Read about what Arts for LA has been doing this month.

It has never been more clear that arts and culture have an essential role to play in building an equitable, healthy future for the LA region. Our team is committed to keeping you –our arts advocacy community– informed and ready to take action in support of a city, county, and state that truly serves all of its people.

Last night, members of the Arts for LA community gathered to celebrate the graduation of the 2020 ACTIVATE Delegates cohort. We congratulate this year’s incredible cohort. We are also excited to welcome 10 outstanding ACTIVATE: Arts Innovators to the Arts for LA community! Be sure to read about our special graduation and this exciting new ACTIVATE curriculum track below.

Yesterday, the LA County Board of Supervisors made history and unanimously adopted a Countywide Cultural Policy – the first of its kind in the nation. This policy affirms the County’s value of arts and culture as central to all aspects of civic life. We are very excited to see an explicit commitment to expand equity-focused arts and culture investment to increase support for communitybased organizations and cultural resources, particularly those that represent and serve historically marginalized and low income communities and communities of color. This community came together to submit over 270 letters in support of this policy.

This work simply cannot be done without your support. Arts for LA is trying to close a fiscal-year-end fundraising gap, and our Advancement Committee has generously issued a matching challenge! All gifts received before the June 30th deadline will be matched up to $6,500! Thank you to those who have helped us get to $4,005 – help us meet our goal and donate or become a member today!

Onward!

Gustavo Herrera
Executive Director

STATEMENT OF SOLIDARITY

On June 3rd, Arts for LA released a statement of solidarity in response to the murder of George Floyd and to stand in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement in the fight against racial injustice. We have taken time this month to connect with our staff and board leadership to define concrete steps that we can take to begin to address the deep seeded issues of racism and inequities within our arts and culture sector, the city, county, state and nation. Below are actions that we will take:

Arts for LA has joined the Healthy LA Coalition – a cross-sector network of more than 325 advocacy organizations fighting for racial and economic equity.
As the advocacy around prioritizing investment in public services and into neighborhood programs for low income and communities of color, Arts for LA will continue to make the case that the arts are essential partners to building an equitable society.
We will host community conversations and convene the sector to have cross-discipline discussions to advance the equity work throughout the County.
Lastly, as a board and staff, we will all undergo anti-racism training and we are committed to conducting an annual cultural equity audit that assesses internal and external policies, programs, communications and board and staff diversity.

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: INNER-CITY ARTS

The arts are essential – both during multi-pronged crises in our county, and after – and we are proud of the work our members have been doing to support their communities. Artists and the arts community have been among those spearheading creative and innovative ways to practice, perform, and engage with art, for community members and especially for our students.

LAUSD has many dedicated and passionate nonprofit partners; we celebrate them all and their great teamwork with the District. The team at Inner-City Arts is very proud to share the results of their effort since LAUSD’s return from spring break on April 13, 2020. They have collectively inspired over 1,600 individual students, at 37 schoolswith over 450 classes creating over 15,000 student experiences – what a shift in delivery model for them and their community! These 450 classes have all been LIVE and INTERACTIVE on Zoom for “no charge” during the COVID-19 crisis.

Testimonial:

“I would like to, once again, let you know how grateful I feel for your program. Today was the very first time I had 14 students out of 19 show up altogether to a Zoom Meeting. The arts can motivate students and let them be themselves!”

– Ms. Duran, Teacher, Griffin Ave, 1st grade

ACTIVATE 2020

Last night, members of the Arts for LA community gathered to celebrate the 2020 ACTIVATE Delegates cohort. Several graduates shared personal narratives, detailing their introduction to the arts and journey towards advocacy and community organizing. The evening ended with a beautiful performance by Maricela Martinez, Director of Mariachi for the Mariachi Lindas Mexicanas.

We are so grateful to the incredible cohort of ACTIVATE and can’t wait to support their future advocacy efforts!

We are also excited to to introduce the cohort for our second brand new ACTIVATE track, Innovators. This new program offers a platform for experimental action projects that have the potential to re-shape LA’s civic and arts and culture community.

