As a leading, progressive arts and cultural agency, DCA empowers Los Angeles’s vibrant communities by supporting and providing access to quality visual, literary, musical, performing, and educational arts programming; managing vital cultural centers; preserving historic sites; creating public art; and funding services provided by arts organizations and individual artists.

Formed in 1925, DCA promotes arts and culture as a way to ignite a powerful dialogue, engage LA’s residents and visitors, and ensure LA’s varied cultures are recognized, acknowledged, and experienced. DCA’s mission is to strengthen the quality of life in Los Angeles by stimulating and supporting arts and cultural activities, ensuring public access to the arts for residents and visitors alike.

DCA advances the social and economic impact of arts and culture through grant-making, public art, community arts, performing arts, and strategic marketing, development, design, and digital research. DCA creates and supports arts programming, maximizing relationships with other city agencies, artists, and arts and cultural nonprofit organizations to provide excellent service in neighborhoods throughout Los Angeles.

Stay in touch with the Department of Culture Affairs on social media. Follow Culture LA on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter:

Facebook.com/culturela
Instagram.com/culture_la
Twitter.com/Culture_LA

Grantmaking

DCA allocates over three hundred grants annually in the support of nonprofit arts and cultural organizations and individual artists.  read more

Public Art

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. read more

Community Arts

DCA provides quality and affordable arts education for all ages through strategically located arts and cultural centers and landmarks throughout the City. read more

Performing Arts

DCA’s Performing Arts Division is committed to providing professional resources to enhance the capacity of the performing arts ecosystem to thrive in Los Angeles by managing performing arts centers, creating festivals and cultural exchange, and supporting initiatives to serve diverse artists and audiences. read more

Marketing, Development, Design, and Digital Research

DCA’s Marketing, Development, Design, and Digital Research works with local, state, national, and international arts organizations to increase engagement and accessibility throughout LA’s communities. read more

General Administrative and Support

Encompasses personnel, payroll, and accounting, the General Administrative and Support team is responsible for processing over 500 contracts annually, positioning DCA as the second ranking City agency, below Public Works, in terms of the number of City contracts awarded and administered.

DCA Staff Listing
For a complete listing of our staff click here

Cultural Affairs Commission

The Mayor-appointed Cultural Affairs Commission is an advisory board responsible for the review and approval of all architecture and artwork on, or over, City property. The Commission assists the City by final and conceptual approval in achieving great civic design and public art.

Karen Bass

Mayor, City of Los Angeles

Cultural Affairs Commission

Thien Ho, President
Robert Vinson, Vice President
Natasha Case
Ray Jimenez
Asantewa Olatunji
Cathy Unger
Tria Blu Wakpa

Los Angeles is the creative capital of the world, so art isn't an afterthought for us, it's part of who we are, and it's essential to the health and happiness of our people. Art has extraordinary power to transform perceptions, attitudes, and behaviors, especially when it lives in places that are accessible to everyone. We're proud to invest in the artistic genius that thrives in our city, because it gives Angelenos more opportunities to exercise their imaginations and inspire one another.

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