ARTS MONTH 2021 WRAP UP
Apr 30, 2021Read about our successful #ArtsMonth2021 thanks to your dedicated advocacy!
As Arts Month draws to a close, we want to thank each and every one of you for your tireless advocacy on behalf of LA’s arts + culture sector. Together, we were able to propel important legislation forward, advocate on behalf of the most vulnerable members of our community, and enlist the help of our local leaders in supporting a just recovery.
This network of advocates took action 1,800 times – sending letters, submitting public comment, and calling elected officials at all levels of government. This commitment and passion has resulted in major wins at the city, county, and state levels. Your advocacy is working.
We are excited to share updates about the work of this year’s incredible ACTIVATE Delegates cohort. Over the past two weeks, almost 40 delegates have met with close to a dozen local leaders to advocate for the resources our creative communities so desperately need. Check out the video of singer/composer and ACTIVATE Delegate Joyce Kwon in action!
Read on for more details about all of your advocacy this #ArtsMonth.
Onward!
Gustavo Herrera
Executive Director
CITY OF LOS ANGELES
In early April, LA City Council passed the resolution put forward by Councilmembers Lee, O’Farrell, and Blumenfield committing to direct federal stimulus to arts & culture. Over 900 of you signed our petition to get this resolution passed, and we were successful! Stay tuned for any additional actions.
On April 20, LA City Mayor Garcetti released his draft of the 2021-22 LA City Budget. This budget proposed a $5.3 million increase to the Department of Cultural Affairs’ budget, including a $2 million increase in cultural grants program, and $2 million for creative workforce programs which includes $1 million for We Create LA – a new workforce program for teaching artists to work in community settings.
The Mayor’s proposed budget also outlines a vision for a $1 million dollar youth & creative workers mural program, $1 million for the COVID-19 memorial program, as well as upgrades to public art facilities. Get ready to take action soon to make sure LA City Council includes these recommendations in their final budget!
In response to your advocacy last year, in August 2020, the Department of Cultural Affairs Public Art Division (DCA) and City Council designated $340,000 in Arts Development Fees to establish a Citywide COVID-19 Emergency Response Program to provide emergency, economic relief to individual artists who live in Los Angeles.
The Department of Cultural Affairs worked with over 250 local artists from across the city to create Reimagine Public Art – a digital art exhibition that “gives us a glimpse of what hybrid forms public art might take once the city reopens and Angelenos begin to alternate their interactions with each other between virtual and physical public.” Check out the exhibition here!
LOS ANGELES COUNTY
On April 6, the LA County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to approve a motion to proclaim April as Arts Month and begin the expansion of the Community Impact Arts Grant program – a vital source of funding for community organizations across the county.
On April 20, the LA County Board of Supervisors again voted to expand our cultural infrastructure by approving a motion from Supervisors Solis & Kuehl to begin implementing a Countywide Cultural Policy. This was a critical step towards greater cultural equity within the County.
Lastly, Arts for LA continues to closely track the implementation of Measure J funding to ensure the arts are meaningfully included in this visionary reimagining of public safety and community investment. Over the coming weeks, we will call on this network of advocates to attend the public meetings where key decisions about these funds are being made. The next meeting is May 6. More to come soon!
STATE OF CALIFORNIA
On April 27, Californians for the Arts hosted a day-long virtual convening packed with panels, speakers, and performances to celebrate Arts, Culture, and Creativity Month across the state. The entire event was recorded, and they will upload the recordings to their website, take a look at the other ways you can get involved in their advocacy!
Together, Arts for LA and Californians for the Arts have co-sponsored Senate Bill 628 (Allen), the Creative Workforce Development Act. Earlier this month, California State Senator Ben Allen presented SB 628 to the Senate Labor Committee; the bill passed unanimously in the committee, with Senator Josh Newman signing on as co-author. Next up, the bill will be presented to the Appropriations Committee – stay tuned for how you can help make the Creative Workforce Development Act a reality!
Along with this critical legislation, we must make sure our sector has the resources necessary to reopen safely. That’s why we are working with Californians for the Arts to build a coalition calling for $1 billion in stimulus funds to be directed towards the state’s arts & culture sector. Take action today in support of this effort! Help us reach 10,000 letters – 3,017 have been submitted so far.
UPCOMING EVENTS
May Community Action Network Meeting
Join us for our May Community Action Network Meeting!
These monthly meetings are an opportunity for arts advocates to come together, share insights, network with field leaders, and get organized to take action in support of a healthy, equitable creative sector.
TAKE ACTION FOR ARTS EDUCATION
Right now, education leaders in school districts across Los Angeles County and California are determining your district’s goals, priorities, and budget.
We must make sure the arts are included in these plans! Send an email to your school board today and encourage them to learn more about the power of arts education by watching this episode of KCET’s ARTBOUND on Arts Education, that premiered on Wednesday, April 28 at 9:00 PM!
California Alliance For Arts Education
Creating for Resilience: Indigenous Students in Education
May 5 | 3:30 to 5pm
Join the California Alliance for Arts Education for an interactive webinar that will (re)contextualize the lived experience of many Indigenous students in the North-West Region of California public schools today. This virtual event will center the voices of Hupa, Karuk and Yurok Indigenous artists and educators working to understand and meet the needs of students by employing culturally sensitive, trauma-informed and arts-based practices. Participants will engage in personal reflection and group discussion designed to advance their skills as an ally to and advocate for Indigenous students. We invite you to engage in the conversation in an artistic way so please come prepared with materials that support you in processing new ideas.
STAY INVOLVED!
Arts for LA’s Job Board! Browse Arts for LA’s job board! We are continually updating this resource with new job opportunities and opportunities for artists. Do you have a job or artist call you would like to share? Fill out the form on our website.
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Become a Member! In the duration of a global crisis, where arts and culture are key to unifying communities and building a just recovery, Arts for LA is your only cross-discipline, cross-sector advocacy organization working to give the arts a voice during crucial decision making moments.
When you become a member of Arts for LA, you are joining a movement of artists, arts administrators, arts organizations, and arts advocates united in support of the same goal: ensuring the arts and culture in Los Angeles County are supported, especially in times of crisis.
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and the generous support of Organizational and Individual Members like you.