UCSB Arts & Lectures

We regret to announce that, with the pandemic causing national and international artists to cancel their tours and with the continued restrictions on public gatherings, A&L's in-person events scheduled for February-May 2021 have been canceled. A&L is in the process of reimagining 2021 and will announce a fresh, creative and exciting virtual lineup in early January. FAQs including options for returning unused tickets are available here: https://bit.ly/39YqAoQ... Please contact the A&L ticket office with questions or for more information. Ticket Office: (805) 893-3535, MON - FRI / 10AM - 5PM, or email [email protected].

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s first-ever free online season starts tonight, Dec 2! Celebrate six decades of Revelations, classics from the repertoire, and new works that extend and honor the legacy of Ailey himself.

Performing from her home in Ireland, MacArthur Genius Rhiannon Giddens will bring her spectacular banjo and fiddle playing and passionate vocals to a virtual matinee concert and Q&A, this Sun., Nov. 15. Get tickets>> https://bit.ly/2ICqk35 Hear Rhiannon's COVID era-inspired work "Best Day/Worst Day" on the Morning Edition Song Project>> https://n.pr/3ltizuX

Zoom-school fatigue is real, but creative education goes on! Grab the whole family and enjoy the music of "Sesame Street" with the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis. Big Bird, Elmo and the gang sing along to the show's songs in a musical celebration for kids of all ages, streaming now.

This #GivingTuesday, will you be our hero and help performing arts and thoughtful conversation continue to thrive in our community? Give now>> https://bit.ly/36sMqyu Isaac Hernandez

How lucky were we to hear words of healing and compassion from former U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy? Just two weeks ago he dazzled us as a featured speaker on A&L's virtual "House Calls" series. Now, America's doctor co-chairs the COVID-19 transition advisory team. Bravo.

"Be brave enough to break your own heart" writes novelist and podcast host Cheryl Strayed. Join the author of Wild and Brave Enough in a virtual conversation with A&L's resident wordsmith Pico Iyer, Dec. 3. Get tickets>> https://bit.ly/2JdBfBh Learn what books are on Cheryl's nightstand in "How Libraries Saved Cheryl Strayed">>https://nyti.ms/33uG3sT

Exercise your right. Raise your voice. Vote.

While we are honored to be listed among Santa Barbara Independent's Local Heroes, we want to thank YOU Santa Barbara for sticking by us as we reimagine public arts and lectures programming in the COVID era. "As Bryan Stevenson says, it’s all about hope."

British phenoms Sheku and Isata Kanneh-Mason - two of their family's seven(!) gifted young musicians - will perform a free gratitude concert Nov. 22, available to registered audience members on-demand for a week. Register>> https://bit.ly/2UCwiUm Watch Sheku's performance at the royal wedding of recent Montecito transplants Meghan and Harry>> https://youtu.be/TeDB27cq3fE

This holiday season, A&L offers UC Santa Barbara students a FREE virtual gratitude concert, An Evening with Yo-Yo Ma and pianist Kathryn Stott, available on-demand beginning Nov. 28. We hope that it can bring students closer to their UCSB friends while watching with their families from around the world! *Available for on-demand viewing from Nov. 28 - Dec. 12 (no live stream). Register by Nov. 28 at 7 PM Pacific for access; perm and umail required.

Get (virtually) up-close and personal with comic Mike Birbiglia Oct. 29. The comic will read from his new memoir, a tale perfect for anyone who has ever raised a child, been a child, or refuses to stop acting like one, followed by Q&A. Tickets>> https://bit.ly/37jyBU9

"Antibodies are like superheroes. They can spot the germs a mile away and kick them out before they ever make you sick." Wise words from former U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek H. Murthy who will be discussing his new book "Together" and taking your questions virtually, Oct 23. Get tickets>> https://bit.ly/3nWGxQT

"Wonderful, captivating, enlightening and thoughtful" are just a few of the words viewers used to describe last night's convo between Pulitzer Prize-winners Ibram X. Kendi* and Jeffrey Stewart. Join the follow-up conversation, this Thursday, on Coffee With A Black Guy. Register @ https://www.cwabg.com/ For more resources and community connections, visit www.thematic-learning.org/ *Note Professor Kendi will not be present at the follow-up conversation.

Among the most anticipated virtual events this fall, our good friend Pico Iyer and Barbara Kingsolver will discuss her new book How to Fly, poems about transcendence, Oct. 26 (new date). Get tickets>> https://bit.ly/2T8wIBf

Pandemic blues, anyone? Vivek Murthy, the 19th U.S. Surgeon General and author of "Together" will talk about his work on loneliness, the state of public health and take questions in this timely virtual event, Oct 23. Get tickets>> https://bit.ly/3nWGxQT