Brave New Work 2.0

New and Emerging Technology in the Hands of Artists

A Symposium and Public Art Exhibition

October 1, 6, 7 & 8th, 2026

Santa Barbara, California

About Brave New Work

Bringing together the most exciting art and technology practitioners based in Santa Barbara and Los Angeles, the three-day forum includes the Southern California art community, Silicon Beach figureheads as well as leaders in the Tech Corridor of Goleta. In this the inaugural event, the forum’s ultimate goal is ambitious, Intended to become an annual event that grows with advancing technologies, Brave New Work will become an international festival that places southern California at the center of the art of our time. This 2025 event includes multiple several lectures and panel discussions, companion exhibitions at participating institutions, receptions and social/networking opportunities.

Background

Santa Barbara and Los Angeles are home to the nation’s most exciting practitioners of digital/interdisciplinary work as well as the race for Quantum Computing (QC) and deep machine learning. Both the Google QC Lab and Amazon’s AI initiative are headquartered here. Driven by programs such as UCSB’s Media Art and Technology school, USC’s Immersive Media Lab, and UCLA’s ART/ SCI program; digital artistry is quickly moving past its initial infatuation with the ability of technology to manipulate traditional art forms into an era where total immersion, AI underpinnings, and wide audience engagement are transforming storytelling and what it means to make art itself.

Participating Partners

Brave New Work has strong participating partners that will host lectures, panels and exhibitions, including UCSB Media, art and Technology school; Architecture, Design and Art Museum (ADA, on the UCSB campus) the S.B. Center for Art, Science, and Technology (SBCAST); S.B. Museum of Art (SBMA); Museum of Contemporary Art S.B. (MCASB); Community Arts Workshop (CAW)*; S.B.’s main library. and the Visual Art and Design Academy at SBHS. The Santa Barbara Independent is both a media partner as well as the sponsorship sales and ticketing platform.

Participating Artists

Currently, six internationally renowned artists will be providing public artworks via AR, VR, and large outdoor projects, as well as special exhibitions in UCSB’s immersive environment, the Allosphere. You can explore the fantastical, amazing, and inspiring works of these booked artists in these links:

Nancy Baker Cahill Richelle Ellis Victoria Vesna Yuge Zhuo Beatie Wolfe
Joann Kuchera Morin

Featured SPEAKERS

James Glisson, Chief Curator SBMA Alan Macy, Founder SBCAST Forest Stearns, Artist in Residence, Google Quantum Lab, Daniel Barnett, Director, VADA Isabel Beavers, Co-Founder, Supercollider.LA Ana Briz, Curator Architecture and Design Museum,

The Symposium

Venue Map & Shuttle Service Pickup Locations Here

Tuesday, October 7

2:30-3:30pm
AI: Should we be frightened, cautious or move fast and break things?
Daniel Barnett in Conversation with (Artist to be Named)
SBHS Auditorium

4:30- 6:30pm
Welcoming Social Hour 6-8pm on the MCASB patio
Nancy Baker Cahill debuts an AR work on the MCASB patio

7:00pm
Dinner for Donors, VIPs, Speakers and Artists
Private Home

Wednesday, October 8

10:00am - 11:30Am
Morning Session, Center Stage Theater (MCASB Plaza)

“State of the Art”

Artist Nancy Baker Cahill in conversation with Alan Macy, Founder of SBCAST. Cahill and Macy showcase Cahill’s recent work at the Whitney and Hammer museums as well as guide you through videos and still imagery of work by today’s leading practitioners and their jaw-dropping installations, public work, and social activism.

Lunch Break, Area restaurants, Noon

1:30pm - 5:30pm
BREAKOUT SESSIONS- Varied Locations

UCSB

Special Shuttle to UCSB Campus for the ADA Museum and Performances by Joann Kuchera Morin, in the Allosphere Pick up and drop off locations here. Includes stop at the Leta Hotel

1:30, 2:30 and 3:30pm
”INHERENT BIAS IN AI, How to recognize it, Can it be corrected”?
Architecture and Design MUSEUM Curator, Ana Briz moderates a panel to discuss potential biases in AI with UCSB technologist Haewon Jung, and indigenous artist, Sarah Rosalena Brady

1:45, 2:15, 2:45, 3:15pm
Kuchera- Morin performs segments of her “concerto for quantum” (?)
The Alloshpere

Two artists to be named from Supercollider.la present work examples and speak to VADA/ MAD students about their technology-based work. Visual Art and Design Academy ___pm to ___pm Part of downtown shuttle routes

Evening Session, S.B. Museum of Art Theater, ___pm to ___pm

And you may ask yourself, “How Did I Get Here” (working title)

SBMA Curator of Contemporary Art James Glisson and guest(s) lead us on a whip-smart art history tour of how technology has been adopted by artists over the centuries. Focusing on the last 100 years, in which the dissolution of the art object can be traced from early surrealist filmmaking to abstract expressionism, happenings, performance, and early video art, as well as specific contributions by artists such as Lynn Hershmann, Bruce Conner, and Arron Cohen, the discussion firmly places the art of our day in the western art historical canon.

Projection Exhibition: The work of Ellis, Zhao, Vesna (?) and Wolfe can be viewed in the Main Library Plaza adjacent to the museum and a social networking hour at an adjacent restaurant. from ___pm -___pm

Thursday, October 9

“thAt Future was just Here…” (working title)

A Leading Artist and Technologist to be named delivers a closing address examining the implications of powerful technology and the role artists can and must play to shepherd its use for the betterment of humanity instead of dystopian scenarios. In an art form that is evolving at the breakneck pace of ever-progressing technology, what kind of impact is the work having on the traditional museum/gallery/collector ecosystems? What might we expect of its ability to engage vast numbers of viewers to advance a social agenda, and what does that implicate for the traditional role of an artist? Similarly, when a large team is required to produce these spectacular works, what does that mean for artistry, per se? Can a singular artist make art anymore? What does that imply for how we perceive ourselves as a society? Can artists harness this amazing power for good?

Advisory Committee

Alan Macy, Founder, SBCAST

Brad Nack, Artist

Charles Donelan, USCB Arts & Lectures

Fredrick Janka, Director, MCASB

Ian Smith, Board Member, Community Arts Workshop

James Glisson, Contemporary Curator, SBMA

Joann Morin Kuchera, Director, USCB MAT

Leslie Dinaberg, Arts Editor, S.B. Independent

Magan Kunin, Founder, Kunin Wineries

Peter Brill, The Brill Family Foundation

Megan Birney Rudert, CEO, Unite to Light

Nathan Vonk, Owner, Sullivan Goss Gallery

Getting Around

BNW Shuttle Routes

Lodging

Don’t Miss

TICKETS

Donors

Sponsors

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT MICHAEL DELGADO

michael@brandwellarts.com or call 01-213-505-6957