Patti Smith and a discussion about women and artificial intelligence are among the programs set today for The Ebell of Los Angeles’ 2026-27 season.
Jennifer García, founder of Ingrained.ai, will lead a lunchtime discussion Sept. 14 about the role women can play in developing and shaping artificial intelligence, according to The Ebell. Smith will appear that evening for “An Evening of Songs and Stories,” presented with Writers Bloc.
Smith will perform songs and share stories connected to her memoir, “Bread of Angels,” accompanied by musicians Jackson Smith and Tony Shanahan, officials said.
“For more than 130 years, The Ebell has been shaped by women who were willing to make bold choices, speak up and create opportunities that did not exist before them,” Ebell CEO Stacy Brightman said. “That same spirit is at the heart of this season.”
The Saltando Strings Ensemble performs on Lunar New Year at The Ebell Los Angeles. (Courtesy of The Ebell Los Angeles)
The season will also include six free “LA VOICES” programs featuring music, dance and storytelling from communities across Los Angeles.
The series will begin Oct. 25 with the Korean Cultural Center Los Angeles, followed by The Ebell Chorale’s annual “Concert & Tea” Dec. 13 and the Inner City Youth Orchestra of Los Angeles Feb. 7.
The second annual Ebell + LA Festival will be held March 21 as part of the series, followed by the Los Angeles Jewish Symphony April 4 and Voices of Asia June 13.
The Ebell will also mark Women’s History Month in March with a series of programs culminating in the free Ebell + LA Festival, which will feature performances, interactive art, music, dance and family activities.
The Ebell Institute will present the world premiere of “To the Stars,” a musical created for students in grades three through five about pioneering women in space exploration. An annual symposium on the history of women in Los Angeles is scheduled for March 25.
Other programs during the season will include the “Distinguished Voices” speaker series and “Live in the Lounge” musical performances.
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick (7) walks out of a tunnel before an NFL football game against the Seattle Seahawks in Santa Clara, Calif., Sunday, Jan. 1, 2017. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez, File)
The Ebell’s partnership with Writers Bloc will also bring former NFL quarterback and activist Colin Kaepernick to the venue Sept. 22.
The “Live in the Lounge” series will open Sept. 30 with actress, singer and writer Michelle Azar’s autobiographical performance “From Baghdad to Brooklyn.”
Composer Nathan Wang and the all-women Saltando Strings ensemble will perform Oct. 28, and three jazz performances are scheduled for Nov. 5, March 4 and June 17.
The Ebell of Los Angeles was founded in 1894 and is based in the Hancock Park/Windsor Square area. Its historic campus and Wilshire Ebell Theatre were built in 1927 and are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.