June 5, 2002
Contact: Susan Gwynne
(805) 893-2098
e-mail: gwynne-s@sa.ucsb.edu
UCSB Arts & Lectures Director Celesta Billeci
Wins a 2002 Independent Theater Award
Summary Facts:
- UCSB Arts & Lectures Director Celesta Billeci wins a 2002 Indy Award
- The award was granted for Commissioning New Work and Co-presenting with Community Arts Groups
- This honor is a first for UCSB Arts & Lectures
Celesta Billeci, Director of UCSB Arts & Lectures, won a 2002 Independent Theater Award (Indy) for Commissioning New Work and Co-presenting with Community Arts Groups. The award was announced at the 10th annual presentation of the Indys on Monday, May 20 at SoHo Restaurant. A panelist of local critics including writers from the Santa Barbara Independent, the Santa Barbara News-Press, Backstage West and the Los Angeles Times chose the winners. “The judges were most impressed by the very effective way Celesta has reached out to bring events into the community, bridging town and gown in the performing arts world,” stated one of the judges, D.J. Palladino. “From Laurie Anderson to the Buena Vista Social Club, she has helped make Santa Barbara a more national focus for acts that excite all of us.”
The Indy Award is a first in Arts & Lectures’ history, and unusual, for most Indys are awarded for specific performances, direction and technical contributions to theatrical productions.
Since Billeci’s arrival at Arts & Lectures in 2000, fostering the creation of new work has become a high priority. In January 2002 A&L presented the world premiere of Happiness, a theater piece that we took the lead in commissioning from performance artist Laurie Anderson. In Spring 2003, the Chucho Valdés Quartet—featuring guest saxophonist Joe Lovano—will premiere a new piece Arts & Lectures is commissioning from the Cuban jazz pianist.
Co-presenting with Community Arts Groups has also been a priority for Director Billeci. Arts & Lectures’ ArtAbounds collaboration with the Lobero, which featured performances by Miami City Ballet, Buena Vista Social Club, Compagnie Maguy Marin and Paul Taylor Dance Co., brought to town world caliber artists neither organization could bring on its own. Arts & Lectures’ Chamber Music in Historic Sites® series, sponsored by The Pearl Chase Society and Santa Barbara Magazine, paired terrific music with unique architectural sites. Both of these series, great hits in their inaugural year, are returning for exciting encore performances in 2002-2003.
For tickets or more information,
call UCSB Arts & Lectures at (805) 893-3535.