Mary Porter Sesnon Art Gallery August 13-September 19, 2026 Opening celebration and Artist Talk Saturday, August 15, 2-4:30 p.m Light refreshments will be served. Summer Gallery Hours: Thursday-Saturday, 1-5pm ReView: UC Santa Cruz Arts Alumni Exhibition features Arts Division alumni from the Monterey and San Francisco Bay Areas. Curated by Valéria Miranda, the Sesnon’s Director, ReView includes a wide variety of media and techniques highlighting the diversity of contemporary practice of alumni who graduated from 1972 to 2025. The exhibition title alludes to the portfolio critique process and suggests ideas of reflection and reevaluation—whether revisiting past work, rethinking materials, or tracing how a practice evolves over time. This exhibition celebrates the creative path of artists who began their journeys at UC Santa Cruz. United by shared roots yet defined by distinct paths, the participating alumni reflect the lasting influence of the Arts Division programs. Their works speak to the spirit of inquiry, experimentation, and perseverance that has long shaped the university’s artistic community. ReView presents an opportunity for the campus and larger community to see the professional practice of these artists who continue to build on the creative foundation that they received at UCSC and to inspire our current students, offering visualization of their own future artistic journeys after graduation. ReView offers a unique opportunity for returning alumni to celebrate their creative expressions while reconnecting with classmates and the university community. Admission is free and open to the public. More Information
From the waves to the redwoods, it's all happening here.
Live music, festivals, art walks, surf contests, trail days and everything in between.
In-person only, on purpose. Everything here is something you can actually show up to. No screens, no streams.
★ Featured this season
★ Featured
Naturalist Night: Plankton 101
Did you know that every other breath we take comes from phytoplankton? Dive into the hidden world of plankton and discover the tiny organisms that form the foundation of Monterey Bay’s rich marine ecosystem. Join marine scientist and educator Jane Silberstein for an engaging introduction to phytoplankton, zooplankton, and the remarkable roles they play in supporting ocean life. After the talk, you’ll have the opportunity to observe live plankton under a microscope and get an up-close look at these incredible microscopic organisms. Whether you’re a curious beachgoer, an aspiring naturalist, or simply fascinated by the ocean, this lecture will leave you with a new appreciation for the life drifting just beneath the surface. These amazing organisms form the base of the marine food web, produce much of the oxygen we breathe, influence the color of the ocean, and support countless species throughout Monterey Bay and beyond. REGISTER HERE Location: Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History Ticket Price: $12 Discounts: $5 member discount About the Speaker : Jane Silberstein brings more than 40 years of experience studying and teaching about the marine life of Monterey Bay. She earned her undergraduate degree in science with an emphasis in marine science from UC Santa Cruz and her graduate degree in Invertebrate Marine Ecology from Moss Landing Marine Laboratories. During her 33 years at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, Jane worked on all three plankton guide stations, sharing the fascinating world of plankton with visitors from around the globe. She has also taught plankton through Cabrillo College’s Pacific Plankton Program for nearly six years, inspiring students to explore the remarkable microscopic organisms that support life in the ocean. Jane is passionate about making the microscopic world accessible to audiences of all ages and helping others discover the incredible diversity of life drifting just beneath the surface. Accessibility and Logistics : This program will take place
★ Featured
Steve Hawk
Bookshop Santa Cruz welcomes Steve Hawk, the longest serving editor of Surfer (1991-1998), who will share his thrilling new novel Nearshore , a mix of literary suspense and coastal noir which follows an unlikely trio on the California coast who investigate a nuclear terrorist act. Hawk will be in conversation with Charles Duhigg at this event.
Open Mic w/ SteveV, every Monday
It's Monday Open Mic at the Ugly Mug! Sign ups at 5p Beer, Espresso Drinks and Desserts available
Coming up
Abbott Square: Comedy Night
Come hang out in the secret garden and have some laughs, EVERY MONDAY NIGHT. Featuring comedians from all over the area and beyond.
☀️ Happening today
Monday, August 1028 events on today. No plans required, just go.
