Patti Smith to Headline The Ebell of Los Angeles's 2026-27 Season

This fall, The Ebell of Los Angeles, a nonprofit organization dedicated to inspiring women and building community through arts, culture and education, launches its 2026-27 season with a dynamic lineup that builds on more than 130 years of women making bold choices, using their voices and helping shape the city around them.

From timely conversations about the future of AI to celebrated artists, intimate performances and programs showcasing the diverse perspectives of Los Angeles, the new season honors the trailblazing women who built The Ebell while creating space for the people and ideas that are shaping what's next. 

The season kicks off September 14 with Jennifer García, founder of Ingrained.ai and a leader in emerging technology, leading a conversation on how women can help shape the future of AI, followed that evening by legendary artist and author Patti Smith in an intimate evening of songs and stories. The year ahead also brings six free LA VOICES performances, sponsored by Visionary Women, celebrating the cultures of Los Angeles, the return of the Distinguished Voices speaker series, Writers Bloc author talks, and the Live in the Lounge performances, along with a month-long celebration of Women's History Month, culminating in the free Ebell + LA Festival on March 21.

“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,” said Dr. Stacy Brightman, Chief Executive Officer of The Ebell of Los Angeles. “That same spirit is at the heart of this season. Whether we're talking about women shaping the future of artificial intelligence, welcoming an iconic voice like Patti Smith, or creating space for the music, stories and traditions of communities across Los Angeles, we are continuing to use this remarkable and historic space for exactly what it was built to do: bring people together around bold ideas, culture and community. The Ebell will remain a place where people encounter new perspectives and feel connected to the city around them. This season celebrates where we've been while continuing to ask what comes next.”

Opening Day: Women, AI and Patti Smith

The Ebell opens its 2026-27 season on September 14 with a day centered on women's agency, creativity and influence. Jennifer García, founder of Ingrained.ai, leads a lunchtime conversation that explores how women can not only adopt AI, but help engineer its applications and shape its future.

Later that evening, iconic artist and author Patti Smith takes the stage for An Evening of Songs and Stories, presented in partnership with Writers Bloc. Smith will share songs and stories in celebration of her latest memoir, Bread of Angels, accompanied by musicians Jackson Smith and Tony Shanahan. 

LA VOICES: Bold Stories and Sounds from Across Los Angeles

The Ebell's signature free LA VOICES series returns with six Sunday programs celebrating the cultures and perspectives that give Los Angeles its distinctive character. Through music, dance and storytelling, local artists and organizations will share the voices, rhythms and stories of communities from across the city.

The collaborative series opens October 25 with the Korean Cultural Center Los Angeles, followed by The Ebell Chorale's annual Concert & Tea on December 13 and the Inner City Youth Orchestra of Los Angeles on February 7. On March 21, LA VOICES expands across the full campus as part of the second annual Ebell + LA Festival. The series returns April 4 with the Los Angeles Jewish Symphony, followed by Voices of Asia on June 13, celebrating the music and cultural traditions of Asian and Asian American communities. 

March at The Ebell: Women's History Comes Alive

Each March, The Ebell hosts a month-long celebration honoring women of every generation, past and present. In March of 2027, The Ebell will once again present a lively mix of conversations, performances and opportunities for Angelenos to gather, discover and celebrate the stories and achievements of women.

The celebration culminates on March 21, 2027, with the second annual Ebell + LA Festival, a free, daylong event that transforms The Ebell's historic campus with live performances, interactive art, music, dance, family-friendly activities and local organizations showcasing the creativity and diversity of Los Angeles.

March also puts a spotlight on The Ebell Institute (TEI), The Ebell's initiative dedicated to bringing the often-overlooked stories and achievements of women into greater public view. Through the TEI Living Herstory project, The Ebell commissions original musicals created especially for school-aged audiences and welcomes thousands of Los Angeles students to experience women's history through free performances and educational programming. This season brings the world premiere of To the Stars, created specifically for students in grades three through five, celebrating the pioneering women who reached beyond the bounds of our planet and helped change the future of space exploration. The annual symposium on the history of women in Los Angeles will take place on March 25, bringing together local scholars and students to explore the stories, contributions and experiences of women who have helped shape the city.

Distinguished Voices: Women Leading the Conversation

From artificial intelligence and digital media to the enduring magic of puppetry, the Distinguished Voices speaker series brings fascinating women and unexpected conversations to the table over lunch. Following the season opener, the intimate power lunch series returns October 5 with digital strategist and communications executive Camille Zapata, followed November 2 by Winona Bechtle of Bob Baker Marionette Theater for The Art of Enchantment: Women in Puppetry. Additional speakers and conversations will be announced throughout the season.

Bold Collaboration: Writers Bloc + The Ebell

The celebrated partnership between The Ebell and Writers Bloc has brought an extraordinary range of influential authors, artists, leaders and cultural figures to The Ebell, including Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, Bill Nye and many others. This fall, the collaboration welcomes iconic artist and author Patti Smith on September 14 and football legend and activist Colin Kaepernick on September 22. More major voices and conversations will be announced throughout the season. 

Live in the Lounge: Music Up Close 

Diverse musical voices and genres will resonate through the historic Ebell Lounge in this season's Live in the Lounge offerings. The series opens September 30 with actress, singer and writer Michelle Azar's From Baghdad to Brooklyn, an autobiographical solo performance weaving music and storytelling through her Iraqi Jewish and Ashkenazi family roots.

On October 28, Emmy Award-winning composer Nathan Wang joins the all-women Saltando Strings ensemble for the spine-tingling Witches' Chamber of Sirens. Jazz also takes center stage this season as The Ebell builds on its partnership with the Leimert Park Jazz Festival, bringing the sound and spirit of one of LA's most influential cultural communities into the Lounge for three performances on November 5, March 4 and June 17.

The 2026-27 season reflects what The Ebell has always been: a place where bold women, big ideas and the many voices of Los Angeles come together. Nearly a century after its historic campus opened its doors, The Ebell continues to evolve while remaining rooted in the vision of the women who built it. Now, The Ebell invites Los Angeles to be part of that ongoing story. 

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