Tag: UCSB Arts & Lectures

Oct. 20 — UCSB Arts & Lectures presents the Queen of Mariachi, Aida Cuevas at the Arlington Theatre

by Community Contributor • January 1, 2024 • Comments Off

SANTA BARBARA — UCSB Arts & Lectures presents Aida Cuevas, Canta a Juan Gabriel 40 años después on Sunday, October 20 at 7 p.m. at The Arlington Theatre. A Grammy and Latin Grammy-winning icon of Mexican music, Aida Cuevas is beloved for her devotion to traditional mariachi and for her mastery of its demanding vocal forms. An impassioned performer with a striking voice that evokes life’s greatest joys and most profound longings, Cuevas was the first female singer of the genre to win both Grammy and Latin Grammy awards. In her return to Santa Barbara, the “Queen of Ranchera Music” will lead a mariachi spectacular celebrating her late mentor and friend, pop legend Juan Gabriel.

Oct. 22 — UCSB Arts & Lectures and Cancer Foundation of Santa Barbara co-present Nobel Prize-winning Biochemist Dr. Jennifer Doudna at The Granada Theatre

by Community Contributor • January 1, 2024 • Comments Off

SANTA BARBARA — UCSB Arts & Lectures and the Cancer Foundation of Santa Barbara co-present Dr. Jennifer Doudna, CRISPR Gene Editing and the Future of Human Health on Tuesday, October 22 at 7:30 p.m. at The Granada Theatre. The world stands on the edge of an era when gene editing can address many serious ills plaguing humankind, says biochemist Jennifer Doudna, who earned the 2020 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for co-developing CRISPR-Cas9 genome engineering technology.

Oct. 24 — UCSB Arts & Lectures presents ‘An Evening with Lil Buck and Jon Boogz’ at Campbell Hall

by Community Contributor • January 1, 2024 • Comments Off

SANTA BARBARA — UCSB Arts & Lectures presents An Evening with Lil Buck and Jon Boogz on Thursday, Oct. 24 at 8 p.m. at Campbell Hall. An award-winning performing artist and advocate for the arts, Charles “Lil Buck” Riley defies gravity with a repertoire that spans Memphis Jookin’, hip hop, ballet and contemporary dance, to name just a few.

Oct. 25 — UCSB Arts & Lectures presents An Evening with Percival Everett

by Community Contributor • January 1, 2024 • Comments Off

SANTA BARBARA — UCSB Arts & Lectures presents An Evening with Percival Everett on Friday, October 25 at 7:30 p.m. at Campbell Hall.Percival Everett is one of the most prolific and innovative writers of our time. The author of more than 30 books, including novels, poetry and short story collections, he has won numerous awards and been a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. His most recent novel, James, a retelling of Adventures of Huckleberry Finn from the perspective of a very different, highly literate version of the fugitive slave Jim, is currently a finalist for the National Book Award and shortlisted for the Booker Prize. In 2024, American Fiction, the film based on Everett’s 2001 novel Erasure, won the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. With sharp observations and biting wit, Everett explores race, politics, gender and family from a uniquely contemporary American perspective.

Oct. 29 — UCSB Arts & Lectures presents Yung Pueblo in Conversation with Pico Iyer at Campbell Hall

by Community Contributor • January 1, 2024 • Comments Off

SANTA BARBARA — UCSB Arts & Lectures presents Yung Pueblo in Conversation with Pico Iyer on Tuesday, October 29 at 7:30 p.m. at UCSB Campbell Hall. Yung Pueblo – pen name of Diego Perez – is an author and poet whose focus on self-knowledge and radical self-acceptance has made him a source of inspiration and wisdom to millions. He is the No. 1 New York Times bestselling author of Lighter as well as the Inward Trilogy, a collection of three bestselling books of poetry including Inward, Clarity & Connection and the final installment, 2023’s The Way Forward.

