Revel in a New Season of Sensational Programming

UCSB Arts & Lectures turns denizens of the local community into citizens of the world. “We bring the world to Santa Barbara,” says Celesta Billeci, executive director of Arts & Lectures, who is celebrating her 25th year in that position. At a time when arts budgets are being slashed everywhere and in an increasingly divisive cultural and political climate, UCSB Arts & Lectures is proud to be entering its 65th year of programming that educates, entertains, and inspires. And typical of the organization’s acclaimed offerings, it is a season replete with an array of diverse and visionary choices from all over the globe. 

The new season includes exciting familiar faces like Yo-Yo Ma, Wynton Marsalis, Itzhak Perlman, and Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, as well as bright, new discoveries like Fight Night by Ontroerend Goed, a revolutionarily innovative Belgian theater company, and Owls, a fresh and original new string ensemble featuring some of chamber music’s most creative voices. Events take place in a variety of venues throughout the Santa Barbara area, including Hahn Hall, Lobero Theatre, Arlington Theatre, Granada Theatre, County Courthouse, and Campbell Hall, to name just a few. 

Consistent with its mission, Billeci says that Arts & Lectures goes beyond presenting a wide-reaching season of artistic performances. Its distinguished lecture series enlightens and engages audiences. This season, educational visionary Salman Khan will address AI’s integration in the educational process; world-renowned chef Yotam Ottolenghi will demonstrate recipes and tell stories from his latest cookbook; Dr. Jennifer Doudna, a Nobel prize winner in chemistry, will discuss genome engineering’s possibilities in agriculture, the environment, and medical science; and humorist Fran Lebowitz will bring her critically-acclaimed evening of anecdotes to Campbell Hall. Additionally, the “Speaking with Pico” series will feature authors Yung Pueblo, Pulitzer-winner Richard Powers, and art world icon Marina Abramović talking with author and scholar Pico Iyer, who is known for his insightful interviews. 

Beyond bringing its stellar programming to Santa Barbara, UCSB Arts & Lectures also brings its offerings to those members of the community who simply may not have access. iViva el arte de Santa Bárbara! is its free program that brings high-quality touring artists to schools, neighborhood spaces, and community centers for youth and families in Carpinteria, Santa Barbara, Goleta, Lompoc, Santa Maria, and New Cuyama to share the rich cultural heritage of Latin America. 

With such a comprehensive and expansive program, Billeci finds the task of putting the program together a pressure cooker, “because we have to do better every year,” she says. 

The 65th anniversary season has done just that. Charles Donelan, the organization’s senior writer and publicist, who spent many years as the executive arts editor for the Santa Barbara Independent, considers UCSB’s Arts & Lectures programs and offerings on par with cultural meccas like New York and Chicago. “I feel like I’ve won the arts lottery,” he enthuses when discussing his current position at Arts & Lectures. 

Every year UCSB finds a way to bring the most creative and captivating programming to Santa Barbara. Don’t miss its upcoming 65th anniversary season.