With support from the California Arts Council, LA River Public Art Project (aka LA River Arts) will showcase local artists and community organizations of the San Fernando Valley through an intensive community engagement series in the form of hands-on arts workshops, public art tours, artist talks, and commissioned art projects. Lead artists, Addy Gonzalez and Erin Stone will collaborate with Tongva Culture Bearers, other local artists and cultural organizations to organize and present work at specific sites along the LA River as it flows through the San Fernando Valley. This engagement is leading up to an arts festival in Fall 2024 tentatively titled, Daylighting: LA River Arts / SFV 2024.
LA River Arts advocates for an arts and cultural infrastructure integral to the many revitalization projects along the river’s 51-mile corridor from Canoga Park to Long Beach. We believe that cultural projects are a dynamic way to share the river’s potential with a large public audience, and deepen community connections. Through art-based projects, our work has impacted the conversation on multiple levels. We have heightened the discussion about public space; tilted the conversation about the LA River toward community-driven social spaces; and demonstrated the confluence of nature, art, and play. Our efforts confirm the value of inclusionary art-based public projects, introduce artists and communities to each other, and envision a robust river cultural environment.