BECOME A MEMBER

In the wake of a global crisis, where arts and culture are key to unifying communities and coping with a new reality, 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.

Arts for LA’s Advancement Board Committee has issued a matching challenge – together, the Committee members will match all donations up to $6,500. Become a member today, and your financial impact will be doubled!

Become a Member Today!

ARTS FOR LA’S STATEMENT OF SOLIDARITY AND LOS ANGELES FOCUSED RESOURCES.

Arts for LA stands in solidarity with protestors organizing and mobilizing in opposition to systemic and state-sanctioned violence by police against black people. We must all work to end institutional racism against communities of color and advance racial equity in this country.

We know that artists and arts institutions must be part of building a more just world – to give voice to what is possible, to what has been ignored, to what continues to be silenced. We pledge to listen to and amplify the voices that have gone unheard for so long and to do what we can to promote the diverse ideas and dreams of positive change.

While we need our creative communities now more than ever to help us make sense of this moment, we also cannot ignore our own contributions to the very problems we seek to redress. We know that to stand in true solidarity, we must engage in meaningful self-reflection and hold ourselves and creative institutions accountable to the values we seek to manifest. We stand ready to work alongside you to dismantle the systems that contribute to racial inequity and violence in our city, our sector, and our world at large.

RESOURCES FOR THE LOS ANGELES REGION

1. Donate to the BLMLA Action Fund
This fund will go toward bail, fees, and medical expenses for activists taking part in protests.

2. The People’s Budget LA
Information about the movement to prioritize funding for public services and end police violence against communities of color.

3. AWARE-LA Saturday Dialogue
Date & Time: Saturday, June 6th, 1:00-3:00pm (12:30 orientation for first timers)
Details: Come together with fellow white antiracist folks to talk about race and racism, whiteness and white privilege, openly and honestly with each other. (For more information about why we host spaces specifically for white folks, please check out this document).
Contact: send questions to awarela@gmail.com

READING & ANTI-RACIST RESOURCES

1. Racial Justice Art & Story Sessions
“Building true cross-racial understanding and a sense of shared destiny amongst and between immigrant and refugee communities requires unlearning the centuries of anti-Black racism in the United States that has been exported across the world through social norms, culture, media, and policy.”

2. The Center for Cultural Power
#NoGoingBack: A COVID-19 Cultural Strategy Activation Guide for Artists and Activists to meet the moment.

3. Anti-Racism for Beginners
Anti-racist resources, readings, and other materials.

4. Racial Equity Curricula
From Racial Equity Tools, for educational contexts.

5. Southern Poverty Law Center’s Teaching Tolerance Curricula
Curricula that address racism, tolerance, and historical oppression.

This month has been a busy one for Arts for LA and our community of passionate arts advocates across the region.

Arts for LA was proud to work with Councilmember Ryu to unanimously pass a motion that will reallocate Arts Development Fee funds to support local artists and nonprofit arts organizations. We applaud Councilmembers Krekorian and Rodriguez for similarly moving to make funds available to support the arts and culture communities of their districts. Thank you to our partners in City Council and the Department of Cultural Affairs for their leadership in supporting artists and arts organizations. Read more here.

We are following the LA City and County budget process closely and know that many municipalities across the region are also facing daunting challenges. We will keep our community apprised of any actions to be taken.

We are so grateful to the dedicated arts advocates who joined us for April’s Voting for the Arts in 2020. A huge thank you to CA Assembly Member Richard Bloom and Californians for the Arts Executive Director Julie Baker for leading a conversation about the role of the arts in California’s COVID-19 response and recovery. We hope you will join us on Wednesday, May 27th, for the next training, focusing on local arts education advocacy. Register here!

Lastly, we selected our 2020 Laura Zucker Fellow this month! We are pleased to introduce you to Nahal Jalali – read more about her below.

Our supporters make our programs and advocacy work possible. In support of our mission and efforts, Arts for LA’s Board Advancement Committee has issued a matching challenge of up to $6,500! Help us meet this match by June 30th!

Onward!

