One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.
We Aren't Having Live Arts Events Right Now — Here's Where The Money Might Go
Lula Washington dancer performs onstage at the 5th Annual Celebration of Dance Gala at Club Nokia on Aug. 1, 2015. Angela Weiss/Getty Images for Dizzy Feet Foundation
Councilman David Ryu announced plans Monday to introduce a motion to do something different with his council district's Arts Development Fund. The money had been earmarked for 294 different projects — buuuut only 25 out of the 294 projects weren't special events or arts festivals that are either getting cancelled or being postponed thanks to coronavirus.
Ryu's solution: redirect that money to provide small grants to artists and arts nonprofits, specifically to create online content that we can all enjoy at this time. There are $1.2 million in the district's Arts Development Fund, and both Ryu and more than a hundred local arts organizations are encouraging other councilmembers to redirect their own Arts Development Funds in the same way.
A number of local arts organizations are in trouble and could permanently close thanks to the impact of COVID-19, Arts For L.A.'s Aubrey Farkas Harris told LAist.
GO DEEPER:
MORE ON CORONAVIRUS:
- Your No-Panic Guide To Coronavirus In LA So Far
- Where To Get Financial Assistance, Food And Other Help
- Tracking The Spread Of COVID-19
- Have A Question? We Will Answer It
DON'T MISS ANY L.A. CORONAVIRUS NEWS
Get our daily newsletter for the latest on COVID-19 and other top local headlines.
Sponsored message
Terms of Use and Privacy Policy
Support our free, independent journalism today. Donate now.
One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