What's happening
Filter by category, date, or area. Everything listed is in person, county-wide.
18 upcoming events · Education · from 2026-08-15 · to 2026-08-16
Balance Your Nervous System with Breema - Bodywork & Self-Care Exercises
With so many things requiring our attention each day, it can be difficult to find balance. This can lead to nervous system dysfunction, indicated by fatigue, overwhelm, anxiety, insomnia, and even illness. Breema Bodywork, Self-Breema Exercises, and the Nine Principles of Harmony offer practical tools to balance your nervous system, and bring more presence and vitality into your life. In this workshop you will learn: —Simple partner Breema bodywork exercises that are as nurturing to give as to receive —Self-Breema exercises that can be practiced throughout the day to harmonize and balance your mind, body, and feelings —Breema’s Nine Prinicples of Harmony that support you to discover a new energy, clarity, and enthusiasm for life! This workshop is ideal for those new to Breema’s transformational perspective on ways to live simply and meaningfully, as well as those with prior experience! Each workshop offers new material that will support you to have a more balanced, harmonious, and grounded perspective on life. Please be comfortable sitting, moving, and working on a well padded floor. $50 if paid by August 5 (use coupon code EARLYBIRD), $60 thereafter. For more information please contact the Breema Center: 510-428-0937 or [email protected] Continuing Education may be available for this event. Visit breema.info/ce for more information and to sign up. Instructors: Alexandra Johnson, MD, Denise Berezonsky and Dena Ehrlich
In this two-part short story workshop, writers will explore how to shape a story from an initial idea into a more focused, compelling draft. Register here: https://santacruzpl.libnet.info/event/16763798 We’ll look at what makes a story feel alive on the page, with an emphasis on helping each writer better understand what their story is really about. Participants will have the opportunity to share their work, receive constructive feedback, and discuss practical strategies for strengthening a draft. The workshop is designed to be supportive, thoughtful, and generative, whether you are starting a new story, revising an existing one, or trying to figure out where a piece wants to go next. Writers of all experience levels are welcome. The goal is not to leave with a perfect story, but to leave with a clearer sense of direction, stronger tools for revision, and renewed confidence in the work. Devin Shoop is an MFA candidate and a published author. Photo credit: Aaron Burden.
Seymour Center’s Art in the Aquarium
Dive into your creative side and make a splash with us! 🎨🌊 Bring the whole family and unleash your inner artist while surrounded by fascinating ocean life. Whether you’re a budding painter or just looking for a fun weekend activity, you’ll leave with your very own sea-inspired masterpiece to take home! 🐠✨ Join us on the third Saturday of every month for a fun art project with a talented Seymour volunteer!
Saturday, August 15 2026 10:00am - 12:00pm In partnership with the Volunteer Center Literacy Program
Finding Shape, Color & Composition in Everyday Materials Collage begins with learning to see. In this introductory, hands-on workshop, participants will explore the elements of design and principles of composition using found papers, photographs, maps, botanical imagery, magazines, and printed ephemera. Through demonstrations and guided exercises, you'll learn how framing, cropping, layering, repetition, and thoughtful composition can transform ordinary materials into dynamic works of art. We'll explore visual concepts, including the Rule of Thirds, the Fibonacci Sequence (Golden Spiral), balance, rhythm, contrast, and focal point, as we create several collage studies and one finished piece. Participants will mat and frame one completed collage to take home, ready to display. Techniques Explored ● Elements of design: shape, line, color, texture, pattern, and negative space ● Framing and cropping to discover strong compositions ● Layering, repetition, and abstraction using found papers and photographs ● Creating balance, rhythm, movement, and focal points ● Editing and refining compositions through scale, contrast, and placement Materials A wide selection of found papers, magazines, photographs, vintage ephemera, maps, botanical imagery, and collage tools will be provided. Participants are also encouraged to bring personal photographs, paper scraps, or printed materials they'd like to incorporate into their work. About Gina Gina Gaiser is an Oakland-based artist working in photography, collage, and digital media. Her work begins with photographs of the built environment and the natural world, where she is drawn to overlooked patterns, textures, and structures. She cuts apart and reassembles these images into layered compositions that explore repetition, abstraction, and transformation. She earned a BA in Studio Art from the University of California, Santa Cruz, studied printmaking and art history at Il Bisonte in Florence, Italy, and received an MFA in Digital Media,
Saturday, August 15 2026 10:30am - 12:00pm In this two-part short story workshop, writers will explore how to shape a story from an initial idea into a more focused, compelling draft.