Arts for LA
artsforla.org

VOTING FOR THE ARTS 2020

Voting for the Arts in 2020 is back! This new series of free, digital trainings offers the Arts for LA community a look at how the issues appearing on the November ballot are likely to impact the creative sector. This month’s advocacy training will focus on the movement for equitable arts education – particularly on tools and strategies for ensuring local decision makers harness the full power of arts education in responding to the COVID-19 crisis.

Presented in partnership with the California Alliance for Arts Education, the session will cover strategies for engaging local school board members, responding to proposed budget cuts, and best practices for amplifying student voices.

Register Today!
Presenters include:

Tom DeCaigny – Executive Director, California Alliance for Arts Education

Summer McBride – President, Culver City Unified School District Board of Education

Cordelia Istel – Director of Organizing, Arts for LA

Adelaide Kuehn – Program Director, California Alliance for Arts Education

Caitlin Lainoff – Program & Communications Manager, California Alliance for Arts Education

LAURA ZUCKER FELLOWSHIP
FOR POLICY AND RESEARCH

Arts for LA is pleased to introduce our 2020 Laura Zucker Fellow for Policy and Research – Nahal Jalali! The fellowship is a unique opportunity to research policies that will impact LA’s arts and cultural policy landscape– Nahal will be exploring the relationship between the arts and local government innovation.

Nahal Jalali is a visual artist, writer, and strategy consultant focused on advancing social change through the arts. She is currently working on finalizing her first book on the intersection of art and public policy. The book is a collection of more than twenty accessible and compelling stories illustrating the benefits of arts and cultural programs across a variety of sectors, locations, and issue areas. Nahal is also a Senior Consultant in Deloitte’s Government and Public Services practice where she advises public and social sector clients on innovation, strategic growth, and social impact strategy.
Prior to joining Deloitte, Nahal served as a Deloitte Data Analytics Fellow, a Research Assistant for Georgetown University’s Initiative on Innovation, Development, and Economics (GUI2DE), and as the Communications Specialist for a nonprofit organization managing more than fifty development projects across India and Nepal. Nahal earned her Master’s in Public Policy from Georgetown University where she wrote her graduate thesis on individual preferences for public funding of the arts in the United States. She also has a personal ceramic arts practice and is a member of the CLAY CA studio in Chinatown.

BECOME A MEMBER

In the wake of a global crisis, where arts and culture are key to unifying communities and coping with a new reality, 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.

Arts for LA’s Advancement Board Committee has issued a matching challenge – together, the Committee members will match all donations up to $6,500. Become a member today, and your contribution will be doubled!

Become a Member Today!

Over the past month, Arts for LA has worked with advocates across the region to ensure artists and arts + culture organizations have the resources they need to navigate this crisis. Since launching our #CreativityInCrisis campaign in mid-March, we have seen extraordinary leadership from the community in support of the creative sector:

We received nearly 1,000 signatures on our open letters to policy makers and grant makers calling for support;
The Getty Foundation boldly stepped forward with a $10 million grant program for small to mid-sized visual arts organizations and visual artists, hosted by and in partnership with the California Community Foundation;
LA City Council Member of District 4, David Ryu, introduced a motion to City Council calling to amend City law making it easier to repurpose funds for additional emergency relief for artists and arts nonprofits.
We are grateful for the thousands of Arts Advocates who shared their stories and worked tirelessly to support these efforts. This is a promising start and the Arts for LA team is eager to continue advocating alongside you in the months ahead.

Ready to get more involved with Arts for LA? We are currently accepting applications for two programs: ACTIVATE Arts Innovators (a new ACTIVATE program track focused on advocacy project development) and the Laura Zucker Fellowship for Policy and Research (a paid research fellowship focused on researching and identifying policy solutions to challenges facing our local community). Applications for both programs close in May, so apply today!

Members make our programs and advocacy work possible. If you and/or your organization is not yet an Arts for LA member, please consider joining today.

Onward!

Arts for LA
artsforla.org

VOTING FOR THE ARTS 2020
Want to be a more informed Arts Voter? This online training will introduce arts advocates to issues appearing on the November 2020 ballot likely to impact the creative economy – particularly in light of the challenges presented by the COVID-19 outbreak.

