UCSB Arts & Lectures announces Malala Yousafzai: An Afternoon with the 2014 Nobel Peace Laureate, featuring a rare appearance by the world-renowned advocate for girls’ education, Saturday, June 27 at 3:00 p.m. at the Arlington Theatre, 1317 State Street, in Santa Barbara. An audience Q-and-A will follow the presentation.

Tickets will go on sale in a phased rollout. Currently enrolled UCSB students can purchase tickets on Friday, March 13 at 10:00 a.m. (available online or in person at the A&L ticket office). Arts & Lectures’ Producers Circle members can purchase tickets on Friday, March 13 at 10:00 a.m. (available by phone at 805-893-3535 or in person at the A&L ticket office). Arts & Lectures’ Circle of Friends members and Arts & Lectures’ series subscribers can purchase tickets on Monday, March 30 (available by phone at 805-893-3535 or in person at the A&L ticket office). Tickets are available to the general public on Monday, April 6 at 10:00 a.m. (available online, by phone at 805-893-3535, or in person at the A&L ticket office.)

Is the 805 Ready for a Regional Arts Council?

The 805 area has the critical mass in terms of artists, arts institutions, and population of a major city. It is a culturally contiguous region with supporting wine, restaurant, and film industries, plus museum, transportation, and tourist infrastructure. It has a score of small towns and centers facing similar core economic re-vitalization and cultural problems, including tight city  budgets and increasing infrastructure costs. Does it make sense to keep pursuing a balkanized arts and culture strategy with each town duplicating vital marketing, staffing, and organizational costs?  Is it time for a regional approach instead?

Society805 recently caught up with artist and arts advocate extraordinaire Tracy Hudak between projects to find out what she is thinking and doing these days regarding the arts in the 805. Tracy is noted for having her finger on the pulse and designing effective partnerships between public and private entities and the arts. In an area where cities and organizations often make expensive mistakes, Tracy has excelled in helping people get the most bang for their buck by creating successful programs that excite artists and public alike. Find out what is working and not working in the arts these days and how that relates to the arts here in the 805.