“Black Lives Matter” is not a moment, it’s a movement—a continuous fight for justice.
We want to transform the Los Angeles Arts District into a place where Black Artists feel welcome and have our neighborhood’s full love and support. Artistic expression is a powerful tool for promoting engagement and connection, educating communities, changing the landscape, and inspiring new realities. For this reason, we are looking to uplift and amplify your voice so that your stories can be heard.

We also believe it is imperative that the Los Angeles Arts District sets forth long-term measures that ensure the acknowledgment, respect, appreciation, and safety of its local Black residents and artists. We are taking actionable steps to make certain that the Arts District is a place you can come to create, connect, and share freely.

Any art medium is welcome! This project is not exclusive to painted murals. 3D artists are equally invited to apply and come up with wall art or other installation proposals.

The Arts District, roughly bound by Alameda, the Los Angeles River, the 101 Freeway and the 10 Freeway, is known to many as the creative and cultural hub of Los Angeles. Since the City’s founding, this area of Los Angeles has always played a vital role in the region. Arts District is helping reshape Los Angeles from a sprawled metropolis into a city with a thriving urban core.

Today, the Arts District remains the home of many artists as well as those in other creative industries, including green technology, architecture, design, music, and entertainment.

This project will connect and give a platform to local artists of color to create a collection of artworks with the overarching theme of “Black Lives Matter” and subjects adjacent to uplifting the dignity of Black Americans. To disrupt the status quo through art and stories, and change the way we see ourselves and one another.
This project will take part in three (3) stages: 1) the outreach to the community, 2) collaboration with the Cultural Equity and Inclusion Committee of the Arts District and 3) the application of the artwork.

PART 1
Selected Artist(s) will engage the community of the Arts District, including Businesses, Residents and Visitors through surveys, conversations and convenings around Black Lives Matter, equity and inclusion and how our community interacts with these topics. The goal is to gain an understanding of our current weakness around this topic.
(3-4 weeks)

PART 2
The Artist will work with the newly formed Equity and Inclusion Committee to discuss the outcomes of the research. The goal is to analyse the status quo and through art and stories disrupt its current systems.
(3 weeks)

PART 3
The project outcome will be defined by its research and will fall within the limits of the budget. An artist can create a collection of artworks that develop out of the committee conversations and place a lens on the overarching theme of “Black Lives Matter” and subjects adjacent to uplifting the dignity of Black Americans.
The artwork will be placed all across the Arts District creating an inclusive story of BLM through the lens of Black Artists.
(2 weeks)

LOCATIONS

The artist can take liberties in proposing where and how often the image is placed throughout the Arts District, including Buildings – Streets – Sidewalks – Signs – Crosswalks – Street Poles – Etc.

There are unique public art commission opportunities open to artists of color through this open call Request for Qualifications (RFQ) / Request for Proposals (RFP) process. We encourage artists of color to take time looking through the opportunity and submit their work if it best suits their interests. Artists are encouraged to submit Statements of Qualifications (SOQ) with artwork samples and letters of interest that are relevant to the specific commission to which they are applying.

HONORARIUM / ARTIST(s) FEE(s)

The Artist will be compensated 50% up front and 50% as the portion of their project is completed.

Part 1: $2,500

Part 2: $2,000

This is a sum of money that goes directly to the artist as payment for their artwork creation and intellectual property.

MATERIALS AND SUPPLIES

All materials and supplies will be furnished through LARABA with the support of the Neighborhood Council and the Business Improvement District. This is strictly for material purchases, supplies, or equipment needed to complete the proposed project.

1. IMAGES OF YOUR WORK

   Up to 5 images of your art (maximum).
   Screenshots and images shot from phone are acceptable

2. BIO/STATEMENT

   Explaining who you are, your interest, and artistic point of view ( 4 sentences to one page).

3. CONTACT INFO

   Phone • Email • Instagram • Facebook • Linkedin

Send application materials here.

Our GoFundMe page can be found here.

IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN CONNECTING
WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS:

Please email laraba.ad@gmail.com to join a weekly Zoom call with members and leaders from Arts District LARABA (Los Angeles River Artists and Business Association) The call is open to all things art and community. Feel free to share your voice!

IG: @exploreartsdistrictla

FB: @laraba.arts.district

WEB: www.laraba.org

Email: laraba.ad@gmail.com