Oct. 30 — UCSB Arts & Lectures presents Malian guitar sensation Habib Koité with Aly Keïta and Lamine Cissokho performing Mandé Sila at UCSB Campbell Hall

by Community Contributor • January 1, 2024 • Comments Off

SANTA BARBARA — UCSB Arts & Lectures presents Mandé Sila: Habib Koité, Aly Keïta and Lamine Cissokho on Wednesday, October 30 at 8 p.m. at UCSB Campbell Hall. Named the biggest pop star of the West African nation of Mali by Rolling Stone, Habib Koité’s sophisticated acoustic guitar technique brings the pentatonic tuning of the griot’s traditional kora to the slashing solos of classic rock. Koité’s soulful voice and magnetic personality have made him an international star of contemporary world music and inspired collaborations with the likes of Bonnie Raitt, Jackson Browne and Eric Bibb. In this all-star ensemble, two other standard bearers of West African musical traditions join Koité: kora player Lamine Cissokho and balafon master Aly Keïta.

Nov. 2 — UCSB Arts & Lectures presents Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan performing 13 Tongues at The Granada Theatre

by Community Contributor • January 1, 2024 • Comments Off

SANTA BARBARA — UCSB Arts & Lectures presents Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan’s 13 Tongues on Saturday, November 2 at 7:30 p.m. at The Granada Theatre. In 13 Tongues, Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan brings the sights and sounds of Taiwan’s legendary night markets to life in all their human and spiritual dimensions. Mixing traditional storytelling with futuristic imagery and shifting between folk, classical and electronic music sources, 13 Tongues delivers an unforgettable experience of contemporary dance at its most innovative and spectacular. Drawing on childhood memories of a famous street performer from 1980s Taipei, Artistic Director Cheng Tsung-lung and the Cloud Gate dancers weave a brilliant tapestry of ancient and modern images set to a dazzling range of musical idioms.

Nov. 7 — UCSB Arts & Lectures presents reigning violin virtuoso Itzhak Perlman and Friends at The Granada Theatre

by Community Contributor • January 1, 2024 • Comments Off

SANTA BARBARA — UCSB Arts & Lectures presents reigning violin virtuoso Itzhak Perlman and Friends on Thursday, November 7 at 7 p.m. at The Granada Theatre. Two of the world’s most distinguished pianists – Emanuel Ax and Jean-Yves Thibaudet – join the reigning virtuoso of the violin Itzhak Perlman and the “endlessly agile” (The New York Times) Juilliard String Quartet for an evening of exceptional chamber music. Each member of this remarkable all-star lineup is fully capable of commanding a rapt audience on their own. In this lush and thrilling program of works spanning three centuries, they explore textures and nuances of expression only available to an extended ensemble.

Nov. 13 — UCSB Arts & Lectures presents bestselling author and essayist Anne Lamott in a talk titled ‘Somehow: Thoughts on Love’ at the Arlington, Theatre

by Community Contributor • January 1, 2024 • Comments Off

SANTA BARBARA – UCSB Arts & Lectures presents Anne Lamott in a talk titled Somehow: Thoughts on Love on Wednesday, November 13 at 7:30 p.m. at the Arlington Theatre. An enchanting, lyrical writer, Anne Lamott takes on the most complex, intimate parts of life with grace and precision. Her novels and memoirs have won the most sought-after literary prizes and her latest book, Somehow: Thoughts on Love, explores the struggles of love and the transformative power of intimacy. Lamott’s trademark honesty and humor will be on full display as she discusses finding love late in life, the changing ways we love our children and the ways love can keep us going in a painful world.

Nov. 14 — UCSB Arts & Lectures presents Disney’s Encanto: The Sing-Along Film Concert at the Arlington Theater

by Community Contributor • January 1, 2024 • Comments Off

SANTA BARBARA — UCSB Arts & Lectures presents Disney’s Encanto: The Sing-Along Film Concert on Thursday, November 14 at 6:30 p.m. at The Arlington Theatre. Sing along with Disney’s Academy Award-winning film Encanto as the magical tale of the extraordinary Madrigal family unfolds on the big screen.

