On-screen local arts and culture

John Welborne | July 29, 2020 | 0 Comments

“SOUTHLAND SESSIONS” premiere episode presented local arts leaders. Top row, left to right: Leslie Ito, exec. dir. Armory Center for the Arts; Ravi Rajan, president CalArts; Kristin Sakoda, director L.A. County Dept. of Arts/Culture; Alberto Retana, CEO Community Coalition; Middle row: Juan Devis, host, KCET; Danielle Brazell, general manager City of L.A. Dept. of Cultural Affairs; Tim Dang, theater director; Josephine Ramirez, exec. VP Music Center Arts; Bottom row: Ben Caldwell, director KAOS Net-work; Michael Govan, CEO LACMA; Betty Avila, Self Help Graphics; Antonia Hernandez, CEO Calif. Community Foundation.

Activity in the local art scene is ongoing despite the coronavirus pandemic. Community television station KCET and local arts organization leaders have teamed up to bring to our home screens a season of sessions with art makers for the coming months.

KCET says of its new program that, “from drive-by art shows to all-girl mariachi bands, our curated performances, thoughtful reports and artist resources are your link to the cultural heartbeat of the city.”

The televised shows air on Wednesdays at 8 p.m. through the rest of the year. Upcoming episodes this month talk about “The Future of Arts” (Aug. 5, with two reruns on Aug. 6), “Dance Break” featuring the town’s wild and diverse artists (Aug. 12, with two reruns on Aug. 13) and “Musical Expansions in Quarantine” (Aug 19, with two reruns on Aug. 20)

The premiere episode, moderated by KCET’s Juan Devis, showcased local arts leaders including Armory Center for the Arts executive director Leslie Ito; California Community Foundation president and CEO Antonia Hernandez; California Institute of the Arts (CalArts) president Ravi Rajan; City of Los Angeles Dept. of Cultural Affairs general manager Danielle Brazell; Community Coalition president and CEO Alberto Retana; theater director Tim Dang; KAOS Network artist and director Ben Caldwell; Los Angeles County Arts and Culture director Kristin Sakoda; Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) CEO and director Michael Govan; The Music Center Arts executive vice president Josephine Ramirez; and Self Help Graphics executive director Betty Avila.