Established in 2012, Arts for LA hosted the first Arts Day as a way to foster dialogue among civic leaders who believed that a vibrant arts and cultural ecology is good for the social, civic and economic vibrancy of the City. Since then, this one-day event has grown to Arts Month, a month-long spotlight in April where Arts for LA creates a dialogue between our arts advocates and elected officials with the goal of advancing access to arts and culture throughout Los Angeles.
Join us for Arts Advocacy Day 2026 on April 17 at LA City Hall! It’s your chance to meet with LA City Council members to champion policies that support the creative sector. Following recent state and federal cuts, local arts funding is more important now than ever.
Help us urge elected officials to fund DCA’s 2028 cultural program for the Olympic Games and increase public investment in the arts. Talking points and instructions will be provided in advance.
Furthermore, our Arts Month Calendar (scroll down to view) is filled with programs, events, and weekly advocacy efforts you can take to ensure the voices of creative communities are heard at all levels of government! Our organizational members also have the opportunity to be featured on the calendar each year. Their responses are reflected below.
Arts Month April 2026
Get familiar with the Los Angeles County Department of Arts & Culture’s Funding and Grant offerings, the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs’ Cultural Grants Program, and see if you or your organization might qualify for a future grant opportunity!
Read State of the Artist. Published in partnership with United States Artists and National Arts Policy Alliance, it provides timely information and analysis about the public policy debates that impact creative livelihoods.
Celebrate 20 years of First Fridays at the Natural History Museum’s premier after-hours experience, where exclusive nighttime access to the museum brings music, science, and culture together for an engaging evening of conversation and community.
Hear classic story time readings by drag performers for children and families of all ages at Drag Story Hour, presented by the City of West Hollywood in partnership with the West Hollywood Library.
Join the Movement! Contribute to Arts for LA and support arts advocacy! Look out for our weekly Staff Stories to learn more about our personal commitments to a vibrant arts sector.
An uplifting read: LA County Supervisor allocated $75,000 of her own office’s discretionary funds to the County’s Department of Arts and Culture to preserve 10 positions in the Arts Internship Program in her district.
Sign up for an Advocate Account in Arts for LA’s Action Center to be notified when new actions need your voice!
Learn about Arts for LA’s Creative Jobs Collective (CJC) initiative and our new Employer Toolkit! It puts artists and creative workers first and provides recommendations and measurable standards for a living wage, fair hiring and employment practices, workplace culture and even guidelines on AI for creative sector employers. Sign up for our CJC mailing list for timely updates.
Register to Vote today and sign up for LA County Department of Arts and Culture’s Datathon – happening April 29!
Join Arts for LA member Grupo de Teatro SINERGIA for part three of its FRIDA KAHLO 10-Minute Theater Festival, Ten 10 Minute Plays written, directed, and acted by emerging Latinx theater makers. Running from April 10 to May 3!
Join the Long Beach Opera (an Arts for LA member) for an evening of live performance by cast members of the opera at its Spring Gala Celebrating the Central Park Five Opera and its upcoming commercial album release!
Join the NewFilmmakers LA (an Arts for LA member) for a special afternoon of cinema in DTLA for its monthly film festival, InFocus: Puglai, Asian Cinema & Immigration. Celebrate films and filmmakers from Italian, Asian and immigrant filmmakers alike!
Join the Movement! Contribute to Arts for LA and support arts advocacy! Look out for our weekly Staff Stories to learn more about our personal commitments to a vibrant arts sector.
Optimism uplifter: One year after the LA wildfires, MusiCares has directed over $15M toward relief and recovery for more than 3,200 affected music professionals.
Action Alert: Protect Cultural Arts Programming in South Gate. Urge City Councilmembers to protect the City’s $188,121 Cultural Arts Programming budget from proposed cuts in FY27!
Click here to quickly send a letter to elected officials.
Arts for LA is hosting three CJC Employer Info Sessions next month: May 6, May 13, and May 20. Join us to learn how to join the Creative Jobs Collective (CJC) and put our Employer Toolkit into practice in your workplace. These info sessions are for creative sector employers committed to building jobs that align with CJC’s goals that focus on a living wage, inclusive access to the creative workforce and job growth in the sector.
Read Arts for LA’s Policy and Advocacy Progress Report AND plan to join us tomorrow for Arts Advocacy Day at City Hall!
Join Arts for LA for Arts Advocacy Day at LA City Hall! It’s your chance to meet with LA City Council members to champion policies that support the creative sector. Following recent state and federal cuts, local arts funding is more important now than ever.
Meet Arts for LA’s ACTIVATE 2026 Emerging Arts Leaders (EAL) Cohort at their activation during Gloria Molina Grand Park’s Easy Mornings! The event offers a calm start to the weekend with relaxing and family-friendly activities for all ages including puppetry, storytelling, family yoga, arts and crafts, live DJs, and more.
“$20 for 20 years!” Join us in celebrating two decades of arts advocacy by helping ensure we can continue for 20 more years! A donation today goes a long way. If you’re feeling motivated, encourage 20 friends to each donate $20 to really make an impact!
Decades of advocacy: California Arts Council joins California for the Arts and Staged Right Marketing to launch a 50th anniversary campaign to elevate 50 years of creative impact.
Arts Advocacy in Sacramento. Write in support for the $50M investment for the California Arts Council, and $40M budget request for the Performing Arts Equitable Payroll Fund (PAEPF).
Stay tuned for more…
This year we celebrate 20 years of Arts for LA! Learn about our history, what we’re all about, and where we’re headed.
Head to Franklin Canyon Park in Beverly Hills for a night of imagining, connecting, and rejoicing in the woods “Convergence,” presented by Dance and Dialogue. Experience incredible performances from student and professional dancers of all ages, in celebration of their multicultural and multigenerational mission and the power of humanity at its finest. RSVP here!
Celebrate creativity and community while supporting the Craft Contemporary Museum during its 9th edition of CLAY LA, the museum’s signature ceramic marketplace and fundraiser! This special preview night comes with complimentary refreshments, music, and outstanding ceramic design in an outdoor setting.
Fun and art for the whole family! Jackalope Indie Artisan Fair returns to OId Pasadena. The two-day event features over 200 local, hand-selected artisans. Shoppers can expect to find trendsetting indie goods including original fashion and jewelry design, paper goods, innovative home decor and housewares, art, photography, food, and much more. April 25 & 26.
Sponsor your Sunday! Spend for the arts or in honor of someone by making a donation to Arts for LA.
More art, please: The David Geffen Galleries is the new home of LACMA’s permanent collection and will open to the public May 4.
Action Alert: Send a letter and urge the LA County Board of Supervisors to prioritize cultural programming for LA 2028 Olympic & Paralympic Games!
Stay tuned for more…
Looking for mentorship? ACTIVATE Protege is BACK! It’s a mentorship program that pairs up-and-coming arts leaders with industry professionals. Start getting your resume and portfolio ready because the mentee application window opens May 4!
Call a friend or loved one and tell them you appreciate them!