Voting for the Arts will cover the basics of advocating for ballot measures in your community, as well as concrete tools and strategies for taking action to ensure your local candidates are committed arts champions.

See you on the 29th!

Register Today!

LAURA ZUCKER FELLOWSHIP
FOR POLICY AND RESEARCH

The Laura Zucker Fellowship for Policy and Research is an opportunity for individuals to research and propose policies that will impact LA’s arts and cultural policy landscape.

The fellowship offers a $3,500 stipend, one-on-one mentorship from Arts for LA leadership, and the opportunity to thoroughly investigate an area of urgent importance. Proposals can include (but are not limited to):
Investigation of structural inequities in the arts and culture workforce, specifically in small and mid-size nonprofit arts organizations, and identification of policy solutions to remove those barriers.

Research and recommend best practices for the arts and culture industry to build resilience and avoid funding fluctuations during periods of economic stagnation.

Identifying policy solutions that would help expand access to paid arts and culture-work based learning opportunities for opportunity youth, ages 16 to 24, such as internships, apprenticeships, or other paid opportunities.
Participants must live or work in Los Angeles County; other guidelines and eligibility can be found by clicking this link.

Applications close May 1st!

Click Here to Apply Today!

ACTIVATE: ARTS INNOVATORS

In light of the devastating impacts of COVID-19, our creative communities are in need of visionary advocates now more than ever. Arts for LA is excited to announce a new track in our signature ACTIVATE arts advocacy & leadership program.

ACTIVATE Innovators supports artists, art & culture professionals, and community advocates in the development of an advocacy project designed to address an urgent issue facing the Innovator’s community. The program will pair participants with an expert mentor and connect them with the resources necessary to realize their advocacy work.

We welcome applications to this new program from anyone interested, including ACTIVATE Alumni. Don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions – we look forward to hearing from you!

Click Here for More Info!

BECOME A MEMBER

In the wake of a global crisis, where arts and culture are key to unifying communities and coping with a new reality, 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.

Our members are vested partners in reinforcing what we advocate for in the arts. Arts for LA is an agent for change. Become a member today and be a part of that change.

Become a Member Today!

As the COVID-19 crisis reshapes the reality of life in LA and communities across the world, Arts for LA is dedicating our March newsletter to providing advocacy opportunities and resources for artists and arts organizations.

As the COVID-19 crisis reshapes the reality of life in LA and communities across the world, Arts for LA is dedicating our March newsletter to providing advocacy opportunities and resources for artists and arts organizations. Our Creative Communities in Crisis Open Letter is calling for policymakers and grant makers to:

Include artists and arts organizations in relief and recovery funds;
Provide publicly-backed emergency grants and interest free loans to artists and nonprofit arts organizations;
Create protections & provide immediate support for the contract workers that make up over half of Southern California’s creative sector;
Pool relief funds for artists and arts organizations among philanthropic foundations;
Relax grantee requirements/deliverables now unmeetable due to outbreak;
Increase unrestricted, flexible funding by public and private grant makers to allow small & mid sized organizations to adapt to evolving situations.
Los Angeles is the creative capital of the world and Angelenos have always understood that the arts are vital to our economy and the wellbeing of our families. Throughout history, the arts have been essential to Los Angeles’s progress and resilience.

Today, in the midst of an unprecedented crisis, our city’s artists and arts organizations are moving mountains – helping Angelenos unite, find beauty, and forge community. Do not leave us behind.
In this Special Edition of our March Newsletter, we provide ways you can get involved in our advocacy, including: signing our open letter to policymakers and grant makers, posting to your social media with our digital campaign assets, and sharing resources for our community.

Members make our advocacy work possible. If your organization is not yet an Arts for LA member, please consider joining today.

Onward!

Arts for LA

SHOW YOUR SUPPORT: SIGN OUR OPEN LETTER
We must take swift action to support the vital artists and organizations devastated by the COVID-19 outbreak. Join Arts for LA by co-signing this open letter calling on policymakers and grant makers to take action in support of our creative communities. Click the button below to read the letter and show your support.

SIGN OUR LETTER TODAY!
Add Your Name Now!

