La river arts

Transforming 51miles of the LA River/ Paayme Paxaayt
as a place for ART, NATURE and COMMUNITY.

Fostering an Arts and Culture Infrastructure for the LA River

We are working to ensure that public art is supported and financed at the earliest stages of revitalization planning and design along the LA River. A robust and coordinated public Arts and Cultural infrastructure is essential to the success of Los Angeles as a world class creative City. Well curated Arts and Culture will strengthen com

munity social and economic sustainability, provide opportunity, exposure and education to the diverse mosaic of visitors and neighboring communities along the River.

02/08/2025

Our February River Session is a benefit dedicated to raising funds for the Tongva Taraxat Paxaavxa Conservancy, whose lands — the first ever to be returned to the Tongva — were damaged in the Eaton Fire.

The Tongva Taraxat Paxaavxa Conservancy is a Tongva-led organization dedicated to stewarding the ancestral lands of the Tongva people through land management, cultural preservation, and ecosystem restoration. Their work centers Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK), which is vital for restoring the land and ensuring its resilience against future disasters.

This event also honors Kuuy Nahwá’a, which TTPC describes as the Tongva concept of guest exchange — a voluntary contribution rooted in the reciprocal relationship we share with the stewards of this land.

In the aftermath of LA’s devastating wildfires, TTPC has been a guiding light, educating the community on the importance of TEK and supporting neighbors affected by the wildfires. We are honored to support their efforts to restore Tovaangar and foster relationships that nurture healing, resilience, and reciprocity.

Learn more about TTPC and how you can donate directly at tongva.land, and don’t forget register for the event here:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/river-sessions-mile-25-poet-laureates-on-wheels-la-fire-recovery-ride-registration-1031296945927?aff=oddtdtcreator

Photo by Jay Lamars

Sonia-Wallace Sehba Sarwar Los Angeles Poet Society

01/29/2025

Powered by LARA, El BiciCrófono and Los Angeles Poet Society, the Recovery Ride along the LA River celebrates our community’s resilience through poetry, music, and shared space.

Together, we will listen to the River, LAPS poets and Juan Flautista’s congero-driven grooves, as Re:Ciclos’ bike-driven stage El BiciCrófono guides our way along Elysian Valley’s LA River Greenway Trail to the LA River Center & Garden in Cypress Park (6 miles).

At key points along the route, poets will take the mic, honoring the sacred elements of our cultural landscape as we water our community roots and explore relations to Self, one another, the restoration of our community, and the River. Guests will also have the opportunity to write and share their own words as we close the afternoon in celebration at Lewis MacAdams Riverfront Park.

Every dollar raised directly supports the Tongva Taraxat Paxaavxa Conservancy, whose newly acquired LandBack property was damaged in the fire. More about the TTPC Taraxat

📍River Gate at Lewis MacAdams Riverfront Park (2944 Gleneden St)
⏰ 11 AM – 3 PM (arrive early!)

Registration and details here💛 : https://www.eventbrite.com/e/river-sessions-mile-25-poet-laureates-on-wheels-la-fire-recovery-ride-registration-1031296945927?aff=oddtdtcreator

.taraxat Juan Flautista

11/26/2024

This month’s River Session was one for the books—filled with art, a window into the creative processes of exhibit curation, and discussions on eco/social art, ecology, and life creating art along the banks of the LA River.

We started at the CSU-Dominguez Hills Art Gallery with “Brackish Water Los Angeles,” a Getty exhibit examining the connections between fresh water and salt water, environmental justice, and human ecology. Co-curator Debra Scacco guided us through stunning works from multidisciplinary artists, whose works interact in dynamic ways that interrogate the fertile zone of in-betweenness embodied by the brackish. (If you still haven’t seen the exhibit, it is up until Dec 14th!)

Afterward, we met with artist Arturo Gonzalez of eastsideoftheriver.org for a meander along the Dominguez Channel bike path. As we walked along the clear deep water of the channel, he reflected on the area’s history of contamination, the struggle of area youth to feel belonging, and the role of rivers as “conduits for artwork” that generate connection and resilience.

