(Photo Caption) "Portals" by Amir Fallah. Photo by Alan Shaffer.

To address long-standing inequities in the arts and culture sector, Supervisor Hilda L. Solis authored a motion, passed in 2015, directing the LA County Department of Arts and Culture (Arts and Culture) to identify constructive ways to "enhance the participation and leadership of individuals from underrepresented communities in the arts." The motion's areas of focus were leadership, staffing, programming, and audience composition.

This comprehensive analysis resulted in the establishment of the Cultural Equity and Inclusion Initiative (CEII). In June 2017, the Board of Supervisors unanimously adopted the 13 recommendations set forth by the CEII, and, through a motion by Supervisors Solis and Sheila Kuehl, voted to fund four of the recommendations, which Arts and Culture subsequently launched. One of those funded recommendations was to establish a Countywide Cultural Policy (Cultural Policy) to provide a roadmap with concrete elements focused on equity, diversity, inclusion, and access, setting out ways in which all LA County departments can contribute to cultural life by ensuring that every resident has access to arts and culture.

To ensure that the Cultural Policy represented the needs and opportunities of all communities throughout the County, Arts and Culture sought input from a diverse group of stakeholders in the development of the policy. Through this process, Arts and Culture engaged hundreds of community members, documented and integrated stakeholder feedback, and worked closely with the Board and other County departments to draft the Cultural Policy.

The Cultural Policy was adopted by the Board in June 2020. Its implementation has far-reaching implications -- potentially increasing County resources for the arts, expanding cultural equity, and enhancing the quality of life for everyone in the County. Therefore, Arts and Culture is working with the Arts Commission and the CEII Advisory Committee to develop a set of strategies for how the County can equitably implement the policy. These strategies reflect stakeholder input gathered during the development of CEII, the Cultural Policy, and the LA County New Regional Blueprint for Arts Education, in addition to recommendations from CEII Advisory Committee members and our staff. Arts and Culture is simultaneously working on a needs assessment that will provide additional data on the County's current investments in arts and culture.

Now, we need your help!

From January 3 – 31, 2022, we are seeking public comment on the draft set of Cultural Policy Strategy Proposals. This is your chance to help shape the strategies and priorities for equity in arts and culture in LA County. Please click the button below to read the Strategy Proposals.

Please let us know your top three strategies. Why is naming your top three strategies important? We live in a large and complex region with many funding needs. We want to make sure we and the Board of Supervisors understand what you feel are the most important strategies to implement and fund in order to have the greatest impact in our County. Please click on the button below to select the three strategies that you believe would be the most effective ways for the County to more equitably invest in arts and culture.

Want more Information?

Cultural Policy Strategy Development Proposed Timeline:

January 3 – 31, 2022 - Public Comment Period
February – March, 2022 - LA County Staff Review
March 2022 (Date TBD) - CEII Advisory Committee Review
July 2022 (Date TBD) - Submit to Board of Supervisors and Public Announcement

For questions, please contact the LA County Department of Arts and Culture at lacac@arts.lacounty.gov.