ON Culture | ‘Tis the Season for All Sorts of Fun Happenings

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This edition of ON Culture was originally emailed to subscribers on February 6, 2026. To receive Leslie Dinaberg’s arts newsletter in your inbox on Fridays, sign up at independent.com/newsletters.

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ON the Stage

There’s no better time to be a Jane Austen aficionado than the holiday season. In between all of the new Austen-inspired holiday romantic comedy movies on TV, we get the West Coast premiere of The Complete Works of Jane Austen, Abridgedfrom Ensemble Theatre Company. Between the quick wit, sharp social commentary, and relatably human characters, I can’t wait to see what kind of shenanigans we have in store for us December 3-21 at the New Vic Theatre. “An affectionate tribute to the author whose characters live indelibly in the minds of readers all over the world,” wrote the Philadelphia Inquirer. “The show’s real charm lies in its delicate negotiation between homage and parody.” Click here for tickets.

You also still have this weekend to see the jolly good SBCC student production of Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley (read my review here). And if that’s not enough, you can always stream Pride, Prejudice, and Mistletoe (based on the charming book by Melissa de la Cruz), or go old school and view my personal favorite, the 1995 Pride and Prejudice series starring the “real” Mr. Darcy, Colin Firth. (Check out his famous “falling in love” face here. I mean, how can you resist?)

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ON the Page

The first project in the Community Arts Residency at SBCAW kicks off on Tuesday, December 2, at 5 p.m. with a free poetry and storytelling workshop. Artists and poets Tayllor and Ademola Oyewole-Davis present “Storytelling is the Revolution — What’s Your Story?” Free and open to everyone (18+ years old), bring something to write with and enjoy a safe community space for people to share their stories and write about them through poetry. The artists will support community members in the writing, editing, and performance process with two free workshops a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5-7 p.m., culminating in a showcase and exhibition in March 2026.

Refreshments are provided and all levels of experience are welcome. The workshops seek to bring together people from all walks of life. The organizers said, “Feel free to drop in for just one evening and see what it is about, or commit to as much as you choose. The workshops will build to a concluding showcase, but the point is to give our community a chance to write, share stories, and build connections.” Click here to register.

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ON the (Big) Screen

SBIFF is on a roll right now, with real life super hero Cynthia Erivo (see the video here) set to receive the Kirk Douglas Award for Excellence in Film on December 4 at the Ritz-Carlton Bacara. Tickets are still available for this red carpet dinner and tribute, which is a black tie fundraiser for all of SBIFF’s fabulous education programs. Click here for more information.

Then there’s the recently announced addition of Stellan Skarsgård to the festival. He will receive the Montecito Award on February 11, in recognition of his performance in Joachim Trier’s Sentimental Value, in which he plays Gustav Borg, a once celebrated but now reclusive film director hoping to reunite with his estranged daughters while trying to reclaim his lost fame. Critics are hailing his performance as one of the best of his storied career, cementing him as one of cinema’s greats. “He makes it look easy to embody both complex protagonists and nuanced villains with gravitas and an ability to convey profound emotional depth,” said SBIFF’s Executive Director Roger Durling. Click here for tickets and more information.

ON the Walls

Miss Daisy’s Consignment and Auction House — Glenn Novack’s house of treasures in the old Sears building in La Cumbre Plaza — has a really cool thing they do called “Consign for a Cause,” which designates a local nonprofit to get the proceeds from the sale of specific items. This month’s charity is ShelterBox U.S.A., a global disaster relief organization whose president, Kerri Murray, and her team are based in Santa Barbara. And this month’s designated artworks are by LeRoy Almon, Jon Bok, and Brad Nack.

Nack’s oil painting of the iconic Joe’s Café is particularly cool. “Joe’s Café is an iconic and historic meeting place where Santa Barbara locals have hung out and enjoyed great times for decades,” he said.  “I’m happy my painting supports ShelterBox, because their team members are out there helping people who are not doing as well as we are.” Click here for more information about “Consign for a Cause,” and click here for more on Miss Daisy.

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ON the Schedule

The holidays bring a theatrical note to loads of things, including the S.B. cocktail scene. Check out my story on getting into the holiday spirit(s) here, and find out about all of the festive ways to whet your holiday whistle at Pearl Social, Craft House at Corque in Solvang, Shaker Mill (which has a special Nightmare Before Christmas theme), San Ysidro Ranch, and Finch & Fork.

I didn’t get the info in time for my story, but Tinsel Tavern is also back at Paloma through January 4. This festive celebration in the decked-out bar includes some fun specialty drinks like Blitzen Mule, The Gingerbread Manhattan, and The Drunken Nutcracker, as well as some special small bites. Click here for more info.

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ON the Calendar

The always delightful Jake Shimabukuro brings his unparalleled ukulele talents to town on December 10 for Jake Shimabukuro’s Holidays in Hawai‘i, at the Arlington. Presented by UCSB Arts & Lectures, Shimabukuro — along with Jackson Waldhoff on bass and Justin Kawika Youn on vocals — will strum his way with his trademark aloha spirit through a dynamic repertoire that combines his signature show favorites with a vibrant collection of holiday classics. Click here for more information.

For a complete calendar of events this week and beyond, visit independent.com/events/.