Exploring both the gallery and the channel, we embraced the river as a relative, art as advocacy, and the importance of art to aid us in becoming stewards of the LA Basin – envisioning our role in creating a thriving future for LA’s waterways. 🌱

Thank you to everyone who joined us for this special session!

Photos by Sunday Ballew

10/15/2024

LARA Board of Directors invites you to experience the work of artist Jenny Yurshansky at our annual benefit on Saturday, November 16 🌱

For this event, Jenny will present audio recordings paired with actual plants along the river. You’ll get to listen to the plant’s perspective! The stories trace their journey to California and their experiences once they settled into the landscape, offering a reflection of the river that is both cultural and botanical.

These recordings are part of a larger project identifying 133 plants on the California Invasive Species Advisory Committee’s list of invasive species. Curator Lucia Fabio supported our efforts to develop this site-specific event.

Join us for this special event and art experience that’s just around the bend ✨💜✨

💙 Nov. 16, 2-4pm
📍 The River & 14-Forty (Frogtown)
🎟️ Registration and details here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/la-river-arts-annual-benefit-tickets-1010986667337

10/09/2024

Join us this Saturday for our next River Session on Mile 15 of the River and spend an afternoon exploring the intersection of art, science, and community in an area that was once wetlands.

Starting at CSU Dominguez Hills Art Gallery, we’ll be guided through the Brackish Water Los Angeles exhibit by Debra Scacco – the renowned artist and co-director of the project. Brackish water habitats – where salt and fresh water mix – have been both created and destroyed in the region by the complex ecosystems, infrastructures, and politics that this exhibit traces and examines. We will consider the past and present impacts on this unique environment, and use the art and artifacts on display to inspire discussion and to imagine possible futures.

Following our gallery visit, we will head to the South Gate Museum & Art Gallery for their 4th annual Art Walk, featuring artists, vendors and the last day of the group exhibit Oír de Nuevo PRESS REPEAT, exploring ideas of music and memory.

Join us in experiencing the history, notions and art of LA waterways this Saturday, October 12.

Registration is available on our website: https://lariverarts.org

Image courtesy of the Gerth Archives and Special Collections. University Library. California State University, Dominguez Hills.

09/12/2024

We would be amiss to not give a nod, and a wink, to the Rancho area's equestrian presence in this Saturday's River Session.

Nestled to the north-side of Griffith Park, there are over 75 acres dedicated to horse trails and activities in the neighborhood.

An area that was considered wilderness not long ago, the Rancho has a storied past that holds close ties to the horses that have been present to the area for centuries.

Jennie Nevin, like many that live next to the Bette Davis Picnic Area, is an avid horsewoman, and spends much of her time working and playing at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center. She is a professional speaker and singer, an entertainment industry association executive, and the Executive Director of Business Development and Communications . As one of our special guests, she will introduce River Ramblers to unique aspects of the area, along with welcoming a fellow equestrian, and long-time Rancho residents, Liz Radley.

Join us this Saturday for our next River Session!

RIVER SESSION MILES 31-32 The Glendale Narrows & Miyawaki Forest Teachings
Sat Sept 14, 4-7 pm

🎟event details and registration link here:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/river-session-miles-31-32-registration-985189467217?aff=oddtdtcreator
_______________

09/05/2024

Join us next Saturday (09/14, 4-7pm) for a sunset meander along the Glendale Narrows, an area of the LA River displaying many contrasts.

We will explore this colorful stretch of the River guided by urban green-space advocates Kat Superfisky and Katherine Pakradouni, as we make new friends, learn about micro forests, listen to Rancho stories, and end the day with special guests from the Los Angeles Equestrian Center.

2024 River Sessions Explore the emotional resonances evoked by places we visit along the River. Bring a sketchbook or day book - we will take moments to consider what we sense and how that makes us fee. Walking shoes, a hat and a water bottle are recommended.

🌱Space is limited. Come join in the fun!
🎟Register here:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/river-session-miles-31-32-registration-985189467217?aff=oddtdtcreator

Address

Los Angeles, CA
90032

Website

https://lariverarts.org/

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