JOIN THE MOVEMENT: #CREATIVITYINCRISIS
Take Digital Action – In the midst of an unprecedented crisis, our city’s artists and arts organizations are already on the frontlines – helping Angelenos unite, find beauty, and forge community. Do not leave us behind.

Take matters into your own hands and join the digital campaign calling on elected officials and grant makers to offer emergency support for artists and arts organizations.

TAKE ACTION TODAY
Tell us your story – We want to share our members’ stories of resilience, adaptability, and #CreativityInCrisis!

If you or your organization has discovered innovative and creative ways to share, practice, or utilize your art medium during this crisis, we invite you to share those experiences with us, so we can spotlight you on our social media.

Email Development and Communications Associate KC Buller with your narratives!

COVID-19 RESOURCES
LA County Department of Arts and Culture

The LA County Department of Arts and Culture is supporting LA’s Arts and Culture community in any way they can. They have created a COVID-19 resource page that contains a multitude of resources for a variety of communities, including: nonprofit organizations, funders, and artists.

Click Here

City of Los Angeles, Department of Cultural Affairs

COVID-19 Arts Resources Page. The City of LA Department of Cultural Affairs has compiled a COVID-19 Arts Resources page. Click the button below to access.

COVID-19 Arts Resources Page
NEW! Arts Emergency Relief Fund. The Arts Emergency Relief Fund, from the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs aims to provide relief to a spectrum of LA-based performing artists who were financially affected by the unanticipated disruption caused by COVID-19.

This program provides emergency relief grants to City of Los Angeles-based dance, music, and theatre artists, as well as small ensembles who have had their public performances, shows, or concerts cancelled. Click below to learn more.

Arts Emergency Relief Fund

Americans for the Arts

Americans for the Arts is collecting information about the financial and human impacts that the spread of the coronavirus has had on artists and arts and cultural organizations. The survey collects basic information about the participating organizations and artists so that the data can be parsed by specific geographic regions, artistic disciplines, and budget categories.

This data is very important and can be used to allocate federal funding to local arts agencies and organizations. Respond today to ensure LA’s arts community is well-represented.

Click Here for the Survey

ARTS FOR LA’S UPCOMING PROGRAMS

The Laura Zucker Fellowship for Policy and Research is an opportunity for individuals to research and propose policies that will impact LA’s arts and cultural policy landscape.

The fellowship offers a $3,500 stipend, one-on-one mentorship from Arts for LA leadership, and the opportunity to thoroughly investigate an area of urgent importance. Proposals can include (but are not limited to):
Investigation of structural inequities in the arts and culture workforce, specifically in small and mid-size nonprofit arts organizations, and identification of policy solutions to remove those barriers.

Research and recommend best practices for the arts and culture industry to build resilience and avoid funding fluctuations during periods of economic stagnation.

Identifying policy solutions that would help expand access to paid arts and culture-work based learning opportunities for opportunity youth, ages 16 to 24, such as internships, apprenticeships, or other paid opportunities.
Participants must live or work in Los Angeles County; other guidelines and eligibility can be found by clicking this link.

Click Here for More Info!

ACTIVATE: Arts Innovators applications will open on April 10th! This new, three-session program supports artists, art & culture professionals, and community advocates in the development of an Action Project designed to address an urgent issue facing the Innovator’s community. The program will pair participants with an expert mentor and connect them with the resources necessary to design and launch an Action Project.

The application window will be April 10th through May 15th— stay tuned for more details!

BECOME A MEMBER

In the wake of a global crisis, where arts and culture are key to unifying communities and coping with a new reality, 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.

Our members are vested partners in reinforcing what we advocate for in the arts. Arts for LA is an agent for change. Become a member today and be a part of that change.

Become a Member Today!

