For more than ten years an informal collaborative of arts leaders has met in both small and large groups around key issues, most notably advocacy, marketing, and arts education. As ad hoc groups coalesced around issues of particular interest, significant progress was made on a number of fronts: cultural tourism; the creation of the Big List, a regional cooperative marking tool; a regional plan for arts education; and most recently, the continued funding of the City of Los Angeles' Department of Cultural Affairs. Activities included monthly round table breakfast meetings, annual luncheons with political leaders and convenings of broad cross-sections of the arts community to discuss critical issues.
In 2005, it became clear that Arts for LA could become significantly more effective as an organization with real structure and staff. Arts for LA incorporated. The executive steering committee transitioned into the founding board and began a strategic planning process to refine activities and hire staff to implement those key strategies. During this process, more than 70 interviews were conducted with those providing leadership in the arts in the region: funders, policy makers, arts administrators, and individual artists. The overarching response from these interviews was the need for an inter-art, cross-disciplinary organization that would bring everyone into the tent.
Our multi-part goal is to:
In 2005, it became clear that Arts for LA could become significantly more effective as an organization with real structure and staff. Arts for LA incorporated. The executive steering committee transitioned into the founding board and began a strategic planning process to refine activities and hire staff to implement those key strategies. During this process, more than 70 interviews were conducted with those providing leadership in the arts in the region: funders, policy makers, arts administrators, and individual artists. The overarching response from these interviews was the need for an inter-art, cross-disciplinary organization that would bring everyone into the tent.
Our multi-part goal is to:
- Advocate for sustained and increased status for the roles arts and culture play in the greater Los Angeles community;
- Develop a cultural infrastructure that allows for increased coordination and sharing of resources within the arts and culture community; to deepen utilization of arts and culture to create and sustain livable communities;
- Shape public perception about arts and culture through the media and informed discussion. We want these strategic directions to translate into increased local funding and a more vibrant arts and culture community.