On May 13, UCSB Arts & Lectures hosted an intimate, elegant, and fascinating 60th Anniversary Party and fundraiser with Fareed Zakaria. Sara Miller McCune generously opened her Montecito estate, and she and her Sage Publishing underwrote all expenses. Proceeds from the $2,500 tickets go to Arts & Lectures’ (A&L) extensive education and community outreach programs.
The evening began with the 60 donors and Zakaria mingling on the terrace and lawn while members of UCSB Jazz Ensemble with Dr. Jon Nathan provided background music. A tasty three-course meal served on the terrace followed, with guests seated at tables named for some of A&L’s special stars and adorned with framed photos of the stars with guests at the table. At my Scott Kelly table, supporter Sheila Wald was greeted with a photo of her and Jeff Goldblum. During dessert, Miller McCune Executive Director Celesta Billeci ran a fun trivia contest, including how old Yo-Yo Ma was when he first performed for A&L (22) and what eminent historian stated “Arts & Lectures is a stunning example of the great good that generous citizens working together can accomplish with their community” (David McCullough).
Guests then adjourned to the living room for a talk and Q&A with Zakaria. Billeci reminded guests of A&L’s mission to educate, entertain, and inspire, and that its education program is about access for all. Zakaria, who hosts Fareed Zakaria GPS on CNN and is a columnist for the Washington Post, gave a fascinating, wide-ranging talk that delved into such issues as why the pollsters got the 2016 election wrong, how Trump got elected and the wide-ranging implications of this for American society, and the rise of nationalist movements throughout the world and how technology and globalization will only exacerbate them.