A Message to the Arts for LA Community:

During this unsettling period, we hope you are well and taking the necessary precautions to stay safe. Over the past couple of weeks, Arts for LA has been carefully monitoring the news and following the health and safety officials’ recommendations both locally and nationally. In response, the following changes will be made to our community events calendar:

We will be digitally joining the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors during their Arts Month proclamation, as the County has placed limits on public gatherings;
Our annual Arts Day celebration at LA City Hall, originally planned for the end of April, is postponed.
Over the past few weeks, we have received daily postponement or cancelation notices from productions, conferences, galas, and community based creative spaces; school districts and arts education providers across the Los Angeles region are closing their doors during the outbreak– this will undoubtedly have devastating financial impacts on our field. We also are taking this opportunity to acknowledge the massive global impact of COVID-19 across every industry, many of which our artists and arts workers utilize as a primary or secondary source of income. Our intent is to advocate for financial support for artists, arts organizations, and arts workers in partnership with other industries impacted by the pandemic.

Arts for LA was founded in 2006 to ensure the Los Angeles region had an organization dedicated to bringing the arts community together to advocate in a unified response to a crisis. This remains a key purpose. Over the next few weeks, our team will be working remotely to inform, engage and mobilize you to join us in advocating for arts funding to support artists and arts organizations during and beyond this public health threat. We will continue to share timely resources for our field on responding to COVID-19 via our social media platforms. We will also host digital advocacy training, and are exploring other methods to continue to support with preparedness.

We hope that you and your loved ones stay safe and healthy.

Arts for LA has issued a statement regarding Assembly Bill 5 (AB5). Read here.

Arts for LA is extremely troubled by the impact Assembly Bill 5 (AB 5) has had on California’s creative economy– a law intended to compel large tech companies to convert their freelance workers from independent contractors to bona fide employees; however, small and mid-sized arts organizations, and independent creative workers across the state have experienced a shocking degree of collateral damage.

Creative careers are nuanced, and each practice area has its own set of operating norms. We’ve heard from freelance musicians who are in the position of being classified as both employers and employees of their bandmates; community based organizations who cannot afford to put workers on payroll lest they shut their doors; and periodicals large and small who are choosing to stop working with California freelancers, under threat of misclassification lawsuits. The examples are legion, and growing every day.

AB 5 ignores the harsh realities of California’s creative economy, and does not leave any room for addressing the problem of under-compensating individual artists who struggle to make a living. The law fails to acknowledge that small arts organizations, while providing work to artists, are inadequately funded and cannot afford to place workers on payroll or provide benefits.

Arts for LA is committed to engaging artists, institutions and their communities as advocates for an equitable, healthy and creative Los Angeles region. We will work with our statewide colleagues on solutions that address systemic and structural inequities in the creative economy, while making appropriate changes to existing law. We look forward to hearing from all constituents — organizations, artists, unions, and others — to try to address conflicting impacts and priorities more equitably. Click here to view Californians for the Arts’ toolkit for responding to AB 5, and be sure to take their survey, which captures data on the direct impact of this law on our field.

We will keep you abreast of future learning and engagement opportunities.

Happy New Year! This newsletter brings updates on Arts for LA’s Public Policy Agenda, the LA County Percent for Art in Private Development ordinance hearing, and some great upcoming events.

We hope your 2020 is off to a great start! Firstly, thank you for your very generous contributions and support during our year end drive in December. We are pleased to report that you helped us raise 133% of our end of year goal. Thank you to the Herb Alpert Foundation for their support!

January has been busy for Arts for LA: We are reviewing the extraordinary number of ACTIVATE Arts Delegates applications, and will be introducing you to the 2020 class in next month’s newsletter. We’re also co-organizing important community dialogue about the future of the Ford Theater. In the last few months, community members have communicated to us the importance of investing in our region’s small and mid-sized organizations. This will be a main component of our 2020 policy agenda, which we will be releasing in just a few weeks — be sure to learn more about our agenda setting process below.

I hope you will join us for two advocacy opportunities in the next few months: on February 4th the LA County Board of Supervisors will be voting on Percent for Art in Private Development (learn more below); and Arts Day at LA City Hall is on April 21st! Save the date, and stay connected with our social media as we announce the program.

Onward,

Gustavo Herrera
Executive Director, Arts for LA

ARTS FOR LA PUBLIC POLICY AGENDA
In just a few weeks, Arts for LA will be releasing our 2020 Policy Agenda, focusing on four key issue areas: increased arts funding for small- to mid-sized organizations; affordable spaces for artists; creative career pathways; and equitable arts education.

