Arts

The wild, wonderful life and art of Huguette Caland at the Hammer Museum

Tara Anne Dalbow — Mon, 21 Sep 2026 10:00:00 GMT

The Lebanese-born painter, sculptor and fashion designer Huguette Caland's life was as wild and audacious as her art. A Hammer Museum retrospective unpacks the once L.A.-based artist's remarkable legacy.

Inside Lucas Museum's star-studded gala with Oprah, Kim Kardashian, Gavin Newsom and Mark Hamill

Jessica Gelt — Sun, 20 Sep 2026 19:45:57 GMT

The Lucas Museum's opening-night party was packed with as many high-wattage celebrities as your typical Academy Awards bash.

Anita Hill and Christine Blasey Ford testify again in 'The Ford/Hill Project'

Charles McNulty — Fri, 18 Sep 2026 21:15:47 GMT

In 'The Ford/Hill Project,' a new docudrama created by Elizabeth Marvel and director Lee Sunday Evans now at REDCAT, the Senate testimonies of Anita Hill and Christine Blasey Ford are entwined to throw into relief enduring political patterns.

Berated, mocked and told to get on all fours: This buzzy L.A. show tests the limits

Todd Martens — Fri, 18 Sep 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Candle House's 'The Pineapple' teases an alien encounter. Then it becomes intimate, aggressive, otherworldly and psychedelic.

Inside Skywalker Grill, the Lucas Museum's rooftop restaurant that is already impossible to book

Stephanie Breijo — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 22:04:09 GMT

In "Star Wars" creator George Lucas' newly unveiled Lucas Museum, Skywalker Grill is a rooftop destination serving the filmmaker's favorite foods sourced directly from his ranch.

Is Trump demolishing the Kennedy Center? What you need to know about the crisis

Jessica Gelt — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 19:10:42 GMT

A photo of President Trump reviewing what looks to be a rendering of a demolished Kennedy Center was featured in a court filing Thursday asking for an emergency hearing over the center's recent closure.

José Rivera's 'Marisol' brings the apocalyptic fight to a new generation in Open Fist's revival

Charles McNulty — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Open Fist Theatre Company presents a revival of José Rivera's "Marisol," directed by Amanda Weier, at Atwater Village Theatre.

Prompted by new California and U.S. laws, two new lawsuits demand return of Nazi-looted art

Kevin Rector — Wed, 16 Sep 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Two lawsuits were filed this week in California demanding prominent museums relinquish artwork seized by Nazi officials.

Corrupted morals and greed make Pasadena Playhouse's vivid update of 'The Visit' feel like today

Charles McNulty — Wed, 16 Sep 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Darko Tresnjak directs Friedrich Dürrenmatt's 'The Visit' at Pasadena Playhouse, starring Tony winner Jefferson Mays and Melinda Page Hamilton.

Kennedy Center closes, despite judge's order; addition of Trump's name blocked

Jessica Gelt — Tue, 15 Sep 2026 18:49:26 GMT

The Kennedy Center Board of Trustees voted Tuesday to immediately close the performing arts venue, a few hours after a federal judge ruled that President Trump's name could not be restored to its facade.

Behind the high-stakes acrobatics of 'Water for Elephants' at the Pantages

Jenelle Riley — Mon, 14 Sep 2026 16:12:26 GMT

The touring production of Broadway's 'Water for Elephants' puts a circus on stage. It's not as easy as its highly trained acrobats make it look.

The team behind smash hit 'Amadeus' returns for 'The Visit' at Pasadena Playhouse

Jenelle Riley — Fri, 11 Sep 2026 21:35:44 GMT

Director Darko Tresnjak and star Jefferson Mays from Pasadena Playhouse's hit show 'Amadeus' are back with an adaptation of Friedrich Dürrenmatt's 'The Visit.'

Aztec Empire rises in gripping spectacle with reimagining of Sophocles' 'Antigone' at Getty Villa

Charles McNulty — Fri, 11 Sep 2026 17:35:00 GMT

The Getty Villa production of Evelina Fernández's 'Antigone: In the Language of Kings," co-produced by Latino Theater Company, resets Sophocles tragedy to pre-conquest Tenochtitlan, Mexico.

How the Lucas Museum's epic battle for a home ended in L.A.

Jane Horowitz — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 14:54:07 GMT

George Lucas' quest to find a permanent home for his namesake museum started more than 20 years ago and involved land battles in Chicago and San Francisco before the project landed in L.A.s Exposition Park.

How a 1931 church became Silver Lake's glamorous new boutique hotel

Christopher Reynolds — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 10:00:00 GMT

There's a cross on the roof, stained glass in the windows and a choir loft upstairs, but this historic building is no longer a house of worship.

From Banksy to Boba Fett: A map of the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art

Jessica Gelt — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 10:00:00 GMT

The new Lucas Museum of Narrative Art is vast, and could keep you walking for days. Here's a handy illustrated map to guide your way.

Lucien Smith, multidisciplinary artist and art world fixture of the 2010s, dies at 37

Emily St. Martin — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 06:38:29 GMT

Multidisciplinary artist Lucien Smith, celebrated for his iconic 'Rain Paintings' and 'Pie Paintings,' has died at 37.