Spring Exhibitions at the Institute of the Arts and Sciences
Visit the IAS, UCSC’s premier art galleries, for our spring exhibitions. On view April 10–August 16, 2026 are three diverse and interdisciplinary shows: Libia Posada: Everything is Going Right , the first US solo exhibition by the Colombia-based artist and medical doctor; Gina Athena Ulysse: A Redwoods Rasanblaj , a site-specific and immersive exploration of the Haitian kreyol conception of rasanblaj; and Ronaldo V. Wilson: There Are No Words, But Melodies , a mixed-media exhibition emerging at the intersections of Black poetics, performance, and visual art. The IAS Galleries are open Wednesday-Sunday, 12 pm – 5 pm. Admission is free to the public. Libia Posada: Everything is Going Right Libia Posada’s first solo exhibition in the United States features installations, sculptures, and drawings meticulously constructed from surgical instruments, gauze bandages, crutches, used books, and domestic picture frames. The new and existing works in the exhibition powerfully stitch together the personal, social, and political disorders and afflictions that currently trouble the world, from the wars that resonate across the globe to the violences of aging in US prisons. Gina Athena Ulysse: A Redwoods Rasanblaj: Origins & Disentanglements The internationally-lauded work of humanities professor Gina Athena Ulysse is on view as a premier Faculty Spotlight Exhibition. The site-specific installation, produced in community from things collected, found, purchased and donated, centers on the Haitian concept of rasanblaj, a form of assembly and collage that transcends the formal use of materials to draw together people, spirits, and ideas. Ronaldo V. Wilson: There Are No Words, But Melodies Collage is both a material practice and a structural interrogation in the Faculty Spotlight Exhibition artworks by literature professor Ronaldo V. Wilson. In video, painting, and installation, layers and folds conceal and reveal, delving into the experience, both bodily and emotive, of living in time
Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park - Redwood Loop Tour
Coast Redwoods offer a 100% satisfaction guaran-treed! Every Saturday at 12:00pm, we are taking folks on a guided walk through the Redwood Grove to talk about coast redwoods and to experience the forest together. On this 1-mile stroll, we will be chatting about life histories, ecology, etc. and sharing a wonderful adventure among these giants. Click here to RSVP. Let's plan to meet in the front of the Visitor Center, we hope you can join us!
A Special Science Saturday Series We're hatching something new this spring. Guest educators from 4-H Youth Development, University of California are taking over one Saturday a month for a six-session series exploring science through studying the incredible, edible egg. Kids will use microscopes, conduct buoyancy experiments, and yes ...even try walking on eggs. This UC-developed curriculum goes deeper than our usual Science Saturday format, with small group investigations and structured lessons that build on each other week to week. Great for homeschool families who want documented STEM learning, and for any curious kid who likes getting messy with science. Grades K–6. Registration Coming Soon! March 21 | April 18 | May 16 | June 20 | July 18 | August 15 About 4-H Youth Development, University of California 4-H is the nation's largest positive youth development organization, with an international presence reaching nearly 6 million young people. As the youth program of UC Agriculture and Natural Resources, 4-H helps kids build life skills through hands-on projects in science, agriculture, leadership, and more.
Get ready to splash some color and ink as you create your own summer bouquet masterpiece with Heidi Michelle!
Nothing Like Normal A Local Author Talk With Martha Graham-Waldon
Nothing Like Normal is a tender coming of age story about growing up with an older sister who developed schizophrenia at the tender age of 15. The recently released 2nd edition continues the story with a tender epilogue as the author unites with her sister’s daughter, revealing how joy can arise even out of tragedy and pain. This book will resonate with anyone who has struggled with the pain of schizophrenia or a chronic illness in a loved one, while inspiring hope and healing as well. Presented in honor of August's National Wellness Month. Registration encouraged, walk-ins welcome. https://santacruzpl.libnet.info/event/16578258 Light refreshments will be provided.
