Grand Avenue Cultural District Recognized in Downtown Los Angeles.
Locals, national and international tourist has been vising Downtown Los Angeles (destination of choice) for sports, entertainment and cultural events for a long time. Downtown Los Angeles as we know it is getting ready to for up a notch.
By Ricky Richardson | Contributing Writer
Locals, national and international tourist has been vising Downtown Los Angeles (destination of choice) for sports, entertainment and cultural events for a long time. Downtown Los Angeles as we know it is getting ready to for up a notch.
The City of Angels is gearing up to host three back-to-back global events; FIFA World Cup in 2026, Super Bowl in 2027, and the Olympics and Paralympic Games in 2028.
I’m honored to share with you that the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors formally acknowledged, by unanimous vote, the creation of the Grand Avenue Cultural District (GACD) which is designated to promote greater public participation in the arts, stimulate economic growth, increase tourism, create workforce development opportunities, support the revitalization of DTLA ad position the area as a global arts destination. This formalizes Downtown L.A. (DTLA) as a vital hub for arts and culture. The Music Center spearheaded the GACD in collaboration with more than 18 DTLA-based arts and cultural organizations and civic agencies.
The motion, championed by Los Angeles County Chair Pro Tem and Supervisor Hilda L. Solis, recognizes GACD as a vital cultural and economic asset to Los Angeles County, a key driver of DTLA’s economic vibrancy and a catalyst for more inclusive and accessible cultural experiences that allow Angelenos and visitors to engage with the transformative power of the arts. The motion was put forth in alignment with the County’s proclamation of April 2025 as “Arts Month” to celebrate the vital role the arts play in many communities.
“The arts are more than just a reflection of society; they are the heartbeat of a community. Engagement with the arts shapes our lives, sparks meaningful conversations, and connects people from all backgrounds. By formally recognizing the Grand Avenue Cultural District, we are creating a dedicated space where creativity can thrive, collaboration can grow and cultural expression can flourish,” said Los Angeles County Chair Pro Tem and Supervisor for the First District Hilda L. Solis. “This motion recognizes the potential for the arts to unite diverse communities, foster shared identity, and drive both cultural and economic vitality in Downtown Los Angeles. The creation of the Grand Avenue Cultural District is a key step toward making the arts more accessible, inclusive, and transformative for everyone.”
Working with several partners including Boston Consulting Group, which provided pro bono support to draft a roadmap for the GACD, The Music Center partnered initially with the Colburn School and MOCA to develop the framework for the initiative and held discussions with other art and cultural institutions along Grand Avenue over the past three years. That effort was informed by a foundational stakeholder study that identified shared commitment to collaboration with acknowledgment among the respondents that, by working together, these institutions can enhance their collective impact, broaden accessibility, and strengthen the cultural landscape in Los Angeles.
“With the largest collection of museums and performance venues in the nation, Los Angeles has emerged as one of the world’s premier destinations for arts and culture,” said Los Angeles Tourism President & CEO Adam Burke. “The establishment of the Grand Avenue Cultural District celebrates Downtown L.A. as one of the region’s most dynamic neighborhoods for art lovers—including residents and visitors alike—and helps support the 543,000 Angelenos and more than 1,000 local businesses who rely on tourism for their livelihoods.”
According to a DTLA Arts & Culture report by the DTLA Alliance, of the 17+ million visitors to DTLA in 2023, upwards of 2.5 million visited the Grand Avenue cultural corridor, and 76 percent of the DTLA visitors attended cultural events, such as concerts, art exhibitions, museums, plays, and live performances, among other experiences. Today’s County vote paves the way to place DTLA firmly on the map as a global destination for arts and culture, which is particularly timely with the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup, and the 2028 Olympics and Paralympic Games, all hosted by Los Angeles.
In exploring the GACD’s creation, The Music Center was inspired by the remarkable success of the Dallas Arts District, which has had a major impact on its local economy. This growth of the Dallas Arts District has tripled economic output in just five years and attracts over 4.2 million visitors (including 500,000 students engaging with the arts). The Dallas model, which recently was designated as the 31 arts districts in the nation by USA Today for the second consecutive year, is proof that the GACD can spark a similar resurgence in DTLA as a vibrant, safe, and walkable hub for arts and culture as well as showcase the diversity, breadth, and significance of the organizations within the District.
“Today is an exciting chapter for DTLA—the Grand Avenue Cultural District will build on a dynamic region where creativity, diversity, and collaboration thrive! By uniting multiple world-class and community-connected cultural institutions and local businesses, the District will become a cornerstone for L.A.’s growth and a source of civic pride,” said Rachel S. Moore, president and CEO of The Music Center. “We are deeply grateful to the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors for their support and this recognition for the District. This important step is a testament to the collective vision of our community. The original visionaries for a contemporary Grand Avenue, among them Dorothy Buffum Chandler, Eli and Edythe Broad, Richard D. Colburn, and William Andrews Clark, Jr., championed inclusion and accessibility to the arts in the heart of DTLA. We look forward to building on their vision with this District and working with our partners to foster a vibrant and welcoming cultural destination that will benefit Los Angeles for generations to come.”
Ultimately, the GACD will develop an identity that offers the public a way to recognize the District’s offerings and provide an imprimatur of the quality of the experiences offered there; create a strategic plan to help improve the comfort and safety of visitors to the region, including wayfinding, informational tools and collaborations with partners such as the Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board and Central City Association of Los Angeles; and work to enhance accessible and culturally relevant programming by exploring partnerships with fellow organizations located in DTLA but off Grand Avenue, such as the Japanese American Cultural & Community Center and La Plaza de Cultural y Artes, among others.
Interested parties can learn more about plans for the District at [email protected]
