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Series Subscriptions are on sale now – Get the biggest discounts (up to 25%) with a Curated Series or Create Your Own Subscription
SUMMARY
- UCSB Arts & Lectures 2025-2026 season single tickets on sale Tuesday, Aug. 19 at 10 a.m.
- More than 45 events to choose from
- Series subscriptions on sale now – get early access and save up to 25%
- Performance highlights include Samara Joy; Yuja Wang & Mahler Chamber Orchestra; Tiler Peck and international stars of ballet in a two night tribute to Jerome Robbins; Yo-Yo Ma solo playing new works commissioned by A&L; Boz Scaggs; Lila Downs celebrating Día de Muertos; Itzhak Perlman performing klezmer; Joyce DiDonato; Sutra featuring the Monks of the Shaolin Temple; a new series, Keyboard Virtuosos, featuring Víkingur Ólafsson, Daniil Trifonov and Bruce Liu; Molly Tuttle; Terence Blanchard and Ravi Coltrane in a centennial tribute to Miles Davis and John Coltrane; Nicola Benedetti; the Danish String Quartet with the Danish National Girls’ Choir; an evening-length original work from Ballet Preljocaj; A.I.M by Kyle Abraham and much more
- Lecture and special event highlights include: Fareed Zakaria giving the inaugural Roman Baratiak Endowed Lecture; Ira Glass; Elizabeth Gilbert with a free book giveaway of her latest memoir; Ezra Klein; Miranda July; Colm Tóibín; David Sedaris and more to be announced soon
- Purchase online at www.ArtsAndLectures.UCSB.edu, by phone at (805) 893-3535 or in-person at the Arts & Lectures Ticket Office (Campbell Hall lobby on the UCSB campus; walk-up hours are Mon-Fri, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.)
“Arts & Lectures amps up and smartens up the local cultural landscape.” – Joe Woodard, Santa Barbara Independent
UCSB Arts & Lectures presents its 66th season of world-class cultural and artistic events, from stimulating lectures and animated conversations with today’s thought leaders to brilliant performances by the world’s most accomplished dancers, singers, musicians and performers. Single (non-subscription) tickets for UCSB Arts & Lectures’ 2025-2026 season go on sale Tuesday, August 19 at 10 a.m.
Following the June retirement of Celesta M. Billeci, new Miller McCune Executive Director Meghan Bush looks forward to taking the reins at a moment she describes as “a real high point for the program. We have a perfect mix of returning favorites and rising stars ready to take Santa Barbara to new heights.” Citing the new Keyboard Virtuosos series, the inaugural Roman Baratiak Endowed Lecture and a wealth of world premieres and A&L commissioned works, she sees 2025-2026 as “a season rich with opportunities. Whether you are an Arts & Lectures veteran or an eager newcomer, we have great options for you.”
Opening week offers a succinct demonstration of just how broad the range is this year, with Daniil Trifonov kicking off both the season and the Keyboard Virtuosos series on September 30 at Campbell Hall. Come out early for the opening night festivities. A&L’s downtown season starts on Thursday, October 2 with jazz phenom Samara Joy at The Granada Theatre. Back on campus the next night, A&L welcomes the heavenly harmonies of roots trio I’m With Her (Oct. 3). Spend Saturday night, October 4 with Pico Iyer and radio/podcast OG Ira Glass. Finally, finish out the opening rush with Eat, Pray, Love author Elizabeth Gilbert and leave the event with a free copy of her new memoir.
A&L pays tribute to longtime lectures impresario and associate director emeritus Roman Baratiak with a new endowed lecture on October 16 featuring Fareed Zakaria. That weekend, the Roots series continues with Punch Brothers founding banjoist Noam Pikelny and Friends on October 18. It’s back to the Arlington Theatre on October 21 for one of the year’s most anticipated concerts, Boz Scaggs Rhythm Review. On October 23, Lila Downs, Día de Muertos comes to town with a festive, multilayered show, also at the Arlington.
Keyboard virtuoso Víkingur Ólafsson brings Beethoven and more on October 22. Campbell Hall rings with the joyous roots gospel sounds of the Blind Boys of Alabama with special guest Cory Henry on October 25. There’s always a supercharge of excitement when the dance series starts, and this season that happens with the extravagant spectacle of Sutra with the Monks from the Shaolin Temple on October 29. The Granada sizzles again the next night, October 30, when Itzhak Perlman, In the Fiddler’s House opens the Great Performances season.
November brings two of the season’s most exciting voices to downtown with Ezra Klein (November 4) and David Sedaris (November 7), both at the Arlington Theatre. Dance continues at the Granada on November 5 with Ballet Preljocaj, Gravity. Meanwhile, back on campus, we have Irish author Colm Tóibín in Conversation with Pico Iyer on November 19.
A&L loves the holidays. That’s when we dish out family fun with Disney’s MoanaLive-to-Film Concert on Sunday afternoon, November 16. December 7 sees the first of two “back by popular demand” performances, Molly Tuttle, The Highway Knows Tour and Jake Shimabukuro’s Holidays in Hawai’i December 10. All of these treats take place at the ever-festive Arlington Theatre.
2026 begins with provocative multimedia artist and best-selling novelist Miranda July on January 20. Get your tickets early for that one – it’s likely to sell out. The Hear & Now series at Hahn Hall begins with 2025 Cliburn Competition Gold Medalist Aristo Sham, piano on January 24. Breathtaking French/North African hip-hop choreography from Compagnie Hervé KOUBI, Sol Invictus invades the Granada on January 25. Two nights later, on January 27, the Terence Blanchard and Ravi Coltrane, Miles Davis and John Coltrane Centennial will step onto that same stage for an unforgettable evening of classic jazz.
