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≡ LOS ANGELES 2028 ≡
The required cultural program attached to the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Los Angeles has not yet been announced by the LA28 organizing committee, which promises more details by the end of the year.
The City of Los Angeles Cultural Affairs Department, however, is not waiting, as General Manager Daniel Tarica delivered a 21-page plan on Tuesday to the City Council and Mayor Karen Bass.
Included was a three-tier “Cultural Program Framework,” with the Department (abbreviated internally as “DCA”) “committed to implementing a program that builds on the City’s Olympic and Paralympic Games planning by supporting creative-sector jobs, free community programming, and youth arts and education opportunities.”
Tarica’s report notes the space between the organizing committee’s program and what it is proposing:
● “The term ‘Cultural Olympiad’ is often used broadly as a catch-all phrase to describe the range of arts and cultural activities associated with the Olympic and Paralympic Games. However, it is also a formal term owned by the Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games (LA28), referring specifically to the official series of cultural events and initiatives coordinated as part of the 2028 Games.”
● “Within this context, the City’s 2028 Cultural Program for the Olympic and Paralympic Games (Cultural Program) represents a complementary but distinct framework led by the DCA to activate local artists, cultural organizations, and community partners citywide. The Cultural Program is designed to amplify Los Angeles’s diverse cultural ecosystem through inclusive, accessible, and sustained creative engagement before, during, and after the Games.”
● “DCA’s vision is clear: to showcase LA’s local artistry to a global audience; to exemplify the strength of diverse cultural experiences; and to broaden opportunities for the arts and cultural sector and access to the arts for residents and visitors alike.”
The Framework report specifies five broad actions arenas:
(1) Showcase local arts and culture
(2) Community engagement and inclusive access
(3) Build partnerships and cultural diplomacy
(4) Catalyze economic and creative sector growth
(5) Promote sustainability
In terms of funding and production:
“From 2026 to June 2028, the DCA will allocate at least $4 million in combined public and private grant funding to support Olympic and Paralympic-themed programming and community activations led by under-represented groups, artists, arts organizations, and cultural institutions.
“Planning, fundraising, and partnership cultivation will begin in 2026, followed by grant distribution and project production throughout 2027. Funded projects will be presented during the lead up to the 2028 Games, generating more than 250 additional paid opportunities for Los Angeles-based artists and cultural workers, and leaving a lasting economic impact on the City’s creative sector.”
The Cultural Affairs program is further complicated by the requirement from the City Council that activities take place in all 15 Council districts, further stretching resources. So:
“The Cultural Program will activate the City’s 15 City Council Districts and areas surrounding Games venues, utilizing existing infrastructure like DCA-managed and partner facilities.
“In collaboration with the Department of Recreation and Parks, Los Angeles Public Library, Department of Transportation/LA Metro, and other City departments, as well as arts and cultural organizations, DCA will program Cultural/Neighborhood Hubs and Community Celebrations, and work with Council Offices to identify community activation locations in each Council District with local partners.
“Additionally, the Cultural Program will activate the valuable resource of volunteers, integrating their support to enhance programming and community outreach efforts citywide. DCA will also collaborate with LA28 and LA County to ensure a consistent and cohesive ‘look and feel’ across all sites.”
Potential themes were also offered:
● “LA: Where Arts and the World Meet”
● “LA: From our Streets to the World”
● “LA: Where Arts Go Global”
● “The Art of the Game, The Heart of LA”
● “Celebrating the World in One City”
● “Viewing the World through the LA Lens”
Finally, the report unveiled three Framework levels, ranging in cost from $15 to $40 million:
Framework A: Base level ($15 million: 8 components):
● 15 Council District-specific cultural festivals
● Arts development fee projects
● Mural conservation and legacy enhancement
● Mural works: new-conservation-apprenticeships
● New community activation grant category
● Community arts celebrations and exhibitions
● Youth arts education and engagement
● Make Music LA
Framework B: Expanded level ($30 million) adds (7):
● New Olympic & Paralympic murals
● Community celebrations-activations-viewing parties
● Cultural/neighborhood hubs and activations
● Disability arts and Paralympic celebration
● LA-Brisbane cultural exchange
● Transit corridor cultural programming
● Games venue cultural activation
Framework C: Full level ($40 million) adds (3):
● Olympic-Paralympic arts festival (seven weeks)
● International artist exchange
● LA River cultural activation
Descriptions of each of these programming concepts was included, and while not called out as such, the Framework B community celebrations project opens the door to be the “fan festivals” the City Council members are asking for to allow residents and visitors without tickets to the Games to watch the competitions in their neighborhoods.
It is not yet clear to what extent LA28 will support such Council District fan gatherings and who will pay for what (and who can sponsor). This will be an area which will get close attention from the Council members, who may or may not want the Cultural Affairs Department to be involved.
The report also noted that the International Olympic Committee partnered with the City of Paris to commission a gift sculpture for the 2024 Games and that the Department would be happy work with the IOC on such a program for Los Angeles.
This first outline is a significant step forward for the City, but at least $11 million must be raised outside of the Cultural Affairs Department’s umbrella to deliver the lowest-level program concept, up to another $36 million to stage the highest-level program.
So, there is a lot to do, waiting to see what LA28 will and won’t do with its own cultural effort.
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