Arts Education Research Associate Matt Agustin grew up in Lakewood, California, which is nestled against Long Beach and other gateway cities to Orange County—he is proud of and will never give up his "562" area code. He says that Filipinx-American families love pop music, basketball, church, and food—and his was no different.

Pamela Bright-Moon’s journey in the arts may have started behind the scenes in television but she now finds herself centered in something much broader—the intersection of arts, community, government, and advocacy.

Longtime arts advocate Leticia Rhi Buckley has been named the new CEO of downtown Los Angeles’ LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes. Buckley brings nearly 30 years of experience at arts, communications, and entertainment organizations to the Latina/Latino museum and cultural center. She succeeds the retiring CEO John Echeveste, and moves into the new post as LA Plaza celebrates its 10-year anniversary.

The Los Angeles County Department of Arts and Culture (Arts and Culture) has announced artist, business owner, and community organizer Sandra Hahn has joined its Arts Commission, the LA County Board of Supervisors’ longstanding advisory body for the arts. The Commission seats 15 members, diverse arts community leaders chosen by the Board of Supervisors to represent each of the five districts in the County. Hahn was appointed by Supervisor to the Fourth District, Janice Hahn (no relation).

President Joseph R. Biden has appointed Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda L. Solis to the Board of Trustees at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, commonly referred to as the Kennedy Center. The Kennedy Center, the living memorial to President John F. Kennedy, is this country’s national cultural center—as a presenter, it hosts world-class performing arts that are made available to the broadest possible constituencies, and as an agency, it delivers powerful arts education opportunities nationwide.

A staff spotlight on Arts and Culture's Human Resources Manager, Alex Hinojosa.

A spotlight on Arts Commissioners Tim Dang.

Creative Strategist Clement Hanami's residency with the Department of Public Health’s PLACE Division focused on raising awareness about the County's Vision Zero initiative to reduce traffic fatalities and severe injuries while increasing safe, healthy, and equitable mobility for all.

From January 3 – 31, 2022, we are seeking public comment on the draft set of Cultural Policy Strategy Proposals.

An evaluation of the first six residencies of the Creative Strategist program finds that a significant amount of art-as-process occurred across the residencies, with many of the creative strategists doing work engaging communities, especially those historically underserved by local government.