The much-anticipated Southeast Los Angeles (SELA) Cultural Center has moved $8 million closer to becoming a reality, thanks to Speaker Emeritus Anthony Rendón presenting checks totaling that amount to Los Angeles County. This funding will contribute to building the project, creating an arts and culture grant program for local artists, and establishing an advisory panel that will guide the project in the coming years.
“’This world-class art center will showcase our culture and creativity, uplifting our incredible artists,’ said Rendón during a press conference held at the future center’s site—a storm yard along Imperial Highway in South Gate. This will expand art access and provide unparalleled educational opportunities at the highest caliber. We, here in the Southeast, deserve it.’”
“This is the creative capital of the world, and no one should have to cross the county to be a part of it. Southeast Los Angeles deserves the same access to arts and culture that the Westside and downtown LA offer,” Supervisor Janice Hahn noted. (Photo-Francisco Castro)
Designed by world-renowned architect Frank Gehry, the 500,000 square-foot SELA Cultural Center will include a multipurpose theater, outdoor amphitheater, galleries, educational workshops, culinary arts facilities, and showcase the work of local artists.
A Cultural and Structural Icon
Rendón has raised over $124 million in funding for the construction of the facility, all of it coming from the state.
However, the facility will be built on Los Angeles County-owned land next to the Los Angeles River. Supervisor Janice Hahn, who represents the area, mentioned that once the construction is complete, the County will oversee its operation.
“This is the creative capital of the world, and no one should have to cross the county to be a part of it. Southeast Los Angeles deserves the same access to arts and culture that the Westside and downtown LA offer,” she noted.
“We know that in SouthEast Los Angeles, there are incredible creative people, but they’ve never had a dedicated space to showcase it. This center is for future generations, whether it’s music, art, or theater,” she added.
Hahn acknowledged that more funding needs to be raised before construction begins, and for the ongoing operation of the Center.
“We need to determine the source of that funding, but I believe everyone is invested in and recognizes the importance of investing in such initiatives because at the end of the day the return on the investment is huge in our creative economy in LA County,” Hahn said.
A group of community artist and local leaders from the Latin community gathered for this announcement. (Photo_Francisco Castro)
She envisions the Center as a “cultural icon, not only just in LA County, but the state of California.”
“People from ALL over will eventually come here to see it, take tours, and purchase tickets to a concert or a theater production; it’s going to be huge, like the Disney Concert Hall, the Music Center, the Hollywood Bowl, all of that right here in South Gate.”
Cultural Equity and Inclusion
Five of the $8 million awarded at the ceremony will be allocated to the Los Angeles County Department of Arts and Culture, which will distribute it as grants for local artists and arts organizations.
Kristin Sakoda, Director of that department, highlighted that these funds will play a crucial role in advancing cultural equity and inclusion in an area of the County that has been overlooked in the past.
“We want to invest in the arts because culture is a human right,” Sakoda said. “Arts and culture are vital to creating healthy communities. Communities that have access to the arts have better outcomes in everything from educational attainment to public health to public safety.”
She added that these investments also turn into real dollars through the “creative economy” (economic activity derived from the creative industries).
Prior to the COVID pandemic, the creative economy represented $200 billion in annual output for Los Angeles County alone.
Unfortunately, “folks from our communities are still underrepresented,” in this creative economy, Sukoda said, noting that this funding will help reverse that.
“All of us have arts and culture in the communities but access to infrastructure has not always been present. This funding will help us advance cultural equity and inclusion,” she said.
A “Blessing” for Future Generations
Danaly Leon, Executive Director of Paramount-based nonprofit arts education organization, Latinas Art Foundation, who grew up with little access to arts, can’t hide the excitement of having a Center of this caliber in her community.
As a child of immigrant parents, she would help her parents by selling items at the swap meet on weekends, so she could afford extracurricular activities in both sports and the arts.
“Today, we still see the same need and struggle for the new generation,” said Leon, who teaches folklorico classes. “SELA Cultural Arts Center has the potential of creating an artistic home that is sustainable, reflective and respectful of the society it represents while uplifting the present community through arts.”
Leon, a recent mother, hopes that the Center offers her son and future generations an arts resource that she could never have imagined in her own community.
“It is a blessing to know that my son will have opportunities that I could only imagine growing up. We grew up wanting arts and cultural spaces, we grew up needing art and cultural spaces and like the Governor said, Let’s get this done,” she concluded.
SIGN PETITION: SELA Cultural Arts Center is a GAME changer!
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