Galavant grew out of years of hands-on experience in Santa Barbara’s live music community. Before founding the organization, Barrett and Sophia Taylor produced popup concerts through the SoFar Sounds network — Sophia handling artist bookings and venue partnerships, Barrett managing sound production and event operations. That work shaped a clear view of what live music events could be when the artist experience was treated as the priority rather than an afterthought.

When the pandemic shut down live events in 2020, Barrett and Sophia used the pause to build something of their own. Galavant launched in 2021 as a nonprofit dedicated to producing intimate outdoor music and art events where artists are compensated fairly, supported with professional-grade production, and never asked to carry the promotional burden. The philosophy is simple: create the conditions for a great night and trust the community to show up.

That trust has held. Over 42 events and four years of programming, Galavant has welcomed more than 800 unique community members — all through organic, word-of-mouth growth with zero paid advertising. Every show is booked with curatorial intention, every artist is treated with the same standard of care, and the format remains rooted in what made it work from the beginning: bringing people together to be present for live art.