Public Artists in Development Program
We're excited to announce that LA Commons is partnering with the renowned public art consulting firm Dyson & Womack to offer training and mentorship programs for underrepresented artists through the LA County Department of Arts & Culture's Public Artists in Development (PAiD) program!
Public Artists in Development (PAiD) is a new program funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation to promote the career growth and economic empowerment of underrepresented artists in LA County. This program was created to address critical structural barriers to participation identified by the LA County Department of Art & Culture’s Civic Art Division and across the broader field of public art. The program will expand educational resources, training, mentorship, and new project opportunities to encourage the skill-building and professional readiness of diverse artists.
LA Commons and Dyson & Womack will leverage our collective expertise to provide comprehensive training to a diverse community of artists. This program includes mentoring creatives through the development, fabrication, and management skills required for their first permanent works of public art. We are thrilled to embark on this multi-year collaboration, fostering the infrastructure for a more diverse, culturally responsive arts and cultural field here in Los Angeles.
Throughout this process, we will cultivate innovative practices that cater to artists' needs within a creative environment, aiming to build a future in which more artists can truly thrive. In collaboration with the County, we'll strategize ways to enhance outreach and artist selection processes, while creating new opportunities that better align with the local creative ecosystem, particularly in historically underserved communities.
This fruitful partnership will enable us to realize our longstanding goal of providing learning opportunities for artists, supporting their enduring sustainability.