Operational support for the LA River Arts will increase core operational positions (e.g. programs manager, outreach coordinator). This will strengthen the organizational infrastructure needed to deliver and expand community-centered arts programming along the 51-mile Los Angeles River corridor. Funds will increase staff capacity, program coordination, community outreach, and operational systems across three flagship programs: River Sessions, an ongoing series of free, site-based public workshops and performances; River Solstice, a biannual festival featuring performative, installation, and musical artists along the river; and River Landmarks, a new biannual initiative commissioning permanent public artworks developed in collaboration with river corridor communities. Programming serves communities in the lower two quartiles of the California Healthy Places Index — including Long Beach, Downtown Los Angeles, the Gateway Cities, and San Fernando Valley — where access to free cultural programming remains critically underserved.
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.