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A photograph of a panel discussion on a dimly lit stage. Six people are seated in a row facing the audience. Behind them, a large projection screen reads 'CARSEY-WOLF CENTER' and 'UC SANTA BARBARA'. Below the logos, a list of participants is visible, including 'Moderated by Ross Melnick,' 'Rick Rosen,' 'Jennifer Howell,' 'Ian Kretzberg,' 'Lisa Parks,' and a final panelist named Wolf.

Foundation Trustees, HFA Faculty Explore Future of Media and AI

The Carsey-Wolf Center's new initiative launch brought industry titans and HFA scholars together, underscoring the division's key role in the global conversation on AI.

The Carsey-Wolf Center launched its new multi-year research initiative, "Media Industries and AI," with a timely and critical panel discussion. The event brought together media executives, scholars and analysts to explore how AI is reshaping film, television and gaming.

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An aerial view of the University of California, Santa Barbara campus featuring the tall, rectangular Storke Tower rising above green lawns and surrounding academic buildings, with the Pacific Ocean and bright blue sky in the distance. Photo Credit: Matt Perko appears in lower right.

Two History of Art and Architecture doctoral students awarded prestigious Wyeth fellowships

Two scholars land coveted spots at the nation’s top art research institute.

Two doctoral candidates from UC Santa Barbara’s Department of History of Art and Architecture, Elizabeth Driscoll Smith and Sylvia Faichney, have been named Wyeth Fellows at the Center for Advanced Studies in the Visual Arts (CASVA). Housed at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., CASVA is the Gallery’s research institute and offers the most prestigious national-level fellowships in art and architectural history: limited to ten total pre-doctoral fellowships nationally.

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Ranch house with a blue roof and solar panels sits in a bright green pasture under a dramatic sky with a full rainbow arching overhead, flanked by large oak trees.

Humanities and Fine Arts Community Gathers to ‘Reimagine What is Possible’

Faculty and staff convene at UC Sedgwick Reserve to reflect, reconnect and plan for the future of HFA.

In the inspiring and beautiful setting of the UC Sedgwick Reserve, faculty, staff and leadership from the Division of Humanities and Fine Arts (HFA) gathered on Monday for a critical half-day retreat. The event, “A Conversation at Sedgwick,” was designed as an opportunity to “strategize together in a time of crisis” and discuss “what we care about most at our public university.”

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An abstract digital collage features a white background with elements resembling blue and green botanical patterns. Iman Djouini Limn hand pulled silkscreen on Rives BFK 19" x 26" each. An example of Iman Djouini's interdisciplinary art, which explores pattern, language and migration. An example of Iman Djouini's interdisciplinary art, which explores pattern, language and migration. The UC Santa Barbara professor will bring new, large-scale works to the 2026 Venice Biennale.

From Santa Barbara to Venice: Professor Iman Djouini Brings North African Folktales to the World Stage

Her solo show, “Limn,” will be featured in the Personal Structures exhibition, running alongside the 61st La Biennale di Venezia in 2026.

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Headshot of Joseph Blankholm, an associate professor in the Department of Religious Studies at UC Santa Barbara.

$1.5 million grant positions UCSB Religious Studies at the forefront of spirituality research

As religious affiliation declines in the United States, a UC Santa Barbara religious studies professor has been awarded a major grant to explore a pressing question: What are people turning towards?

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A headshot of a smiling Robert Krut in glasses and a plaid shirt, next to the cover of his poetry book "Oh Oblivion."

Standing on a New Tectonic Plate

Writing Program and College of Creative Studies lecturer Robert Krut discusses his fifth poetry collection, "Oh Oblivion," and how teaching energizes his exploration of a world emerging from the pandemic.

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Artist Kim Garcia's installation, "What you can never fully hold," featuring layered, translucent resin panels in a steel frame, on display in a gallery.

The Art of Holding Memory

Department of Art and College of Creative Studies lecturer Kim Garcia explores family history, migration, and the preservation of memory through her sculptural practice, connecting her research directly to her UCSB classroom.

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Dancers from Santa Barbara Dance Theater perform "FORUM," linked together in a dynamic and collaborative pose on stage.

Discourse in Motion: Collaboration Takes the Stage

Led by Department of Theater and Dance Chair Brandon Whited, Santa Barbara Dance Theater's new work, FORUM, explores connection and creative research while providing invaluable professional experience for student apprentices.

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