Saturday, August 15 2026 2:00pm - 3:00pm Nothing Like Normal is a tender coming of age story about growing up with an older sister who developed schizophrenia at the tender age of 15.
Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park - Star Walk Tour
Star Walks - Astronomy-based program where participants are guided up to the observation deck, where they will participate in activities and learn about the night sky. This involves a 1 mile round trip hike. Meet in the campfire center of the Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park campground. RSVP for this hike here .
Mary Porter Sesnon Art Gallery August 13-September 19, 2026 Opening celebration and Artist Talk Saturday, August 15, 2-4:30 p.m Light refreshments will be served. Summer Gallery Hours: Thursday-Saturday, 1-5pm ReView: UC Santa Cruz Arts Alumni Exhibition features Arts Division alumni from the Monterey and San Francisco Bay Areas. Curated by Valéria Miranda, the Sesnon’s Director, ReView includes a wide variety of media and techniques highlighting the diversity of contemporary practice of alumni who graduated from 1972 to 2025. The exhibition title alludes to the portfolio critique process and suggests ideas of reflection and reevaluation—whether revisiting past work, rethinking materials, or tracing how a practice evolves over time. This exhibition celebrates the creative path of artists who began their journeys at UC Santa Cruz. United by shared roots yet defined by distinct paths, the participating alumni reflect the lasting influence of the Arts Division programs. Their works speak to the spirit of inquiry, experimentation, and perseverance that has long shaped the university’s artistic community. ReView presents an opportunity for the campus and larger community to see the professional practice of these artists who continue to build on the creative foundation that they received at UCSC and to inspire our current students, offering visualization of their own future artistic journeys after graduation. ReView offers a unique opportunity for returning alumni to celebrate their creative expressions while reconnecting with classmates and the university community. Admission is free and open to the public. More Information
Wing Chun martial arts classes with instructor Marcus at The 418 Project in Santa Cruz, meeting multiple times per week.
Learn how to make herbal teas.
Spring Exhibitions at the Institute of the Arts and Sciences
Visit the IAS, UCSC’s premier art galleries, for our spring exhibitions. On view April 10–August 16, 2026 are three diverse and interdisciplinary shows: Libia Posada: Everything is Going Right , the first US solo exhibition by the Colombia-based artist and medical doctor; Gina Athena Ulysse: A Redwoods Rasanblaj , a site-specific and immersive exploration of the Haitian kreyol conception of rasanblaj; and Ronaldo V. Wilson: There Are No Words, But Melodies , a mixed-media exhibition emerging at the intersections of Black poetics, performance, and visual art. The IAS Galleries are open Wednesday-Sunday, 12 pm – 5 pm. Admission is free to the public. Libia Posada: Everything is Going Right Libia Posada’s first solo exhibition in the United States features installations, sculptures, and drawings meticulously constructed from surgical instruments, gauze bandages, crutches, used books, and domestic picture frames. The new and existing works in the exhibition powerfully stitch together the personal, social, and political disorders and afflictions that currently trouble the world, from the wars that resonate across the globe to the violences of aging in US prisons. Gina Athena Ulysse: A Redwoods Rasanblaj: Origins & Disentanglements The internationally-lauded work of humanities professor Gina Athena Ulysse is on view as a premier Faculty Spotlight Exhibition. The site-specific installation, produced in community from things collected, found, purchased and donated, centers on the Haitian concept of rasanblaj, a form of assembly and collage that transcends the formal use of materials to draw together people, spirits, and ideas. Ronaldo V. Wilson: There Are No Words, But Melodies Collage is both a material practice and a structural interrogation in the Faculty Spotlight Exhibition artworks by literature professor Ronaldo V. Wilson. In video, painting, and installation, layers and folds conceal and reveal, delving into the experience, both bodily and emotive, of living in time
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