Developed over a year-long, iterative process, Arts for LA’s policy framework includes ideas developed by 2019 Laura Zucker Fellow Allison Agsten, community listening of arts leaders during the State of the Arts Summit, issue-specific working groups with policy experts and practitioners, and approval by Arts for LA’s Board of Directors.

Arts for LA’s arts advocates have come up with some innovative approaches to some of our community’s most pressing concerns, and we look forward to sharing them with you. Stay tuned!
SUPPORT PUBLIC INVESTMENT
FOR ARTS AND CULTURE!
TAKE ACTION to support LA County’s creative communities! At 9:30am on Tuesday, February 4th, the County Board of Supervisors will be voting on the Percent for Art in Private Development ordinance – an innovative program that will fund the arts in under-resourced communities across the county.

TAKE ACTION!
Arts for LA will be in attendance and we hope you will join us to make your voice heard! For more information, or if you are interested in attending on February 4th, please reach out to Cordelia Istel, our Director of Organizing: cistel@artsforla.org.

Arts for LA has championed  the Percent for Art in Private Development since its drafting in March, 2017. The ordinance mandates a 1% fee on new, privately developed commercial, industrial and residential properties of 30 or more units in unincorporated areas of LA County. The ordinance exempts affordable housing projects, transitional housing projects, and mixed-income projects; all revenue generated will be directed towards civic art & cultural programming.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Frieze LA 2020

Frieze Los Angeles returns after the success of its inaugural event. Come visit Arts for LA at our booth in the Paramount Studios backlot.

Frieze will be held February 14th – 16th, with a preview on Friday, February 13th.

Explore the world’s leading galleries alongside special projects from ground-breaking artists. There are many ticket options, so you can customize your Frieze experience.

Click here to Buy Tickets

Hildegard Symposium

The Hildegards, a network for Los Angeles women working in classical music, invite you to our first symposium on Sunday, February 9th, from 12:00pm-5:15pm at the Colburn School.

In an afternoon filled with deep discussions, networking, learning and leading, you will engage with the big issues in our music community. Strengthen your ties with your colleagues in Los Angeles and help set the course for a more vibrant, inclusive future. Sessions include keynote events, career logistics sessions, speed mentoring and more.

Join by registering for your preferred sessions at Eventbrite, and we’ll save you a seat.

Buy Your Tickets Here!

Read about how our inaugural State of the Arts Summit went, learn about our 2019 Laura Zucker Fellowship final report, as well as an update on the Board of County Supervisor’s vote for the LA Phil to operate the Ford Theatres, and more!

With just over one month left in 2019, this Thanksgiving season reminds us of what we are thankful for and gives us the opportunity to share our gratitude.

Arts for LA is grateful to everyone who supported and attended our inaugural State of the Arts Summit on November 1st! It was inspiring to see over 220 registered attendees, representing 147 unique organizations come together to continue the work Arts for LA’s founding leadership established thirteen years ago.

We hope the State of the Arts Summit will build upon that legacy and provide a forum for arts leaders to work through the challenges and opportunities in 2020 and beyond. More on the State of the Arts Summit can be found below, and click here to see photos from the event!

November 1st also marked the release of the 2019 Laura Zucker Fellowship Research Report. Allison Agsten, our Research Fellow, studied the issue of affordable spaces for artists in Los Angeles County. See below for her staggering results.

Lastly, we are sharing an update on the outcome of the Board of County Supervisor’s vote on the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association to operate the John Anson Ford Amphitheatre Complex. We also share information about the AB5 law which, when it goes into effect in 2020, could potentially reclassify millions of California artists acting as independent contractors. Read on for more.

Onward,

Gustavo Herrera
Executive Director, Arts for LA

STATE OF THE ARTS SUMMIT 2019

On November 1st, Arts for LA hosted its inaugural State of the Arts Summit. The event convened arts and cultural leaders from across the region to think through various policy solutions addressing common challenges.

