Arts for LA

The Creative Economy Pathways project is the engine that drives the work of the Destination Crenshaw Arts Corps program. They support the revitalization of the Crenshaw corridor by ensuring local small businesses, artists, creatives, and youth have equitable access to resources and high-level professional development and training and employment opportunities in the various arts/creative sectors. Our Campaigns Manager, Gabriel Gutierrez, spoke at their recent Creative Economy Office Hours to ensure the South LA community makes the connections between arts, advocacy, and creative job development Arts for LA is stewarding for all Angelenos.

What a time to be an arts education researcher! This study offers a first look at this historic investment in arts education through the eyes of practitioners and the public. Here in California, #Prop28 has brought on opportunities, questions, and a great deal of conversation in our schools and communities. I hope this study brings together those perspectives to help us deliver on its promise for more arts for more students, all year long. This work is also especially meaningful to me on a personal level, looking closely at the Los Angeles County public school system, where I was born, raised, and now build my life and career. The arts opportunities I experienced in these public schools have shaped the person and professional I am today. I hope this study---and this moment---can bring more opportunities like these to today's young creative learners. Enormous thanks to the community that made this study possible: ✨ Arts for LA and Laura Zucker for the opportunity to conduct this research ✨ Ricky Abilez, MPA, Abe Flores, and Adam J. Fowler for your mentorship ✨ Gabriel Enamorado for the beautiful graphic design ✨UCLA Arts and the UCLA Visual and Performing Arts Education (VAPAE) program for the support along the way ✨ And to all the arts leaders in our school districts and communities for voicing your visions as participants in this study. Read more and find the full report below! https://lnkd.in/gMR-Tsij

📰👀 This was a top strategic recommendation in our Creative Jobs Collective Impact Initiative (CJCII) presentation we made to the LA County Board of Supervisors to make sure creative opportunities stay in LA and CA. Full article: https://lnkd.in/gtWaYQaa

Last month, our Director of Policy & Advocacy celebrated their Latine heritage by engaging elected officials and legendary activists like Dolores Huerta, Supervisor Hilda L. Solis, and Senator Maria Elena Durazo. They talked about the need for increased funding at the state and local levels, streamlined grant applications, expanded social services for creative workers, and accessible pathways to creative careers. Our work continues because YOU deserve it. Want to get involved? Sign up for an advocate account in our Action Center and make sure you're registered to vote. Your voice matters and it can make a difference: https://lnkd.in/g3xKcxrj

🎙🎺 Arts for LA was proud to join @calfund, @LA84foundation, the Craig H. Neilsen Foundation, and the Joseph Drown Foundation to discuss harnessing the power of upcoming global sporting events to address the city of Los Angeles' social challenges during SoCal Grant Maker's annual conference - "Better Together: Building a Collective Legacy." That's our CEO, Gustavo Herrera, second from right in the first photo! Arts and Culture inspire us. They elicit compassion. Together, we will create a #CollectiveLegacy. Thank you @Socalgrantmaker for including us in this important conversation. #SCGBetterTogether Photo credit: Leslie Rosales / Las Fotos Project

Our ACTIVATE Protege program concluded earlier this month with a potluck at the Walt Disney Concert Hall! Protege is a 7-month program (April – October) where selected mentors and mentees meet regularly to discuss mutually agreed upon topics with an emphasis on the mentee’s areas of interest and desired professional growth. Participants receive personalized and invaluable professional development opportunities aimed to enrich the careers of both mentee and mentor. Thank you to all our mentors for all their support, and congratulations!

✨ We recently spent an evening celebrating our 2024 ACTIVATE Emerging Arts Leaders cohort for their hard work over the past nine months. The cohort is comprised of two committees: a Protege Committee and a Programming Committee. These committees were created based on the expressed interest of the larger Arts for LA community seeking more opportunities to gather/network as well as an opportunity to connect with arts leaders via a mentorship program. 🧩 The Protege Committee managed our 7-month ACTIVATE Protege program, which included reviewing 110 applications, welcoming 30 mentors and mentees into the program, and cultivating community through virtual and in-person meetings. 🎨 The Programming Committee produced and hosted three public events, engaged 968 community members with dynamic programming, and cultivated and strengthened new and existing partnerships, including Infinite Flow, Laura Brody, and SouthGate Museum and Arts Gallery. 🎊 Congratulations on a job well done, artivists! Learn more about our Emerging Arts Leaders program here: https://lnkd.in/g2d4prqJ

We're still feeling the good vibes from last week's State of the Arts Summit! We are so grateful to all of our amazing attendees, speakers, volunteers and sponsors who made this year's summit so memorable! More photos and videos on the way as well as recordings of all four afternoon breakout sessions. Until then, THANK YOU! artsforla.org/sota

IT'S HERE: The first-of-its-kind report that provides an analysis of varying district level implementation efforts and public perceptions of #Prop28 in LA County, authored by Lindsey Kunisaki - our 2024 fellow of the Laura Zucker Fellowship for Policy & Research. Her findings identify key challenges (which include shortages of qualified arts educators and insufficient classroom space), as well as underscores the need for collaboration and community involvement in the continued rollout of Prop 28 across the region. After six months of research, interviews with regional district arts leaders, surveys of LA County residents, and rigorous analysis, we are thrilled to share Lindsey’s work with you: https://lnkd.in/gzseks7W

🎉 Introducing the lineup for our 2024 State of the Arts Summit! Leave a comment if we'll be seeing you at The Ebell of Los Angeles on Wednesday, October 16! 👁🎟👁 Don't have a ticket? There are only a handful of Morning Session tickets left: https://lnkd.in/g2pkxxup Gustavo Herrera, MBA | Havilah Malone | Lindsey Horvath | Los Angeles County Department of Arts and Culture | City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs | Lindsey Kunisaki | Larry Laboe | NewFilmmakers Los Angeles (NFMLA) | Álvaro D. Márquez | Rose Chan Loui | The Music Man Foundation | Joel Arquillos, Ed.D | Nicole Smith | Christine Meinders | Feminist.AI | Joel Ferree | Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) | Versa-Style Dance Company