On the heels of the final speaker in the highly successful Malibu Library Speaker Series, the Cultural Arts Commission is looking to make recommendations for speakers to continue the series.
The City Council Library Ad-Hoc Committee asked the Cultural Arts Commission to make recommendations for the next speakers at Tuesday’s commission meeting, according to a commission agenda report. They have requested recommendations in three categories: playwrights/screenwriters, directors/producers and performing artists. Recommendations will be included in next month’s agenda, and commissioners will narrow the list to two speakers in each category at next month’s meeting.
The series started in March with Garth Stein, who was followed by Kerry Max Cook and Anne Lamott. Elizabeth Gilbert, bestselling author of “Eat, Pray, Love,” closed the inaugural series last Sunday to a sold-out crowd at the Malibu Civic Theatre.
Although he series featured well-known authors for the first four months, the commission is looking to diversify the types of speakers in coming months.
“It was never really intended to just be authors,” said Cathy McGowan, former acting manager of the Malibu Library. “We wanted to expand it to include other interesting speakers as well. We want to expose ‘audiences to some of the greatest thoughts, insights and influential minds of our time,’” she added, quoting the Malibu Library website.
McGowan, who left her position at the Malibu Library last week, worked closely with the city manager to kick off the speaker series. She said the series could feature anyone from authors to politicians.
The series will continue with “regular events,” but McGowan said it is unclear whether the series will continue on a monthly basis.
Speakers have already been selected for July and August. Mary Lenihan, LACMA curator and director of adult programs, will be speaking about a current exhibit, “Compass for Surveyors: Nineteenth Century American Landscapes” on July 24 at the library. Susan Casey, author of “The Wave,” and surfer Laird Hamilton, who lives in Malibu part-time, will be speaking on August 28.
