(Photo Caption) Photo courtesy of the American Museum of Ceramic Art.
LOS ANGELES COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ALLOCATES OVER $22 MILLION IN AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN FUNDS FOR ARTS AND CREATIVE RECOVERY
One-Time Funds to be Managed and Distributed by the LA County Department of Arts and Culture
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors has allocated over $22 million for arts and creative recovery from its American Rescue Act (ARP) Phase One spending plan. These one-time funds will address six crucial needs in the arts and culture sector: relief and recovery grants for community-based organizations; jobs for artists and creative workers; a marketing initiative that amplifies reopenings in the cultural sector and encourages tourism within that sector; strengthening creative career education and pathways for LA County youth; arts education; and support for justice-involved youth. The $22M will be managed and distributed by the Department of Arts and Culture (Arts and Culture), and includes $750,000 for arts education programs at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.
The County described its $975 million plan as a “once-in-a-generation opportunity to reshape and rebuild Los Angeles County.” The plan invests federal ARP funds in Los Angeles communities hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic and advances the County’s equity focused programs and priorities. Eligibility, application, and guidelines for Arts and Culture’s ARP programs will be announced later in the year. All funds must be dispersed by 2024.
“Funding for the arts is crucial as the County invests in and implements our ‘Better Than Before’ recovery plan, which prioritizes equity, ongoing fiscal stability, and the social safety net. Arts and culture play a significant role in shaping our communities by providing opportunities for residents to explore creative outlets that elevate their health and well-being. With this $22 million dollar allocation, we will work to ensure these resources also get to underserved communities as our collective recovery moves forward,” said Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Chair Hilda L. Solis.
“Our region’s arts and culture sector is vital to our creative economy, the vibrancy of our communities, the health and wellbeing of our people, and cultural equity and inclusion for all. The County’s American Rescue Plan funding is an opportunity to boost LA County’s road to recovery and build more equity, access, and resiliency into our cultural infrastructure going forward,” said Kristin Sakoda, Arts and Culture Director.
View a summary of the County’s ARP Phase One spending plan. The “Care First” description is in section 1.3 and the “Arts and Creative Economy” description is in section 2.2 of the spending plan.