Search results for

Crisis Communications
Valuable lessons for all communicators
Join AWC-SB for our first meeting of the season, kicking off with a timely discussion about communicating during a crisis. Accomplished women leaders in crisis and emergency communications will take us behind the scenes, share their stories, and provide helpful insights learned through navigating different kinds of crises. How do you communicate to the public responsibly when information is changing quickly? Fire, weather-related disasters, and other emergencies call for trustworthy sources of information and timely, organized messaging through multiple channels. The panelists will engage with the audience, sharing relatable experiences and valuable lessons that will benefit all communications professionals.

Panelists:
Kelly Hubbard, Emergency Management and Crisis Communications Leader
Jackie Ruiz, Emergency Preparedness Communications & Outreach Coordinator, Santa Barbara County Office of Emergency Management
Camie Barnwell, Director of Communications & Public Information Officer, Santa Barbara County Education Office
Liliana Encinas, Bilingual (English/Spanish) Public Outreach Coordinator and Public Information Officer for the Santa Barbara City Fire Department

Members Free / $25 Non-member Guests

Register: https://awcsb.org/crisis-communications-oct-14/

Step into the Alcazar Theatre in Carpinteria for a night so packed with laughs, your abs will file a complaint. Our stand-up stars and improv wizards will keep you howling from start to finish.

The night opens with our in-house improv team, Embarassment of Pandas, who use audience suggestions to create scenes you've never seen and will never see again!

Under the oaks, for four days in October, the Ojai Storytelling Festival brings some of the country’s most gifted storytellers to Ojai for a weekend of unforgettable live performances that are funny, moving, surprising, and wonderfully human.

If you've never been to a storytelling festival before, imagine a stand up comic, a TED talk, and campfire stories all rolled into one perfect weekend.vvThe weekend includes family-friendly events, adults only Naughty Tales, a free Thursday night concert at Sam’s Place, Saturday’s Story Shop Boutique, and special opportunities for kids, including free admission for children on Saturday from 10am-6pm.

Whether you’re a lifelong story lover or have never been to a storytelling festival before, this is one of those Ojai experiences you’ll be talking about long after the last story ends.

Hours:
Oct. 22: 1-10 pm
Oct. 23: 9:30 am-10 pm
Oct. 24: 8:30 am-10:30 pm
Oct. 25: 9-1 pm

AGSASVM2027 will provide a dynamic platform for sharing cutting-edge research, clinical practices, emerging technologies, and sustainable solutions related to animal health, livestock production, veterinary care, animal nutrition, zoonotic diseases, biotechnology, and animal welfare. The conference will feature keynote presentations, scientific sessions, workshops, poster presentations, and networking opportunities designed to encourage global collaboration and knowledge exchange.

The summit offers an excellent opportunity for participants to connect with international experts, explore future research collaborations, and contribute to the advancement of veterinary and animal sciences. We warmly welcome all delegates to join us in Brussels for this inspiring scientific gathering.

The NatureTrack Film Festival is growing beyond a traditional festival weekend. Its eighth season launches with back-to-back opening nights November 5 in Carpinteria and November 6 in Los Olivos, followed by year-round screenings continuing through October 2027.

This year’s theme, The Wonder of Nature, features original artwork by 2026 Honored Artist Tom Henderson. Opening night will also honor filmmaker Michael Love with the NatureTrack Outdoor Icon Award, followed by a compilation of his work and an onstage conversation.

The November programs will continue with a special feature from an internationally recognized filmmaker, followed by a filmmaker Q&A and post-screening gathering. The expanded season will then feature more than 50 selected films exploring wildlife, oceans, migration, climate resilience, conservation and the people working to protect the natural world.

Proceeds support NatureTrack Foundation.

Full release and details:
https://naturetrack.org/the-wonder-of-nature/

The Ventura County Community College District (VCCCD) is inviting the community to hear directly from its leadership at its State of the District event, bringing together elected officials, regional industry and nonprofit partners, educational leaders and friends of the district to celebrate the work of VCCCD’s students, faculty and employees, reflect on the District’s progress and look ahead to what's next. The free, public event takes place Monday, Oct. 19, 2026, at 3:30 p.m. at the Camarillo Public Library.

