Legendary Celebrity Portrait Photographer Andy Gotts Debuts THE PLAYLIST, His First-Ever California Exhibition at Santa Barbara's El Encanto

The luxury resort unveils 40 large-format unretouched prints featuring titans of music, along with rare, co-signed works, including Dolly Parton, Ozzy Osbourne, Mick Fleetwood and more

SANTA BARBARA, Calif., Aug. 10, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- El Encanto, Santa Barbara's storied, hillside hideaway, today announced a landmark collaboration with acclaimed British photographer Andy Gotts, marking the artist's first-ever exhibition in California. Opening August 27, 2026 and running through November 30, 2026, the exhibition, titled THE PLAYLIST, will showcase 40 large-format fine art prints throughout the historic property, spotlighting the signature style that has made Gotts one of the most sought-after celebrity photographers in the world: raw, high-contrast black-and-white, shot in extreme close-up and left deliberately unretouched, creating unusually intimate and authentic portraits.

"It's truly an honor to be the first-ever California location to showcase Andy Gotts' impressive works," said Chris Saputo, General Manager of El Encanto. "Ringo Starr once called Andy Gotts  'the Ansel Adams of faces,' and that comparison perfectly captures Andy's brilliance."

"Santa Barbara has long been an inspiration and safe haven for generations of musicians," said Andy Gotts. "And I love that my raw and unretouched artist portraits will be viewed and enjoyed against the naturally beautiful backdrop of El Encanto. It's exciting timing, too — this exhibition arrives just ahead of my next project, a portrait series celebrating NFL all-stars spanning multiple decades of the game, debuting around the Super Bowl next year."

Appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) by Queen Elizabeth II, Gotts has built his three-decade career on a single, uncompromising rule: no airbrushing, no digital retouching, no filters — every line, wrinkle and imperfection left exactly as the camera saw it. The approach, inspired by Henri Cartier-Bresson's concept of the "decisive moment," gives his portraits an intimacy and honesty, which will be on full view at El Encanto. Some of the pieces in this curated collection are Gotts' original hand-marked contact sheets, presented as finished art in their own right— red and yellow grease-pencil marks and all— offering guests a glimpse at how he selects the single frame that becomes the final portrait.

The prints on display represent a career-spanning survey of the musicians, singers, and performers Gotts has photographed over three decades, each rendered in his unmistakable unretouched black-and-white style. The collection spans generations and genres, organized into:

• Divas - Dolly Parton, Liza Minnelli, Kylie Minogue, Rita Ora, Nicole Scherzinger, Shirley Bassey and Annie Lennox
• Kings of Stage  - Ozzy Osbourne, Steven Tyler, Elton John, Roger Daltrey, Alice Cooper, Motörhead, Meat Loaf and Liam Payne
• Guitar Gods - B.B. King, Ronnie Wood and Brian May
• Rhythm & Soul - Ringo Starr, Sting, Gene Simmons, Mick Fleetwood and Phil Collins

An additional six pieces in the collection are especially rare: personally co-signed by both Gotts and his subjects, they include portraits of Dolly Parton, Ozzy Osbourne, Mick Fleetwood, Ronnie Wood, B.B. King, and Liam Payne, making them among the most sought-after works in Gotts' archive.

Guests inspired by the exhibition can acquire prints from Gotts' wider THE PLAYLIST collection, through OneShot Creative, where each fine art print is offered in three sizes (60" x 40", 40" x 30" and 24" x 20") and shipped unframed directly from the United Kingdom. The #1 print from each edition, the same works featured in the framed exhibition, is available exclusively through El Encanto. The full collection can be viewed at oneshotcreative.org/theplaylist.

To celebrate the collaboration, El Encanto has launched "THE PLAYLIST Experience," a suite package where guests who book between August 27–30, 2026 receive two tickets to The Playlist's launch party, two tickets to an intimate dinner hosted by Gotts on August 28 or 29, and daily breakfast for two, across four Andy Gotts-themed suites: the Oak Tree Suite's "Divas" (Dolly Parton, Liza Minnelli, Kylie Minogue), the Wishing Well Suite's "Kings of Stage" (Ozzy Osbourne, Steven Tyler, Elton John), the Terrace Premier Suite's "Guitar Gods" (B.B. King, Ronnie Wood, Brian May), and the Garden Bungalow's "Rhythm & Soul" (Ringo Starr, Sting, Gene Simmons).

About El Encanto
Located in the hills of Santa Barbara's American Riviera, El Encanto is the city's most storied luxury hideaway. A member of Leading Hotels of the World, the award-winning property offers 90 individually-styled California bungalows and suites set across seven acres of terraced gardens with panoramic views of Santa Barbara and the Pacific Ocean. Guests enjoy a zero-edge outdoor pool, boutique spa, and access to bicycles, fitness classes, and wellness programming. El Encanto's signature restaurant, The Dining Room and Terrace, is helmed by Chef Joel Viehland and features fresh, seasonal cuisine inspired by California's Central Coast. Additional offerings include a private Wine Room for intimate events and activities for guests ranging from trips to the Santa Barbara Farmer's Market with Chef Joel to sailing off the California coast on a 50-foot Catalina sailing yacht. The property also boasts nearly 10,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor event space, ideal for weddings, social gatherings, and executive retreats. Pet-friendly, ADA accessible, and minutes from downtown Santa Barbara, El Encanto remains a serene and storied escape for both visitors and locals alike. For more information or reservations, visit elencanto.com

SOURCE El Encanto