Fatoumata Diawara in French class at Dos Pueblos High School.

BalletBoyz in class with UCSB students. (photo credit: David Bazemore)

Gil Shaham with UCSB students.

Hugh Masekela & Vusi Mahlasela with UCSB Professor Jeffry Stewart.

Piper Kerman with Jose Velasco, Santa Barbara High School. (photo credit: David Bazemore)

Shai Wosner at Harding University Partnership School. (photo credit: David Bazemore)

Story Pirates in conversation at Peabody Charter School. (photo credit: David Bazemore)

Performing Arts Outreach

When Arts & Lectures’ internationally recognized artists and speakers enter the everyday lives of students, they bring a unique opportunity to relate academics to current events and artistic trends from the world stage. Arts & Lectures’ outreach program provides free educational activities to approximately 30,000 each year with partnerships on campus, in schools and in the community through:

Assemblies in elementary and secondary schools
After-school workshops and conversations with youth
Assemblies for incarcerated youth
Meet-the-artist sessions on and off-campus
Panel discussions with artists and University scholars
Lectures and demonstrations in University classes
Technique classes for students of all ages
Coaching for advanced students
Social events and meetings with student groups and classes
Post-show Q&A sessions with audiences of all ages
No-cost tickets to public events for students, their families and teachers
Free family performances in underserved neighborhoods

Community Outreach

By giving a voice and presence to the important topics of the day, our outreach program offers students opportunities to learn about the culture and beliefs of others and to explore identity – their own and their relation to others – which is crucial to preparation for their future personal, professional and civic lives.

"We highly appreciate the opportunity for our school community to engage in such high quality music and dance performances. The quality of the performances is engaging, educating and inspiring. Our students connect on many levels."
– Mary Khan, Principal, Isla Vista School

"…this outreach program has provided our high school students with the opportunity to learn new dance movements, teaching styles and developments of new works from numerous professional dance artists."
– Beth Goldman, Teacher, Santa Barbara High School

"My students get inspired when they are able to see musicians who are passionate about what they do which in turn inspires them to become better musicians."
– Karen Dutton, Teacher, Santa Barbara Junior High School

"One of the special things about Arts & Lectures is the outreach they do on campus. When I was an ethnomusicology grad student here, I remember meeting all the artists that were coming through Arts & Lectures to perform and getting really a lot of high quality time and intimate experiences with these musicians and artists that you would not normally have access to… And that was a really formative experience for me. It really gave me a lot of inspiration for the work I do now…"
– Mina Girgis, UCSB Alumnus, President and CEO of The Nile Project

"Taking class with professional dancers is really inspiring. Having these master classes gives you tools for auditions, to perform and to learn what tour life is like… What’s most inspiring for me is the variety you get to see through Arts & Lectures… it’s how I got to be where I am today."
– Derion Loman, UCSB Alumnus, member of Pilobolus Dance Theater