With nearly 50 events to choose from, there’s sure to be something for everyone in this 2025-2026 A&L calendar. Some of the best of the rest include superstar Scots violinist Nicola Benedetti on January 28; two performances by Germán Cornejo’s Tango After Dark at the Lobero Theatre on February 1; Joyce DiDonato, mezzo-soprano and Time for Three, Emily – No Prisoner Be on February 5; Yo-Yo Ma in Recital featuring three new original works commissioned by A&L on February 22; two nights of Ballet Festival: Jerome Robbins curated by Tiler Peck at the Granada on March 3 and 4; the Danish String Quartet and Danish National Girls’ Choir on April 10 and the must-see classical highlight, Yuja Wang & Mahler Chamber Orchestra with Wang conducting from the keyboard on April 23.
Arts & Lectures will continue to add more events to the schedule during the season, so be sure to check back in at www.ArtsAndLectures.UCSB.edu for updates. To secure the best seats and have access to the most popular events, now is the time to make your plans and purchase your tickets.
Subscriptions to curated series and the opportunity to create your own series remain available while supplies last, as do associated discounts of up to 25%.
To order tickets, call the UCSB Arts & Lectures box office at (805) 893-3535 or purchase online at www.ArtsAndLectures.UCSB.edu beginning Tuesday, August 19 at 10 a.m.
Act now to reserve your seats for these top selling events: I’m With Her, Molly Tuttle, Miranda July Yo-Yo Ma in Recital, and Ira Glass in Conversation with Pico Iyer.
2025
September
Tue, Sep 30: Daniil Trifonov, piano
October
Thu, Oct 2: Samara Joy
Fri, Oct 3: I’m With Her
Sat, Oct 4: Ira Glass in Conversation with Pico Iyer
Sat, Oct 11: Elizabeth Gilbert
Thu, Oct 16: Fareed Zakaria
Sat, Oct 18: Noam Pikelny and Friends
Tue, Oct 21: Boz Scaggs
Wed, Oct 22: Víkingur Ólafsson, piano
Thu, Oct 23: Lila Downs, Día de Muertos
Sat, Oct 25: Blind Boys of Alabama with Cory Henry
Wed, Oct 29: Sutra with Monks from the Shaolin Temple
Thu, Oct 30: Itzhak Perlman, In the Fiddler’s House
November
Tue, Nov 4: Ezra Klein
Wed, Nov 5: Ballet Preljocaj, Gravity
Fri, Nov 7: David Sedaris
Sun, Nov 16: Disney’s Moana Live-to-Film Concert
Wed, Nov 19: Colm Tóibín in Conversation with Pico Iyer
December
Sun, Dec 7: Molly Tuttle
Wed, Dec 10: Jake Shimabukuro’s Holidays in Hawai‘i
2026
January
Tue, Jan 20: Miranda July
Sat, Jan 24: Aristo Sham, piano – Van Cliburn International Piano Competition Gold Medalist
Sun, Jan 25: Compagnie Hervé KOUBI
Tue, Jan 27: Terence Blanchard and Ravi Coltrane, Miles Davis and John Coltrane Centennial
Wed, Jan 28: Nicola Benedetti, violin
February
Sun, Feb 1: Tango After Dark
Tue, Feb 3: Ruckus and Davóne Tines
Thu, Feb 5: Joyce DiDonato and Time for Three, Emily – No Prisoner Be
Fri, Feb 6: Les Ballets Africains
Sat, Feb 7: Juan Diego Flórez, tenor
Thu, Feb 12: Bruce Liu, piano
Thu, Feb 19: Jlin + Third Coast Percussion
Sun, Feb 22: Yo-Yo Ma in Recital
Thu, Feb 26: Jon Cleary & The Absolute Monster Gentlemen and Cha Wa
March
Sun, Mar 1: Natalie MacMaster & Donnell Leahy and The Celtic All Stars
Tue, Mar 3: Ballet Festival: Jerome Robbins – Curated by Tiler Peck
Wed, Mar 4: Ballet Festival: Jerome Robbins – Curated by Tiler Peck
Sat, Mar 7: Chucho Valdés and Arturo Sandoval Legacy Quintet
April
Fri, Apr 10: Danish String Quartet and Danish National Girls’ Choir
Sun, Apr 12: Emmet Cohen Quintet – Miles and Coltrane at 100
Tue, Apr 21: Bill McKibben
Thu, Apr 23: Yuja Wang & the Mahler Chamber Orchestra
Thu, Apr 30: Lucía
May
Sat, May 2: Kronos Quartet
Wed, May 6: Ed Yong
Tue, May 12: A.I.M by Kyle Abraham
Wed, May 13: Terry Tempest Williams in Conversation with Pico Iyer
Thu, May 14: Isidore String Quartet with Sterling Elliott, cello
Sun, May 17: Philip Glass and The Poets
ABOUT UCSB ARTS & LECTURES
The 2025-2026 season marks UCSB Arts & Lectures’ 66th year of bringing unique, world-class performances, films and lectures to Central Coast and campus audiences. With a mission to “educate, entertain and inspire,” Arts & Lectures is the largest performing arts and public lectures presenter between San Francisco and Los Angeles, beloved by audiences for its award-winning, diverse and innovative programming that deeply enriches lives and extends the intellectual life of the community beyond the classroom.
Arts & Lectures’ award-winning Access for ALL educational outreach programs provide rare opportunities for students to meet and learn from visiting artists and speakers. In the 2025-2026 season, most of the speakers and performers will participate in master classes, lecture-demonstrations, open rehearsals and classroom discussions at UCSB and in the community.
For more information about Arts & Lectures, call (805) 893-3535 or visit www.ArtsAndLectures.UCSB.edu.