Access to clean, affordable light and energy is critical to improving health, education, and prosperity, yet over a billion people do not have access to electricity. Unite to Light is a local non-profit organization dedicated to providing solar light and power to those without electricity across the globe. Their life-changing work is powered by the generosity of people in our community and beyond.
Their recent 3-day art exhibition and fundraiser event at the Community Arts Workshop in Santa Barbara raised over $100,000 — enough money to send 10,000 solar lights to students, midwives, victims of disasters, and our neighbors experiencing homelessness.
The event merged art, culture, and social impact into immersive experiences over the course of three evenings. The basis of the fundraiser was an art exhibition around the theme of light. By offering a diverse program of events that included a formal gala dinner, a multi-sensory dance party, and a free community showcase, people of all ages and socioeconomic backgrounds were granted the opportunity to participate in at least one of the evenings.
Uniting to Light the Night featured the work of 33 local visual artists whose work evokes the power of light in a unique way. This group of featured artists represents both established and emerging artists from diverse backgrounds and with distinct artistic practices. Included in this was Oniracom’s very own artist-in-residence, Brett Schoonderwoerd. Artists who sold their pieces from the event, donated 30% of their art sales to our Unite To Light’s mission.
Local band, Isla View, provided live music for guests with a special performance at the kickoff “Glow Gala”, where 75 guests enjoyed a plated dinner from Lorraine Lim, witnessed an impactful presentation from the Unite To Light team, made charitable donations, and got a first look at 40 pieces of art, all celebrating the power of light.
The festivities continued at the “Bright Bash” where flow artists and an interactive light show moved to music by DJ MacIntyre.
The fundraiser concluded with a free showcase that invited the community to meet the artists and enjoy fun activities for kids and adults with interactive projection art, sculptures, paintings and photography.
Over the course of these three evenings, more than 425 members of our community turned their attention to the need for clean, affordable light and power across the world, uniting our community in the importance of light as a basic necessity and as a creative medium.
Oniracom is proud to have been a sponsor of the event, and to have equipped Unite to Light with brand materials to display their organization’s focus areas and impact.
| There are many ways to change lives and light the world, and we encourage you to get involved as well. |
Select art pieces from the fundraiser are still available for purchase, you can view them at the button below or make a charitable donation to Unite to Light.
“Our products are the lights people need to live and thrive. We focus on projects that help students study at night, equip midwives with the tools they need to save lives, offer help and hope to those suffering from natural disasters, and provide light and power to our neighbors experiencing homelessness so they are able to connect to vital services and information.
Unite to Light
Light by light we are changing the world.”
