With support from the California Arts Council, LA Commons will engage artists and youth in Leimert Park as leaders in implementation of Day of the Ancestors: Festival of Masks. A months long creative process focused on masks, dance & music will provide greater access to the arts for the youth, their families and the larger community and reduce barriers to participation through programs embedded in accessible spaces that highlight local issues and celebrate rich cultural traditions.
LA Commons programs engage residents of neighborhoods where most live below the poverty line and are new immigrants struggling to find their place in Los Angeles. Target audiences are artists and culture bearers, youth ages 15–25, and residents of all ages. Participating neighborhoods include MacArthur Park, Leimert Park, and greater South Los Angeles. By engaging community members in our core “Neighborhood Story Connection” program, we create a space where stories & voices are heard and then transformed into dynamic public art that reflects local hopes, dreams & identities. Relationships developed through these public art projects are leveraged to engage people of all ages in the stories of our Los Angeles, through resident led neighborhood tours, public art campaigns, and other culturally informed experiences that support local businesses and artists, and share opportunities to experience authentic food, music, festivals and rich cultural histories across Los Angeles.

