LA County Arts Commission
Encyclopedia
Introduction
The Los Angeles County Arts Commission provides leadership in cultural services of all disciplines for the largest county in the United States, encompassing 88 municipalities. The Arts Commission provides leadership and staffing to support the County-wide collaboration for arts education, Arts for All; administers a grants program that funds more than 350 nonprofit arts organizations annually; oversees the County's Civic Art Program for capital projects; programs the John Anson Ford Theatres and co-produces Live @ the Ford on KCET, funds the largest arts internship program in the country in conjunction with the Getty Foundation; and supports the Los Angeles County Cultural Calendar on ExperienceLA.com and Spacefinder LA, a site connecting artists and arts organizations. The Commission also produces free community programs, including the L.A. County Holiday Celebration and a year-round music program that funds free concerts in public sites.For more information, please consult the Arts Commission online press kit: http://lacountyarts.org/page/pubnewspress
History
The LA County Arts Commission was established in 1947 with the desire to support art programs and presentations in the county. The Los Angeles County Arts Commission is the official Los Angeles CountyLos Angeles County, California
Los Angeles County is a county in the U.S. state of California. As of 2010 U.S. Census, the county had a population of 9,818,605, making it the most populous county in the United States. Los Angeles County alone is more populous than 42 individual U.S. states...
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Arts council
An arts council is a government or private, non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the arts mainly by funding local artists, awarding prizes, and organizing events at home and abroad...
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In the first two decades of its inception the LA County Arts Commission primarily funded professional and community music groups such as orchestras. In 1966, the Commission changed its name to the Los Angeles County Music and Performing Arts Commission and also brought under its funding umbrella dance and theater organizations.
In 1985, the Los Angeles County Music and Performing Arts Commission received additional funding for the first time from the state arts agency, the California Arts Council (CAC). This enabled it to support a larger number of community-based arts organizations from varying disciplines. Many of these arts organizations have since grown into important cultural institutions of both national and international repute.
In 1997 the Los Angeles County Music and Performing Arts Commission celebrated 50 years of existence; and changed its name to the Los Angeles County Arts Commission to signify the organization's equal support to all art disciplines.