L.A. County’s government arts grants grow nearly 5% to $4.3 million

Los Angeles County had modestly more wealth to share in its most recent round of government grants to nonprofit arts organizations.

The County Arts Commission, which oversees the grants, announced this week that it’s issuing $4.318 million, up from $4.118 million in each of the last two years.

That’s almost a 5% increase. Still, the grants, which are paid over two years, remain almost 12% below their pre-recession level, adjusting for inflation. It would have taken a boost to $4.9 million this year -- $570,000 more than was allocated – to have matched the purchasing power the county’s arts-grant program provided at its mid-2008 peak.

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Laura Zucker, the arts commission’s executive director, said that funding for the grants program has been “pretty steady” during the post-recession years, considering the slack economy’s effect on county tax revenue. With the recent economic upturn, she said, “I think we’re on the right track. It’s our hope the program will be fully restored by the next cycle” to its pre-recession funding.

The biggest grant went to Center Theatre Group, $214,400 for “accessibility” programs designed to reach people who otherwise might not get to experience live theater for economic or other reasons.

Los Angles Opera will get $195,600 for its “Access to Opera” program, a wide-ranging effort that includes free or lower-cost performance tickets for students, families and the elderly, as well as educational initiatives. KCET’s grant is $199,400 for Artbound, an arts and culture journalism initiative on the public television’s website that also includes broadcast programs.

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