Camerata Pacifica, named 2026 Ensemble of the Year by the national organization Chamber Music America, launches its 2026-27 season with landmark works by Rachmaninoff and Schubert at four Southern California locations on Sunday, October 11, 3:00 pm, at Thousand Oaks’ Janet and Ray Scherr Forum; Tuesday, October,13, 7:30 pm, at The Huntington’s Rothenberg Hall in San Marino; Wednesday, October 14, 8:00 pm, Zipper Hall, at Zipper Hall in Downtown Los Angeles; and Thursday, October 15, 2026, 7:00 pm, at Santa Barbara’s Music Academy of the West.

The ensemble’s 37th season opens with pianist Irina Zahharenkova bringing her unique artistic sensibility to Rachmaninoff’s Variations on a Theme of Chopin, Op. 22, a collection of 22 variations on Chopin’s Prelude in C that arc from melancholy to exultant. Rachmaninov’s first large-scale piece for solo piano, the virtuosic and demanding work is filled with inventiveness and emotional intensity that showcases the composer’s distinctive musical style.

For the finale, violinist Grace Park and cellist Santiago Cañón-Valencia join Zahharenkova, to perform Schubert's B-Flat Major Trio, considered among the most celebrated chamber works in the classical repertoire. Composed at the end of Schubert’s life and published posthumously, the radiant masterwork displays the composer’s command of sonority.

“We are delighted to welcome new and returning audiences to the concert hall with this compelling season-opening program, brought to life by some of the most talented and characterful chamber musicians from around the globe,” says Camerata Pacifica Founder/Artistic Director Adrian Spence. “Filled with beauty and striking virtuosity, it’s music at its most intimate and uplifting.” Spence, who founded Camerata Pacifica in Santa Barbara in 1990, was named to Musical America’s prestigious list of Top 30 Professionals in Classical Music in January 2026.

The three featured artists have also garnered tremendous acclaim. Zahharenkova is praised for delivering performances with “impressive…musical colour” (Bachtrack). Park is lauded for her “intensely wrought and burnished” sound” (Strings Magazine). Cañón-Valencia, hailed as “technically flawless” (The Strad), was named a 2022 BBC New Generation Artist, and Silver Medalist and “Audience Favorite” at the 2019 XVI International Tchaikovsky Competition.

For tickets ($85 at The Huntington, Music Academy of the West, and Zipper Hall; $75, at Janet and Ray Scherr Forum) and information, visit www.cameratapacifica.org.

As part of NambaArts' 2026 Playwright's SPLASH Festival, I SUCK will be presented on October 24 at 7 pm. Tickets are $20 online at NambaArts.com and $25 at the door at 47 So. Oak St. in Historic Downtown Ventura.

Stan has been a vampire for over a thousand years, and he’s terrible at it. While other vampires live in castles and accumulate wealth, Stan is stuck in a dead-end job as a middle manager in Toledo, living paycheck to paycheck, haunted by centuries of catastrophically bad decisions. His latest crisis? He can no longer bring himself to kill people. After realizing he feels a kinship with every human—they’re all his descendants, technically—Stan finds himself unable to feed.

This predicament leads Stan to set out to escape his vampire contract. He embarks on a supernatural journey from heaven to hell, encountering everyone from a chatty St. Peter to a bored demon named Larry to Satan himself. Along the way, he’s forced to relive the choice that started it all—trading his soul and abandoning his family for the promise of power and eternal life.

On Saturday, October 17, at 7 pm Máire joins guitarist Chris Newman at NAMBA for an evening of breathtaking acoustic music rooted in Irish tradition but far too curious to stay there. Their performances travel through driving dance tunes, hot jazz, bluegrass, baroque music and striking original compositions, with the occasional sharp turn into Chris’s Breaking Bach and his famously dry, subversive wit. Tickets are $20 online at NambaArts.com or $25 at the door at 47 So Oak Street in Historic Downtown Ventura.