Nov. 20 — UCSB Arts & Lectures presents ER physician and health equity advocate Dr. Uché Blackstock at UCSB Campbell Hall

by Community Contributor • January 1, 2024 • Comments Off

SANTA BARBARA — UCSB Arts & Lectures presents Dr. Uché Blackstock in a talk titled Legacy: A Black Physician Reckons With Racism in Medicine on Wednesday, Nov. 20 at 7:30 p.m. at UCSB Campbell Hall. FREE copies of Blackstock’s new book, Legacy: A Black Physician Reckons With Racism in Medicine, will be available while supplies last (pick up at event; one per household).

Dec. 3 — UCSB Arts & Lectures presents Medal of Freedom recipient and Homeboy Industries founder Father Gregory Boyle at UCSB Campbell Hall

by Community Contributor • January 1, 2024 • Comments Off

SANTA BARBARA — UCSB Arts & Lectures presents Father Gregory Boyle speaking on the topic of Cherished Belonging: The Healing Power of Love in Divided Times on Tuesday, December 3 at 7:30 p.m. at Campbell Hall.Over the past 30 years, Father Gregory Boyle has transformed thousands of lives through his work as the founder of Homeboy Industries, the largest gang intervention program in the world.

Dec. 5 — UCSB Arts & Lectures presents the West Coast Premiere of Dorrance Dance’s The Nutcracker Suite at the Arlington Theatre

by Community Contributor • January 1, 2024 • Comments Off

SANTA BARBARA — UCSB Arts & Lectures presents Dorrance Dance’s The Nutcracker Suite on Thursday, December 5 at 7:30 p.m. at The Arlington Theatre. Tap and jazz take on Tchaikovsky in Dorrance Dance’s vibrant version of this beloved holiday classic. The renowned tap company boogies, slides, struts and dives through the magical story of a young girl and her fantastical Christmas adventure. Taking their cue from Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn’s extraordinary reinterpretation of The Nutcracker Suite, Michelle Dorrance and co-choreographers Hannah Heller and Josette Wiggan transform the Sugar Plum Fairy into a slinky Sugar Rum Cherry, while the “March of the Toy Soldiers” becomes a swinging “Peanut Brittle Brigade,” featuring live music.

Dec. 6 — UCSB Arts & Lectures presents bluegrass guitar phenomenon Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway at UCSB Campbell Hall

by Community Contributor • January 1, 2024 • Comments Off

SANTA BARBARA — UCSB Arts & Lectures presents Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway on Friday, December 6 at 8:00 p.m. at UCSB Campbell Hall. A multi-talented songwriter and vocalist, Molly Tuttle’s spellbinding lyrics and exquisitely-crafted sound have garnered her a Best New Artist Grammy nomination and unprecedented back-to-back wins for Best Bluegrass Album in 2023 and 2024. She is lauded as “one of the world’s best guitar players” by American Songwriter and is the first woman ever named Guitar Player of the Year by the International Bluegrass Music Association. Together with her band Golden Highway, Tuttle weaves modern folk, bluegrass and Americana into an eclectic yet seamless musical fabric that stretches from Del McCoury to Jefferson Airplane and beyond.

Dec. 17 — UCSB Arts & Lectures presents Pink Martini’s 30th Anniversary Tour Holiday Show featuring China Forbes at the Arlington Theatre

by Community Contributor • January 1, 2024 • Comments Off

SANTA BARBARA — UCSB Arts & Lectures presents Portland’s “little orchestra” Pink Martini featuring China Forbes performing a joyful Holiday Show on Tuesday, December 17 at 7:30 p.m. at The Arlington Theatre. Pink Martini brings its signature blend of jazz, classical and pop music. With a dozen musicians and songs in more than a dozen languages, “this multi-denominational, multicultural jubilee overflows with enough holiday spirit to warm your entire family” (NPR). Performing classics like “White Christmas” alongside Chinese New Year tunes and a samba-inspired version of “Auld Lang Syne,” as well as fan favorites from the band’s 11 studio albums, this joyous, globetrotting concert is sure to make you merry.

Jan. 21 — UCSB Arts & Lectures presents ‘An Evening with Esther Perel: The Future of Relationships, Love & Desire’

by Community Contributor • January 1, 2024 • Comments Off

Jan. 21 — UCSB Arts & Lectures presents ‘An Evening with Esther Perel: The Future of Relationships, Love & Desire’

Click here for more information.

