Arts Advocates: Jeff Beall

TECHNOLOGICAL STEWARD

Q&A with Jeff Beall

As the Beall Center for Art + Technology marks its 25th anniversary, Jeff Beall, artist, publisher and entrepreneur and son of founders Don and Joan Beall, sat down with David Familian, the Beall’s artistic director, for an intimate conversation reflecting on the center’s vision, legacy and future. 

David Familian (DF): Many places show art and technology. What do you think the Beall has done differently, or particularly well, over the years?

Jeff Beall (JB): The Black Box Projects come to mind. Since 2015, the Black Box artist residency program has focused on the research and development of responsive environments, installations and sculptures by artists collaborating with various UC Irvine research departments. Artists are provided access to the latest knowledge and resources to further their own practice, simultaneously allowing the Beall to exhibit innovative, interdisciplinary works and to function as a research center for experimental media arts. 

I think it is important to note how rare it is to have such an institution continue to grow for 25 years. There have been a small number of venues around the country and world, but few, if any, that have survived and thrived for as long as the Beall. 

DF: How do you feel about the accomplishments of the Beall Center over the past 25 years?

JB: The Beall was founded with the mission to explore the fusion of arts and technology. While there was strong interest in the interaction of art and technology in the '60s and '70s, it had been abandoned by the '80s. The acceleration of personal computers and other technologies caused its reemergence in the early 2000s. The progression of such widely varied exhibits since that time highlights so many new forms that simply couldn’t have been anticipated.  

Since 2008, under your guidance David, there have been two main approaches to representing this fusion of art and technology. First, presenting one-person exhibitions focused on artists who were not receiving solo exhibitions in the U.S. Second, our group exhibitions focused on topics such as data visualization, bio art, social media and embodiment, using all media to express the complexity of these areas that use technology. 

From the outset, it has always been very important to my parents, for whom the Beall is named, to have it serve as a focal point for collaboration with other departments at UCI, especially UCI Arts. 

DF: How does this reflect the importance of the arts and politics vis-à-vis the Beall? Frankly, too many people still seem to think of the arts as a “nice to have,” rather than a social and cultural necessity.

JB: Active, critical, engaged, “outside the box” thinking is what the arts provide: the space for new experiences, ideas and questions to be raised. Research in the field of neuroaesthetics shows clearly that we are biologically "wired" for aesthetic experiences, which serve as much more than entertainment, but in fact benefit our health and overall well-being. 

As someone who has worked and fundraised in the nonprofit arts sector for over 20 years, I’d be remiss if I didn’t use this opportunity mention the urgent need to secure additional funding for the Beall. My family remains committed to supporting the mission here, and we want to honor the vision and leadership that you have shown during our 25th anniversary. At the same time, it is imperative to attract new supporters to help sustain and grow this remarkable legacy long into the future. 

DF: Finally, what is your vision for the Beall Center’s future? 

JB: My brother Ken and I want to see the Beall expand even more and continue our parents’ original vision. Our parents chose UCI Arts because they felt that with its exceptional faculty, a world-class institution for exhibiting art and technology could be created. They also believed the Beall could serve as a focal point for collaboration with other departments at UC Irvine, leveraging the art department’s importance across campus and the broader arts and technology community.

To learn more about ways to support UCI Arts, contact Sarah Strozza, executive director of development, at 949-824-0629 or sstrozza@uci.edu. 

To mark the 25th anniversary of the Beall Center for Art + Technology, a catalog will be published featuring past exhibitions and historical essays that contextualize its impact beyond Orange County. To learn more about the Beall, visit beallcenter@uci.edu.

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CONNECT - Spring 2026