Performing Arts
DCA relaunched its Performing Arts in 2016 and is committed to providing resources to enhance the capacity of performing arts to thrive in the public realm and support music, dance, theater, and performance of all genres, as well as to support organizations, arts programs, individual grants, cultural exchange programs, venues/facilities, presentations, and special projects based on partnership, collaboration, and community investment. DCA currently manages and stewards four city-owned theaters: the Warner Grand Theatre (San Pedro), the Vision Theatre (Leimert Park), the Barnsdall Gallery Theatre (East Hollywood), and the Madrid Theatre (Canoga Park) in addition to overseeing two city-owned, operator-managed theaters: the Nate Holden Performing Arts Center (West Adams, managed by Ebony Repertory Theatre) and the Los Angeles Theatre Center / The NEW LATC (Downtown Los Angeles, managed by the Latino Theater Company). The Performing Arts Division also supports Los Angeles artists through advocacy on a national and international level to enhance our relationships with national touring circuits, for-profit promoters, national service organizations, other government agencies, foreign consulates, and important festivals and cultural centers across the globe.
Performing Arts Venue & Partner Venue Specifications & Rental Rates
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Community Arts Division
DCA provides quality and affordable arts education for all ages through strategically located arts and cultural centers and landmarks throughout the City. A catalyst for cultural and economic development, DCA is committed to producing and promoting year-round classes, workshops, exhibitions, and events. In honor of LA’s rich cultural heritage, DCA also engages in conservation efforts and educational tours at its treasured historical sites.
DCA’s Community Arts Division encompasses 22 DCA-managed facilities including: ten arts and cultural centers, four theaters, two historic sites, and six galleries; 12 public/private partnership arts facilities; and three art centers in development. DCA annually employs hundreds of artists as part-time employees to provide arts education to all age groups.
Grants Administration Division
DCA allocates over 300 grants annually to support nonprofit arts and cultural organizations and individual artists. Elevating and empowering recipients on a local, national, and international level, these grants nurture a collective cultural consciousness and enable grantees to leverage additional support from outside sources.
Grants are available in a variety of disciplines and categories including dance, music, media, and the visual arts, as well as literature, educational programs, residencies, and professional fellowships. Grantees are selected through a competitive peer review process and contracted for services across LA’s neighborhoods.
Marketing, Development, Design, and Digital Research Division
DCA’s Marketing, Development, Design, and Digital Research Division works with local, state, national, and international arts organizations to increase engagement and accessibility throughout LA’s communities. The division raised over $35 million in funds from foundations, government agencies, corporations, and private individual donors over the last 14 years to support critical arts and cultural programming. Additionally, DCA partners with the Mayor’s Office, the City Council, community leaders, museum directors, artists, and arts and cultural organizations to raise cultural awareness and promote local economic development.
In addition to marketing citywide festivals and special events year-round, the Division oversees the marketing of the City’s key cultural events and the development and distribution of extensive collateral and digital communications including: exhibition catalogs, educational publications, media materials, and cultural guides and calendars for the City’s Latino; American Indian; African American; Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT); and Asian and Pacific Islander American Heritage Month Celebrations. DCA also publishes an annual Festival Guide featuring hundreds of festivals, and oversees the agency’s social media channels and website, culturela.org
Public Art Division
DCA is committed to the creation and maintenance of art in the public realm and supports artists and cultural projects through four distinct arts programs: the Public Works Improvements Arts Program, the Private Arts Development Fee Program, the Citywide Mural Program, and the City’s Art Collection.
The Department commissions dynamic public art in Los Angeles, and through its 37 neighborhood arts and cultural centers provides access to vibrant and varied cultural experiences. Through public and private support for art programs, DCA implements an independent peer panel and public review process to select artists to create and/or present site-specific public art projects and/or programming.
Beyond creating interesting aesthetic experiences, DCA encourages civic engagement while inspiring creativity and conversation. DCA provides access to public art, which can have profound long-reaching benefits for those who wouldn’t otherwise gain exposure to visual or performing arts. DCA’s public art programs play an important role in reshaping attitudes, countering cultural stereotypes, and affirming the artistic contributions of the City’s diverse communities.