December’s UCSB Arts & Lectures Holiday Shows to Participate in United Way of Santa Barbara County Holiday Gift Drive

by Community Contributor • November 28, 2023 • Comments Off

SANTA BARBARA — UCSB Arts & Lectures and United Way of Santa Barbara County are teaming up this holiday season to help you provide gifts for young people in need.

Audiences for Arts & Lectures’ two big holiday shows –Mariachi Sol de México in José Hernández’ Merry-Achi Christmas at the Arlington Theatre on December 6 andSamara Joy’s A Joyful Holiday at The Granada Theatre on December 8 – are invited to donate to United Way’s annual Holiday Gift Drive. Tickets to both shows are available now from UCSB Arts & Lectures (805) 893-3535 and via the Arlington and Granada box offices.

Single (non-subscription) tickets for UCSB Arts & Lectures’ 2023-2024 season go on sale Friday, Aug. 4

by Community Contributor • July 27, 2023 • Comments Off

SANTA BARBARA — UCSB Arts & Lectures presents its 2023-2034 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’ 2023-2024 season go on sale Friday, August 4 at 10 a.m.

The 2023-2024 season begins on Sunday, October 1 with a concert and opening night festivities featuring the Santa Barbara debut of five-time Grammy-winner Jacob Collier. The spectacular opening week continues with the Martha Graham Dance Company on October 4 and Americana heroes Nickel Creek and special guest Hawktail on October 8. The classical super trio of Jean-Yves Thibaudet, Lisa Batiashvili and Gautier Capuçon arrive on October 10 to kick off another extraordinary season of the Great Performances series.

UCSB Arts & Lectures welcomes Jenna Hamilton-Rolle as Director of Education & Community Engagement

by Community Contributor • July 13, 2023 • Comments Off

SANTA BARBARA — UCSB Arts & Lectures welcomes Jenna Hamilton-Rolle as Director of Education & Community Engagement. Hamilton-Rolle was the Director of Education at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History and Sea Center, and brings substantial experience with community outreach, K-12 field trips, hands-on educational programming, and site-specific experiential learning to her new role with Arts & Lectures.

“I believe everyone in our community deserves access to engaging, high-quality educational opportunities. In alignment with UCSB Arts & Lectures mission, my career goals revolve around inspiring, educating, and engaging an increasingly diverse public” said Hamilton-Rolle. She also said that she has “admired A&L’s commitment to excellence, cogent programming, and dedication to accessibility” since her time as a graduate student at UCSB.

UCSB Arts & Lectures announces Spring including Actor, Producer and Entrepreneur Danny Trejo on April 12

by Community Contributor • March 22, 2023 • Comments Off

We are excited to announce several added events and opportunities this spring. From National Poetry Month to Mother’s Day, there are many opportunities to gather, to share, to laugh, to reexamine and to rejoice.

Please also note that masks are no longer required in the auditorium, however they are strongly recommended for all guests. Read more about our health and safety policies.

UCSB Arts & Lectures, Santa Barbara Independent announce a poetry contest inspired by U.S. Poet Laureate Ada Limón in celebration of National Poetry Month

by Community Contributor • March 21, 2023 • Comments Off

Calling all poets! In the spirit of National Poetry Month, you are invited to submit an original poem in one of two categories: K-12 or age 18+.

Instructions: Read U.S. Poet Laureate Ada Limón’s poem “Instructions on Not Giving Up,” which describes the growth of green leaves in spring as “a return to the strange idea of continuous living despite the mess of us, the hurt, the empty.” Then write a poem on A&L’s 2023 Thematic Learning Initiative theme of Leadership and Vision that’s about something that inspires you to move forward with strength, determination and hope.

Prizes include having your poem published in the Santa Barbara Independent, a copy of Ada Limón’s book The Hurting Kind, a $50 gift certificate to Chaucer’s Books and a $500 A&L ticket voucher good through 2024. One winner in each of the K-12 and 18+ categories will receive all of the prizes.