California State Senator Ben Allen, LA Times Columnist Steve Lopez, and Laura Zucker Research Fellow Allison Agsten each offered their own unique perspectives on the arts in Los Angeles County. Four interactive breakout sessions followed the welcome and keynote remarks, focusing on the issue areas of education, affordable space, jobs, and funding. After expert presenters quickly framed each issue, participants engaged in roundtable discussions evaluating the potential impact of various policy solutions. We will continue these discussions in a working group format throughout the month of December.

We want to thank our community partners who helped make this event successful:

Photographers: Las Fotos Project

Catering: HomeGirl Industries

Venue: Los Angeles Theater Center (LATC)

We also greatly appreciate our funders who supported the Summit: The Rosenthal Family Foundation, Annenberg Foundation, Department of Cultural Affairs, LA County Department of Arts and Culture, Louis L. Borick Foundation, California Arts Council, the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, and our Arts for LA Members.

We hope you enjoyed the Summit as much as we did — see you next Fall!

 

2019 LAURA ZUCKER FELLOWSHIP FINAL REPORT

We are thrilled to present our 2019 Laura Zucker Fellowship final report, authored by Allison Agsten: (Re)inventing the Dream: Policies and Practices for Keeping Artists in Los Angeles. Allison’s research uncovered staggering facts about the current state of Los Angeles artists. Of 763 artists surveyed:

“89% stated that affordability of housing in Los Angeles County is a serious concern… [and] 90% said the same of workspace affordability.” (Agsten, p.8)
Furthermore, Agsten discovered:

“…The rate of present day and recent homelessness amongst artists surveyed is more than three times that of the current rate of homelessness in Los Angeles County.” (Agsten, p.8)
Her policy solutions highlight two important priorities: developing new affordable spaces, and preserving existing affordable spaces.

You can read her full report, including her complete findings and policy suggestions, on the Arts for LA website.

Read what The Art Newspaper had to say about Agsten’s report, and click here to share a Tweet about it!

 

LA PHIL STEWARDSHIP OF FORD THEATRES
On Tuesday November 12, the Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to approve a lease agreement for the LA Phil to assume a lease over the Ford Theatre. Members of the arts community attended the meeting to express a variety of perspectives. During the public comment period, Arts for LA’s Executive Director Gustavo Herrera reiterated the call for greater transparency in the stewardship of the County’s cultural resources.

The Supervisors responded to this call – co-signed by over 150 members of the Arts for LA community – by attaching an amendment that mandates community engagement sessions be part of the lease agreement. An excerpt of the amendment language is below:

“The LAPA [LA Philharmonic Association] shall hold community engagement sessions with local artists and interested stakeholders…to discuss outreach, program development, and audience development, to include recommendations on maintaining accessible and affordable ticket prices.”

Arts for LA is grateful to the members and community advocates who reached out to us about this issue and took action to ensure the creative community’s voice will continue to be heard in these critical decision-making processes. We are committed to working with all stakeholders involved to facilitate constructive, meaningful conversations as the partnership moves forward.

UPCOMING EVENTS
Convening: Unpacking AB5 – Survive + Sustain

Save the date! Join the DRC, Californians For the Arts, Arts for LA, and the Actors Fund for a convening unpacking the details of AB5.
Special Guests: Julie Baker + Adam Y. Siegel

Wednesday December 11th
10:30am – 12:30pm

Venue: To Be Determined

Click Here for More Info

Webinar: Special Employment and Labor

When AB5 goes into effect on January 1, 2020, it could dramatically reshape the future of independent workforces in California and significantly impact workers in the state’s creative economy.

On Tuesday, December 3, at 10:00am, join Stoel Rives attorneys Vida Thomas and Bryan Hawkins at this webinar presented especially for the members and friends of Californians for the Arts to learn about this new legislation, and what it means for the state’s arts community. We will also be joined by Californians for the Arts Executive Director Julie Baker. Topics to be covered include:

What AB5 does
How it will be enforced
The definition of an ‘independent contractor’
Who is exempt from AB5, and who isn’t
Preparation and proactive steps
Click Here to Register
If you have any questions or need additional information, please email events@stoel.com.

Meet our presenter for the Arts Funding conversation at the State of the Arts Summit!