The Architectural Foundation of Santa Barbara (AFSB) is pleased to announce that the 2026 Kids Draw Architecture (KDA) Sketch Session will be held at the Riviera Park, 2020 Alameda Padre Serra from 1 to 3 p.m. Sunday, April 19.
KDA is an activity that honors and highlights Santa Barbara’s unique personality and promotes an understanding of the importance of architecture and design expression of the City of Santa Barbara through the simple activity of sketching.
This year’s featured site is Riviera Park, an historic 8.6-acre property located on the Santa Barbara Riviera. Built between 1912 and 1935, it once housed the first Normal School and later became an early iteration of the University of California Santa Barbara, the Santa Barbara College. Today, Riviera Park is a scenic setting with professional offices for architectural firms, development and engineering companies, the Riveria Theatre, and the Island View Preschool. The Mediterranean-style architecture and landscape site on the Riveria hillside offers spectacular views overlooking the ocean and the city of Santa Barbara.
The KDA sketch session is free and drawing materials are provided. Local architects and artists sketch alongside the children to offer encouragement and guidance.
The drawings collected from the children will be framed and hung for the Annual KDA Exhibition & Opening Reception at the AFSB Acheson House Gallery. The drawings are also featured in the annual KDA calendar which are given to elected officials and sold at the Architectural Foundation of Santa Barbara and local bookstores.
The Architectural Foundation of Santa Barbara gives special thanks to the Yardi Family for welcoming KDA to their beautiful Riviera Park Property and to Island View Preschool for the idea and for their support for KDA 2026.
Please join us! All are welcome!
ABOUT KIDS DRAW ARCHITECTURE
Since 1988, Kids Draw Architecture (KDA) has been inspiring children to learn about and appreciate architecture and the built environment through sketching onsite “plein air.” Paper and pencil are provided along with educational handouts including sketching perspective tips and descriptive history of the building and site. This fun and free activity is held in the spring for children and their parents to sketch Santa Barbara’s beautiful public buildings alongside architects and artists.
