When photographer Broc Ellinger opened his State Street gallery — The BE Gallery — in November 2023, he wasn’t sure what to expect. For him, the space was simply a way to share his life’s work with the community of Santa Barbara.
To his surprise, he’s received an outpouring of support from tourists, locals, and friends alike. “It’s been such an awesome experience,” said Ellinger, who expressed his gratitude toward the Santa Barbara community and beyond for all the support he’s received.
Now, he’s opening up the space to more artists. Inspired by fellow creatives in Santa Barbara, Ellinger recently decided to invite other artists to display their work at The BE Gallery. On Saturday, June 22, from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m., the space will host a soft opening of its new collaborative art show: The Summer Solstice Group Show.
The idea for the show arose “organically,” said Ellinger. Many of the artists displayed at the June 22 show he initially met at the gallery. He also cast a wider net on social media, posting a call for artists: “If you guys have a favorite artist of yours that you want to see at the gallery, send them my way,” he wrote in an Instagram story. The response was overwhelming, attracting Santa Barbara–based talents and others from Ojai, Ventura, and even San Diego. He compared the experience to The Avengers: “The bat signal went up, and all the artists teamed together.”
With this new venture, he’s excited to give these creatives a space to share their unique talents and stories. Some of the artists featured include Jan Schmidtchen, a photographer from Santa Barbara, Marie McKenzie, an oil painter from Ojai, and photographer Lauren Purves. Few of the artists have displayed their pieces publicly before, while others have not. Ellinger shared that he feels like their work “needs to be seen.”
Ellinger also plans to reveal some of his never-before-seen work including photos from his recent trip to New York City. Through his travels, he aims to capture the lives of people from all over the world hoping that by sharing their images he can also spotlight their stories. Similarly, he’s hoping this gallery allows his fellow creatives to do the same with their unique art mediums.
“What [the gallery] is doing for me, and hopefully for them, is kind of reigniting some creativity,” said Ellinger, who views this opportunity as a way to celebrate the arts in Santa Barbara.
The Summer Solstice Group Show is on Saturday, June 22, at The BE Gallery at 931 State Street, 3-10 p.m. See thebegallery.com.
