Music Academy Breaks Ground on New Downtown Arts Center

The 200-seat venue will create new foot traffic patterns for businesses on the 900 block of State Street by 2028.

Updated on Oct. 20, 2026 in Openings & Closings

A modern steel architectural beam rests against a sun-drenched sandstone-toned building corner in a coastal Mediterranean urban environment. — The Music Academy of West has broken ground on a new $55 million performance venue at the corner of State and Canon Perdido streets in downtown Santa Barbara. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Live Poll

Does private investment in large-scale arts projects effectively revitalize your downtown area?

The Music Academy of West has officially broken ground on The Muse, a new performance and instruction venue in downtown Santa Barbara. The project will convert a former 20,000-square-foot Forever 21 retail building into a specialized arts facility.

Why it matters

The $55 million project represents a significant shift in the downtown business landscape, repurposing stagnant retail real estate into a cultural anchor. This development follows other local capital investments, including a $22 million Lobero Theatre renovation and a $21 million film festival building makeover.

The Muse project carries a $55 million construction cost, contributing to a broader $100 million local arts triangle development. This follows investments like the $22 million Lobero Theatre renovation and a $21 million film festival building makeover.

The players

Music Academy of West

A non-profit music institution providing advanced training and performance programs.

Cheryl Goldberg

A donor who provided the $20 million capital contribution for the building acquisition.

The details

The facility will transform a former retail footprint into a 200-seat performance space featuring a rooftop lounge. Construction proceeds following the $20 million purchase of the building by donor Cheryl Goldberg. The site, located at State and Canon Perdido streets, is expected to drive increased foot traffic to the 900 block of State Street once completed.

October 15, 2026: The groundbreaking ceremony occurred on this Thursday evening.
2028: The Muse is scheduled to open for public use.

Market Landscape

The project follows the ongoing revitalization of downtown State Street through cultural and arts investment, adding to existing venue upgrades. It reflects a growing regional trend of leveraging major private donations to anchor commercial district shifts.

Operators in the 900 block of State Street should anticipate a long-term shift in neighborhood foot traffic patterns and local demand as the facility moves toward a 2028 opening. Business owners should monitor city permit filings to track the pace of site development over the next two years.

The takeaway

The Muse highlights a trend of converting large-footprint retail spaces into specialty cultural venues to boost downtown density. Local operators should track how this investment alters customer demographics in the State and Canon Perdido district as 2028 approaches.