A three-day citywide symposium titled "Brave New Work: AI and Tech in the Hands of Artists" will take place in Santa Barbara from October 7-9, 2025. Organized by Michael Delgado in partnership with the Santa Barbara Museum of Art, the Museum of Contemporary Art Santa Barbara, and UCSB, the event brings together leading artists and scientists for panel discussions, exhibitions, networking, and public art installations. Participants include internationally renowned artists Nancy Baker Cahill, JoAnn Kuchera-Morin, Victoria Vesna, and Beatie Wolfe, alongside technology leaders Kevin Davis, Ken Kosic, and Alan Macy. Highlights include a companion exhibition curated by the Brill Family Foundation, an AR installation at MCASB, performances from the Quantum Concerto, and free projected public artworks at the Michael Towbes Library Plaza.
The event matters because it positions Santa Barbara as a nexus for the intersection of art and cutting-edge technology, engaging the local community with globally significant artistic and scientific breakthroughs that have often gone unrecognized in their own backyard. By fostering dialogue around human values in the age of AI, the symposium addresses urgent questions about empathy, perception, and the future of creative expression, making it a timely model for how cities can bridge art, science, and public engagement.