The LA County Department of Arts and Culture's Civic Art Program (Civic Art) provides leadership in the development of high quality civic spaces by integrating artists into the planning and design process at the earliest possible opportunity, encouraging innovative approaches to civic art, and providing access to artistic experiences of the highest caliber for the residents of LA County. Working with leading artists, emerging public artists, County departments, and communities, Civic Art creates artwork, design, public engagement activities, exhibitions, temporary art, and event-based programming for new and renovated facilities throughout LA County. Civic Art has also commissioned work for capital projects for public libraries, parks, pools, community centers, jails, and health centers.
68 civic art projects were actively managed by Civic Art during Fiscal Year 2017-18. The development, fabrication, and installation of civic artwork is an integrative process which emphasizes thoughtful coordination with the community, design team members, and the County to ensure high-quality, low-maintenance art.
The County’s Civic Art Collection belongs to all its residents and is comprised of historic and contemporary civic artworks located on County properties. The Collection is made up of artworks commissioned, donated, and purchased since the policy was adopted and historic artworks created before the establishment of Civic Art.
The List is comprised of LA County-based professional emerging and established artists (and artist teams) working in all mediums, including permanent and temporary art, and public engagement.
Putting the PUBLIC in public art. This is the blog for the Civic Art inventory.
Program Highlights
The Department of Arts and Culture's Civic Art Program is pleased to present the 2017-18 Annual Report. In FY 2017-18, a total of 68 civic art projects were actively managed, 26 new projects were initiated, and 20 projects were completed.
In November, 2015, Los Angeles County acquired 124 artworks that were originally part of the Golden State Mutual Life Insurance art collection—once the largest collection of African American art in the West.
Civic Art's partnership with the Homeless Initiative on the Second Dwelling Units Pilot Program to support the development of granny flats, also called Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs).
In Spring 2018, a series of public events celebrated the communities of East Rancho Dominguez, Florence-Firestone, and Lennox with the launch of three books—one for each project location.