New Arts and Culture Season Kicks Off in Los Angeles

Los Angeles Tourism invites you to experience the cultural explosion of events, exhibits and future openings that are redefining the city’s art scene this autumn.    

“Los Angeles is renowned for our museums and cultural institutions, but this year brings a level of collaboration and innovation that can’t be missed,” said Adam Burke, President and CEO, Los Angeles Tourism. “PST ART, one of the nation's premier cultural events, the highly anticipated debut of Destination Crenshaw, the world's most vibrant street art scene, and all the groundbreaking developments happening within our museum community are just a few ways LA continues to cement its position as a global cultural destination."  

Getty’s PST ART: Art & Science Collide wows audiences across LA’s neighbourhoods from September 2024 to February 2025.

Presented by Getty, PST ART returns to Los Angeles and the wider Southern California area this month for the first time in 7 years. The theme ‘Art & Science Collide’ will explore past and present connections between art and science and topics from climate change and environmental justice to the future of artificial intelligence and alternative medicine. Over 70+ exhibitions and over 800 artists are participating, providing ample opportunities to explore art across the city. PST ART: Art & Science Collide will begin on 15 September with a newly commissioned, arena-scale daytime fireworks event by Cai Guo-Qiang, the contemporary artist known for larger-than-life outdoor “explosion events”, kicking off dozens of exhibitions across LA.    

Abstracted Light: Experimental Photography, opening at the Getty Museum, spotlights photographic works by international artists utilising experimental light exposures. The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures on Wilshire’s Museum Row will explore science fiction and cinema with Cyberpunk: Envisioning Possible Futures Through Cinema. The UCLA Department of Media Arts will collaborate with Human Resources gallery in Chinatown to share Art and the Internet in L.A., exploring the historical impact of the internet through contemporary art. Visitors can map out their own ‘gallery crawl’ on the PST website, exploring all exhibitions and programs by neighbourhood or theme.  

Destination Crenshaw adds 1.3 miles of art to South LA, connecting neighbourhoods, shops, and iconic restaurants  

The Destination Crenshaw project is poised to be a significant public space celebrating Black culture and expression in the heart of South LA. 1.3 miles of the corridor along Crenshaw Boulevard are being transformed into an impressive streetscape with newly planted trees, pocket parks, and commissioned works of art that will be completed on a rolling basis throughout the next year. Destination Crenshaw will be one of the largest commissioning projects ever undertaken for Black artists, featuring large-scale sculptural works by Charles Dickson, Melvin Edwards, Maren Hassinger, and more. One cornerstone of the project is the 800-foot Crenshaw Wall, debuting the mural The Saga Continues, created by RTN Crew. A larger-than-life mural by Los Angeles artist Anthony “Toons One” Martin was revealed earlier this summer as one of the project’s first artworks. A ten-story mural by the United to Inspire Collective in homage to Charles White’s Mother and Child series will be unveiled in autumn.  

South LA’s Crenshaw neighbourhood includes historic landmarks and is surrounded by communities such as Baldwin Hills, Baldwin Village, Hyde Park, View Park, and the bustling Leimert Park Village, a cultural hub filmmaker John Singleton once called the “Black Greenwich Village”. Visitors can round out a day exploring the Crenshaw District by visiting nearby arts organisations, including  Art + Practice, The World Stage, and Barbara Morrison Performing Arts Center. Don’t forget to grab a bite at one of the Crenshaw District’s wonderful dining options, including Dulan’s on Crenshaw, Post & Beam, World Wide Tacos, Phillips Bar-B-Que, Ora, and Harun Coffee.  

LA’s Largest Cultural Institutions Look to the Future  

Across the city, some of LA’s most prominent museums have been steadily expanding and getting makeovers, while new ones are being built from scratch; a signifier that arts and culture remain a commitment for LA’s future. This November, the Natural History Museum will welcome visitors to their new wing, NHM Commons, an indoor-outdoor space celebrating the intersection of nature and culture that features a new 400-seat theatre, a cafe, and landmark mural by L.A. artist Barbara Carrasco, titled L.A. History: A Mexican Perspective. LACMA is continuing the construction of its David Geffen Galleries, a two-story structure equipped with galleries, theatres, classrooms, events and even a restaurant.  

Meanwhile downtown, The Broad’s recently announced expansion will unveil 55,000 square feet of new courtyards, gallery space and flexible live programming spaces for concerts and performance works ahead of the 2028 Olympic Games hosted in Los Angeles.  Along with these massive expansions,  the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art continues to take shape in Exposition Park and will feature all forms of visual narrative, including paintings, sculptures, photography, videos, performance, and installations, all with a connective thread of storytelling.   

IMAGE GALLERY available here.  

ABOUT LOS ANGELES & LOS ANGELES TOURISM    Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board (Los Angeles Tourism) is the official, non-profit tourism promotion organisation for the City of Angels, and the ultimate resource for where to stay and play in the LA area. With its mission to improve the quality of life for all Angelenos through the economic and community benefits of tourism, LA Tourism is proud to support more than 1,100 local businesses who depend on tourism for their livelihoods.   

Los Angeles is a dynamic, ever-evolving destination – where diversity thrives, and everyone is welcome. Discover the true LA by exploring its more than 30 culturally rich neighbourhoods, each one offering a distinct vibe. LA is home to more than 300 days of warm sunshine, 75 miles of idyllic shoreline, more museums and performing arts venues than any other U.S. city, and an innovative culinary scene led by influential tastemakers. A global creative capital and the epicentre of the sports universe, LA presents limitless possibilities for visitors from around the world. For more information, visit discoverlosangeles.com, follow at facebook.com/DiscoverLosAngeles, or @discoverLA on Twitter/X, Instagram and TikTok.   

MEDIA CONTACTS  

Lisa Preece Manager, European Communications

lpreece@latourism.org