Newsroom

October brings the announcement of the State of the Arts Summit, new team members, and more! Read on.

Thank you to everyone who supported last month’s successful Pop Up Art Show! We welcomed more than 350 attendees and featured 19 artists.

Arts for LA’s inaugural State of the Arts Summit is only three weeks away, on November 1st. Formerly known as LA Convergence, the Summit connects arts leaders to design solutions around some of the issues the arts and culture community faces. Read on for more information about the event and how to buy tickets.

Our 2019 Laura Zucker Research fellow, Allison Agsten, is finalizing a report offering findings and policy solutions to the topic of affordable space for artists. Join us at State of the Arts on November 1st to be the first to hear her important research findings.

We also welcome our newest team member this month: Aubrey Farkas Harris, our Director of Public Policy and Advocacy. Learn more about her below.

Arts for LA staff strives to build a collective voice of artists, arts organizations and community advocates that fight for a more equitable, healthy, and creative Los Angeles region. Become a member today. Include your voice and unique perspective in the Arts for LA 2020 arts and culture agenda, and be among the change happening in our field.

Onward,

Gustavo Herrera
Executive Director, Arts for LA

YOU’RE INVITED!
STATE OF THE ARTS SUMMIT 2019

STATE OF THE ARTS SUMMIT: PATHWAYS & PLACES
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2019
LOS ANGELES THEATRE CENTER (LATC)
514 S SPRING STREET, LOS ANGELES, CA 90013
8:30 – 9:00am – Registration & Breakfast
9:00 – 10:15am – Welcome Addresses
10:30am – 1:00pm – Breakout Sessions (two, ~ 60 minutes each)
1:00 – 2:30pm – Lunch & Call to Action

Arts for LA’s inaugural State of the Arts Summit is only three weeks away, on November 1st. This half-day convening invites you to explore and champion solutions to some of the field’s most pressing issues. Themed Pathways and Places, the Summit will focus on finding solutions to address equitable access to: arts education, affordable spaces for artists, creative career pathways, and investments in the arts. Your voice and advocacy is vital as we strive to build equity within our creative economy.

Award-winning LA Times columnist Steve Lopez and California State Senator Ben Allen will headline our welcome address. Esteemed presenters from each issue area will share their perspectives and facilitate conversations about finding achievable solutions to our industry’s most pressing issues. We are honored to welcome Denise Grande, Director of Arts Education at the LA County Department of Arts and Culture, and Dr. Steven McCarthy, Director of Arts Education at LAUSD, as our presenters for the Arts Education discussion.

TOGETHER, WE’LL DIVE INTO THE ISSUES WITH THE GOAL OF DEVELOPING A PROACTIVE, COLLECTIVE AGENDA TO ADVOCATE FOR THE ARTS IN LOS ANGELES IN THE 2020 YEAR.
This event is part of Arts for LA’s ongoing commitment to provide valuable opportunities for the arts & culture community to connect with one another, learn together, and lead the field, united in discovering solutions to the major issues we face.

Tickets and Registration:

There is a two step process to register for the State of the Arts Summit:

Step 1: Purchase a ticket here.
(If your organization is a current, contributing, organizational member of Arts for LA, you are eligible for one complimentary ticket)

Step 2: Register for the event here.

State of the Arts Summit FAQs:

I think my organization used to be an Arts for LA member. Can I renew our membership and still get the free ticket? YES! Renew your membership today by clicking here! If you renew today, you will be eligible for a free ticket to the State of the Arts Summit.

My organization is a current member, and I have already registered for my free ticket. How can I purchase more for my team? Purchase more tickets for your team at a 40% discount!

What if I am an Individual Member of Arts for LA? If you have given at the ACTIVATE Alumni Champion or Arts Delegate membership level, you are eligible for a 15% discount!

Do you offer Cultural Equity Pricing for this event? Yes! Send us an email for more information.

Where does my money go? Ticket proceeds directly support the cost of holding this event.

If you have any other questions about the status of your membership, or State of the Arts Registration, send us an email to info@artsforla.org, we’ll be happy to help.

We hope to see you there!

ARTS EDUCATION PROFILE
The Los Angeles County Arts Ed Collective publishes an annual Profile – an interactive tool which helps parents, teachers, administrators, arts organizations, and others, to report on the state of arts instruction in LA County public schools. The Arts Ed Profile combines data from the California Department of Education, LA County K-8 statistics, and information from community arts partners to provide a complete understanding of arts education access across the County.

The Arts Ed Collective needs your help to update the Profile with 2019-20 data! Visit www.lacountyartsedcollective.org/arts-ed-profile to learn more about the Arts Ed Profile, and ask your schools get their data updated!

MEET: AUBREY FARKAS HARRIS
Aubrey Farkas Harris is a 15-year veteran of Los Angeles’ political and civic arenas.  She has held senior staff positions in the US Congress, California State Assembly, and preeminent nonprofit organizations, and has successfully run several political campaigns.

Aubrey’s lobbying accomplishments include creating California’s Homeland Security Grant Program for vulnerable nonprofits, and passing landmark anti-discrimination legislation. Aubrey spent her early career working for members of Congress and the California State Assembly, where she developed foreign and domestic policy positions and legislative initiatives. A veteran of high-profile political campaigns, Aubrey has a talent for distilling complex policy for wide audiences.

Aubrey earned a Masters of Public Policy from the University of Southern California and graduated from UC Davis with degrees in Political Science, Art History, and Middle Eastern/South Asian Studies. In her free time, Aubrey co-chairs the Glass Leadership Institute, and is on a personal journey to find the world’s best baked goods.

UPCOMING OPPORTUNITIES AND EVENTS
LOOK WHAT SHE DID!
Call for female artists of all disciplines in the City of Los Angeles to be featured in a video series funded by the California Arts Council!

About the Project:

We are filming a new series of short videos featuring one female artist from each of Los Angeles’ 15 council districts speaking about a remarkable woman who inspires her. The project will culminate in regional screening events around Los Angeles for the storytellers and their communities.

Through a community nomination process, a diverse panel of female artists will be selected for this series. Special regard will be given to diversity of art form and representation of the many cultural communities of Los Angeles. At least one artist will be chosen from each of Los Angeles’ 15 council districts. We are seeking nominations now through the end of the year!

To Nominate an Artist: CLICK HERE to fill out our easy online form!

For more information about this project, click here. Contact Community Programs Manager, Jeanine DiTomasso with any questions. jeanine@lookwhatshedid.com

LULA WASHINGTON DANCE THEATRE: DANCE ALL DAY FESTIVAL!
The Lula Washington Dance Theatre, (LWDT) invites you to our annual Dance All Day Festival, Saturday October 19, 2019, during the historic Taste of Soul. This festival brings dance performances, classes, vendors, and fun for the entire family!

Have a seat under our shady canopy and enjoy performances on our beautiful outdoor stage. Kids can play on our rock wall, make arts and crafts, or bounce in the Bouncer. Our stage is proud to host performers from the very young to the well-seasoned, including Ricks & the Hot-Flashers, and professional dance companies such as Lula Washington Dance Theatre’s international touring company. You can also participate in our free dance classes throughout the day.

Dance All Day takes place during the popular Taste of Soul, which attracts close to 300,000 people on Crenshaw Blvd. Join our event, located at the LWDT parking lot on the corner of Crenshaw and Coliseum.

This entire event is free! (Festival of Tutus: Free for registered LWDT students; $5 per person general public). Dance All Day is sponsored in part by LA County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, and Council President Herb Wesson. Other collaborators include LA Dance Resource Center and Arts for LA.