
Empowering Local Arts One Bottle At A Time.
In 2017, a relationship was forged between winemaker Morgan Clendenen, founder and director of The Pioneers of Santa Barbara County, and Arts Outreach of the Santa Ynez Valley. Clendenen would go on to invite the original wine-makers of the region to participate in a grand wine tasting event to celebrate and share their craft , while at the same time, empower the local arts throughout the greater community.
As a result, the first Pioneers of Santa Barbara County Grand Tasting Event took place at the Solvang Veteran's Memorial Hall on November 11, 2017.
Introducing Arts Outreach
Founded in 1980, Arts Outreach started with five volunteer artists as an arts-in-schools program, placing artists in classrooms to teach and perform.
Today, Arts Outreach has grown into a collaboration of over 70 talented and professional artists and serves over three thousand plus students along with Santa Barbara County residents of all ages, producing events in unique rural settings. This includes jazz cabarets in delicatessens, concerts in vineyards, mountaintops, and churches.
Our audience and programs continue to reach out with events such as music concerts, “Real Men Cook”, and APPLAUSE, a Young Artists Program. We also offer after-school arts classes, a youth Glee program, and an Elder Arts program which serves seniors year round.
