The Community Youth Performing Arts Center was founded in 2000 to provide performing arts support, theater space and technical assistance for Santa Barbara’s community-based arts and educational organizations. After raising more than $4 million for restoration of the landmark Spanish Colonial Revival Marjorie Luke Theatre, the Center has provided affordable and accessible performance opportunities for over 80 of these community-based organizations since the opening of its facility in 2003. The theater is located in the heart of lower Eastside Santa Barbara, home to a majority low-income, Spanish-speaking, Latino community.

In October 2007, Irvine provided a $225,000, three-year grant to the Community Youth Performing Arts Center to present Viva El Arte De Santa Barbara!, a series of performing arts residencies designed to reach the traditionally underserved Latino communities in three areas of Santa Barbara County. The Viva El Arte program provides low-income and primarily Latino communities with culturally relevant and language-appropriate, high-quality performing arts activities and events. The Viva El Arte De Santa Barbara! program is well-aligned with Irvine’s Cultural Participation priority as the project seeks to increase access to quality art for the traditionally underserved communities of Santa Barbara.