The Santa Barbara Independent is not only an institution; it makes Santa Barbara a more interesting place to live. While Instagram updates let us know what we missed, the Indy makes sure you know where to be, and why it might be worth your time. Whether a lecture at Campbell Hall or a concert at SOhO, the Indy doesn’t miss an opportunity to offer us all a peek of something different. Their writers, both young and old, act as our cultural ambassadors, highlighting “best bets,” interviewing artists and musicians, and shining a light on the most creative people and things that Santa Barbara has to offer.
But the real service that the Indy provides extends far beyond the Arts & Entertainment section. Whether it’s Nick Welsh as the Angry Poodle prodding a questionable politician or the many award-winning writers providing all-too-rare in-depth reporting, the Indy’s journalists are Santa Barbara’s unofficial guardians of the truth. They’re our extra set of eyes that keep watch when no one else is looking.
Too many cities large and small have already lost their versions of the Independent. In these strange times, the Indy continues to provide context, insight, and even humor to an existential crisis that lacks all of the above.