Newsroom

Arts Advocates,

It has been a long and productive summer at Arts for LA. We have been hard at work activating voters ahead of the election, advocating for streamlined grant processes, and convening creative workers to discuss concerns from the field. Below you’ll find an overview of these efforts.

ArtsVote Webinar

I spoke on a panel of strong leaders from across the country, hosted by The Arts Action Fund (HERE). We discussed:

• How to educate voters in your region on how to make their vote count by meeting detailed election deadlines and strict procedures
• Getting-The-Vote-Out (GOTV) to maximize voter registration and voter turnout to ensure every vote gets counted
• The do’s and dont’s of election work and voter mobilization as a 501c3 nonprofit

We also encourage you to check your voter registration and explore nonprofit resources like THIS offered by our friends at CA for the Arts.

Voter Activation Day

We partnered with Center Theatre Group, The Music Center, and Theatre Producers of Southern California to host a dynamic Voter Activation Day on September 25 at The Music Center Annex, where artists, arts workers, and organizations came together for a meaningful discussion about the upcoming election. Participants also heard from LA City Council candidates:

• District 2: Jillian Burgos and Adrin Nazarian
• District 10: Grace Yoo
• District 14: Samir Bitar (Surrogate for Ysabel Jurado)

If you’re curious about the election and what will appear on the ballot, you can learn more HERE. Keep an eye out for Measure G.

Measure G

The LA County Government Structure, Ethics and Accountability Charter Amendment aims to enhance representation, transparency, and accountability in local government. The proposal includes expanding the Board of Supervisors from 5 to 9 members, creating an elected County Executive Officer, and establishing an Independent Ethics Commission. Each supervisor would represent approximately 1.1 million residents, allowing for more localized representation and potentially addressing the diverse needs of LA. The measure also mandates public budget hearings, which could improve public participation and accountability in funding decisions. If it passes, this would be the most comprehensive LAC governance reform in over 100 years.

Community Listening Sessions

We hosted four listening sessions this summer, covering affordable space, arts education, creative jobs, and resources/capital. Some of what we heard includes (but is not limited to):

• The need for increased non-discretionary, multi-year funding tailored to smaller arts organizations (capital improvements, general operating support, staff capacity, etc.)
• The need for streamlined grant applications to reduce administrative burdens.
• The need for narrative shifts that emphasize the economic, educational, and cultural impact of the arts to engage and attract more support from decision-makers.
• The urgency of lowering operational costs for both artists and arts organizations, particularly in addressing lease restrictions, zoning barriers, and the financial strain of operating in public spaces.
• The need for a centralized resource hub to share best practices, breakdowns of tax write-offs, and strategies for engaging developers.
• Prop 28 implementation, knowledge gaps, a lack of transparency within LAUSD, and the need for affordable credential pathways for teaching artists.
• The importance of creating sustainable, culturally diverse work environments and balancing job satisfaction with pay, especially given the impact of automation on job opportunities.

The comments from these sessions will help guide our 2025/2026 Policy & Advocacy Agenda. To contribute, keep an eye out for our community survey and join us for our Public Forum on October 30 from 2-5PM at Independent Shakespeare Co.

Looking Ahead

• Early October: CJCII Podcast Episode with Collective Impact Forum 
• October 16: Our annual State of the Arts Summit (all-day tickets are sold out, but you can still join us in the morning)
• October 21: Our 2024 Laura Zucker Fellowship Report on Prop 28 Implementation in LA County, by Lindsey T. Kunisaki, will be published.
• October 30: Public Forum

These are just some of the exciting developments that await us. Stay tuned and make sure you are signed up for our newsletter to learn more.

See you next month, Changemakers.

Always,

Ricky