Artsweek

Extravaganza 2026: Dominic Fike excels as first rock headliner in 11 years alongside JT, Earl Sweatshirt and Jane Remover

With a notably high turnout of 7,500 audience members and a popular, genre-spanning lineup, the May 17 concert brought a fresh take and renewed excitement to the campus festival.
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Japanese Breakfast’s Michelle Zauner talks memoir and 2026 UCSB Reads selection ‘Crying in H Mart’

The author and musician spoke at Campbell Hall about her book “Crying in H Mart: A Memoir,” which was selected as the official 2026’s UCSB Reads book.
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Dominic Fike announced to headline Extravaganza 2026

The lineup will feature Dominic Fike as the headliner, along with artists JT, Earl Sweatshirt and Jane Remover.
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Carsey-Wolf Center screens UCSB professor Wendy Eley Jackson’s ‘The Other Roe’

UC Santa Barbara’s Carsey-Wolf Center hosted a screening of the documentary “The Other Roe,” directed by UC Santa Barbara’s very own Wendy Eley Jackson on April 9. The film was followed by a c...
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Medusa’s musical tragedy: “A Legacy of Stone” at Lotte Lehmann Concert Hall

The musical was a three-year-long dream of Hastings’, reimagining the Greek myth of Medusa’s origin story.
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‘The Drama’ was so close to being truly great

The A24 film has sparked divisive discourse among movie watchers. While some found the film an offensive failure, others found it a thought-provoking masterpiece. Two things can be true at once.
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Tracks of the month: April 2026

Artsweek staff's favorite tracks of April 2026.
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Lil Yachty drives UCSB crazy at The Warm Up

The April 4 concert, organized by UC Santa Barbara’s Associated Students Program Board, brought in a record-breaking crowd of over 3,000 attendees, making it one of the biggest evenings in the conce...
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“Wuthering Heights” Replaces Feeling with Lust

There’s no burning and longing; it’s all physical lust. It lacks the emotional weight that an adaptation of “Wuthering Heights” should possess.
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The results are in: Artsweek’s official 2026 Academy Award predictions

As the ultra-competitive 2026 Academy Awards approach, here are Artsweek’s official predictions for who will take home the golden statuettes in the major categories.
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Beats after dark: ASPB presents fourth annual Battle of the DJs

Isla Vista residents gathered at Anisq’Oyo Park to watch UC Santa Barbara students compete in Associated Students Program Board's Battle of the DJs.
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Banff Mountain Film Festival Sells Out Santa Barbara for Night One

The only film festival that has ever had showings in outer space, the Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour, came to Santa Barbara this week.
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SBIFF 2026: Closing night premiere of ‘Laundry’ — a devastating depiction of apartheid South Africa

The 41st annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival concluded with the U.S. premiere of "Laundry" on Feb. 14.
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SBIFF 2026: ‘Lovely Day’ is a chaotic drama full of hope

Philippe Falardeau’s French-Canadian feature film documents the unraveling of a happily-ever-after that can’t be over quickly enough.
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SBIFF 2026: Arlington Artist of the Year Kate Hudson joined by Gwyneth Paltrow

Kate Hudson was honored for her Academy Award-nominated performance in "Song Sung Blue," along with her prolific career.
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