Friday morning, in the rotunda at the entrance of City Hall, dozens of Los Angeles artists and arts leaders joined together as advocates for Arts for LA’s annual ArtsDay, a day which unites artists, audiences, and arts organizations with the leaders who represent them in City Hall. Advocates and elected officials use ArtsDay as an opportunity to spark dialogue over the specific ways we can work together to strengthen support for arts, culture, and creativity in the City of Los Angeles. For Artists, who may normally feel detached from City Hall and government support, the day was kicked-off with words of support from Councilmember Tom LaBonge, LA Stage Alliance’s Terence McFarland, & Mayor Eric Garcetti. Mayor Garcetti addressed the advocates by saying,” Los Angeles is the city where creativity thrives. ArtsDay gives us all a great opportunity to salute our city’s artistic legacy and ongoing reputation as America’s Creative Capital.”
A standing – room only crowd gathered in the City Council Chambers to witness the day’s public presentation in support of ArtsDay. Distinguished speakers made their case for public investment in arts and culture during the presentation to City Council, including Antonia Hernandez, President and CEO of the California Community
Foundation, Jim Schultz, Director of Satellite Development Center, Boeing Space & Intelligence Systems, Dr. Bruce Samuels, Cardiologist Member, Advisory Council for the Arts of Cedar Sinai Medical Center, Keith McNutt, Director of the Western Region of the Actors Fund, and Alexandra Grant, Distinguished artist, grantee of the California Community Foundation.
Council President Herb J. Wesson and Councilmembers Tom LaBonge and Mitch O’Farrell even declared the day “ArtsDay” in the City of Los Angeles. More than 180 Los Angeles organizations pledged their support of ArtsDay, sharing the belief that Los Angeles has the potential to be a “world class city of vibrant neighborhoods, bolstered by a strong creative workforce, with equitable access to arts and culture.” With over 400 advocates RSVPd for the event, ArtsDay has become the city’s largest annual civic engagement experience through arts & culture.
For more information on the organization and ArtsDay , visit www.artsforla.org or visit the #ArtsDayLA hashtag on Twitter and Instagram to see what folks were up to!