The harp has a reputation for behaving politely. Máire Ní Chathasaigh has spent a career putting fire back into it. Máire is one of the defining figures in modern Irish harping. Raised in a musical family in West Cork, she pioneered techniques that brought authentically ornamented Irish dance music onto the harp and helped return the instrument to the center of the living tradition. Her influence earned her Gradam Ceoil TG4’s Musician of the Year, Irish traditional music’s most prestigious honor.

Chris is a dazzling flatpick guitarist, improviser, composer and producer whose musical path has crossed folk, swing jazz, bluegrass and classical repertoire. His collaborators have included Stéphane Grappelli and Boys of the Lough, and his playing can move from a clean Irish reel to Django-flavored swing before most guitarists have decided where to put the capo.

PASADENA, Calif. (Aug. 25, 2026) — West Coast Songwriters will bring its songwriting community together for the 46th Annual West Coast Songwriters Conference, a three-day event at the Los Angeles College of Music, 307 S. Fair Oaks Ave. Pasadena, CA. Tickets to the event are available HERE.

Designed to educate, connect, and inspire songwriters at every stage of their careers, the annual conference will feature industry panels, one-on-one meetings, networking opportunities, a keynote presentation, and opportunities for attendees to share their music.

Panel speakers include Ben Kramer, head of artist and label development at YouTube; Lauren Christy, songwriter whose credits include Avril Lavigne, Hilary Duff, Jason Mraz, Bebe Rexha, Dua Lipa and Enrique Iglesias; Kasia “KC” Livingston, whose credits include Whitney Houston, the Pussycat Dolls, Britney Spears, Jessica Simpson and Jessie J and Heather Holley, whose credits include Christina Aguilera, Jackie Evancho and Skylar Grey.

“West Coast Songwriters has always been about bringing people together through the power of a great song. Our 46th Annual Conference is a celebration of that tradition while looking boldly toward the future of songwriting, music, and the industry. We’re creating a space where songwriters can learn from the best, make meaningful connections, and leave inspired to take the next step in their careers. I’m incredibly proud to lead WCS into this next chapter and to welcome our songwriting community to what I believe will be one of our most exciting conferences yet,” said Jen Adan, President, West Coast Songwriters.

The conference kicks off Friday from 5 to 8 p.m. with attendee registration and an open mic, giving songwriters an opportunity to connect and perform as the weekend gets underway.

Programming continues on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., featuring educational panels, one-on-one meetings, and networking opportunities. Lunch is included with Saturday’s programming.

On Sunday, conference activities run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and include a keynote presentation and a speed-networking round, providing attendees with additional opportunities to meet and engage with fellow songwriters and music industry professionals.

The weekend concludes Sunday evening with a wrap party at 7 p.m. at The Blue Room, 916 S. San Fernando Blvd. in Burbank.

For more than four decades, West Coast Songwriters has supported the development of songwriters by providing educational programs, performance opportunities, and access to music industry professionals. The annual conference continues that mission by creating an environment where aspiring and established songwriters can strengthen their craft, build relationships, and gain practical insight into an evolving music business.

About West Coast Songwriters:
West Coast Songwriters (WCS) was born from a shared passion for music and a belief in the power of song to inspire, connect, and transform lives. Our journey began with Patty and Michael Silvashire, who envisioned a supportive, collaborative community where songwriters could come together to hone their craft, share their stories, and find their voice.
Inspired by the rich musical heritage of the West Coast, our founding members set out to cultivate a vibrant community that celebrates creativity, fosters growth, and champions artistic expression. They envisioned a space where aspiring songwriters could find mentorship, resources, and opportunities to showcase their talent, regardless of their background or level of experience.
Driven by their commitment to excellence and innovation, WCS was born and embarked on a journey of exploration and discovery, embracing the diversity of musical genres and the richness of human experience. We recognized the importance of creating an inclusive and equitable environment where all songwriters feel welcomed, respected, and supported on their creative journey.
With dedication, perseverance, and a shared sense of purpose, we laid the foundation for West Coast Songwriters, shaping it into a dynamic community that continues to inspire, empower, and uplift songwriters from coast to coast. As we continue to evolve and grow, we remain steadfast in our founding principles, guided by our passion for music and our belief in the transformative power of song. WCS is a 501(c)(3) Organization.