Maestro of the human drama, playwright Samuel D. Hunter isn't afraid to peer into the future

Charles McNulty — Wed, 9 Sep 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Samuel D. Hunter, whose plays 'Grangeville' and 'A Case for the Existence of God' are running concurrently in the city, sits down with theater critic Charles McNulty to talk about his prolific career.

Will the Lucas Museum upend the art world? Depends if the people embrace 'the people's art'

Jane Horowitz — Wed, 9 Sep 2026 10:00:00 GMT

The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art is challenging art-world hierarchies by placing commercial art, comics and pop culture works in conversation with pieces by Frida Kahlo, Mary Cassatt, Pablo Picasso, Vincent van Gogh and more.

Clive Davis' $35-million art trove, including Warhol and Hockney, heads to auction

Anthony Solorzano — Tue, 8 Sep 2026 16:01:30 GMT

Clive Davis' largely unseen art collection, featuring works by David Hockney and Andy Warhol, could fetch more than $35 million at Christie's.

11 must-see things at the sprawling Lucas Museum of Narrative Art

Jessica Gelt, Brittany Levine Beckman, Amy Nicholson — Tue, 8 Sep 2026 10:00:00 GMT

George Lucas was highly involved in the creation and curation of the 300,000-square-foot Lucas Museum of Narrative Art. The museum and grounds are a lot to take in so here's an essential hit list to help you plan your visit.

What can a 'Star Wars' fan expect at the Lucas Museum? Vehicles, costumes and maybe some inspiration

Amy Nicholson — Tue, 8 Sep 2026 10:00:00 GMT

'Star Wars' fans will find much to love, including costumes, props--and inspiration--at the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art.

Everything to know as Lucas Museum of Narrative Art opens in Los Angeles

Tue, 8 Sep 2026 10:00:00 GMT

The highly anticipated $1-billion building opens to the public Sept. 22, with previews underway. Learn more about its architecture, must-see experiences, rocky start and the questions surrounding "narrative art."

A playful reworking of Shakespeare's 'Pericles' at Boston Court Pasadena succeeds until the end

Charles McNulty — Sat, 5 Sep 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Ellen McLaughlin's modern verse translation of Shakespeare's 'Pericles' has its West Coast premiere at Boston Court Pasadena.

'What is sacred to you?' This transgender Chicana artist invites guests to confess at Riverside Museum of Art

Katerina Portela — Fri, 4 Sep 2026 21:05:22 GMT

In her first solo show, artist Neveah Marquez, known as Perry Picasshoe, explores the concept of sanctity through vulnerable self-portraits and a confession booth that reveals guests' secrets.

How to have the best Sunday in L.A., according to Lauren Halsey

Kailyn Brown — Fri, 4 Sep 2026 10:00:00 GMT

The Westchester Farmers' Market, fresh henna tattoos and bowling at Lucky Strike are on the artist's agenda.

David Lynch found whole worlds in Los Angeles. This new photography show brings them into focus

Tara Anne Dalbow — Thu, 3 Sep 2026 10:00:00 GMT

'David Lynch: L.A.' at Pace will bring together 35 works from five series made between 1979 and 2008. The opening marks the first show devoted solely to the filmmaker's photography practice in L.A., and is the first exhibition in his adopted city since his death in 2025.

George Lucas on opening Lucas Museum of Narrative Art: 'This one almost broke my will'

Brittany Levine Beckman — Wed, 2 Sep 2026 19:12:57 GMT

Lucas Museum of Narrative Art co-founders George Lucas and Mellody Hobson spoke Wednesday at the press preview for the new museum. "This one almost broke my will," Lucas said.

August Wilson's 'Ma Rainey's Black Bottom' at A Noise Within presents acting of the highest caliber

Charles McNulty — Wed, 2 Sep 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Gregg T. Daniel directs "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom" at A Noise Within, part of the theater's continuing exploration of the August Wilson Century Cycle.

In first major ufology acquisition, Huntington puts Integratron's eccentric history on display

Anthony Solorzano — Tue, 1 Sep 2026 17:00:00 GMT

The Huntington has acquired a vast Integratron archive chronicling creator George Van Tassel, UFO encounters and a unique chapter of California history.

Meow Wolf L.A. announces the local artists who'll bring the immersive world to life

Todd Martens — Tue, 1 Sep 2026 16:00:00 GMT

Charles E. Dickson, Gabriela Ruiz and Jen Stark are just a few of the dozens of Angelenos creating works for the Los Angeles locale.

The best movies, TV, books, arts and concerts to spice up fall

Mon, 31 Aug 2026 14:56:30 GMT

A look at our most anticipated picks for fall entertainment, from movies like "Wild Horse Nine" to "Digger" to "Sense and Sensibility," to new versions of "Pride and Prejudice" and "A Different World" on TV and books about Whitney Houston and Corman McCarthy.

L.A. Phil will offer $10 Hollywood Bowl tickets for Medi-Cal, EBT cardholders

Deborah Vankin — Sat, 29 Aug 2026 22:53:24 GMT

Starting in 2027, the L.A. Phil says it will offer $10 Hollywood Bowl tickets to Medi-Cal and EBT cardholders in an effort to make concerts more accessible.

The Broad and Lauren Halsey join forces to bring South L.A. students free art programming

Deborah Vankin — Sat, 29 Aug 2026 17:46:11 GMT

The Broad and L.A. artist Lauren Halsey forge partnership to offer South L.A. students free art field trips, community workshops and museum tours.

Taxidermy sound bath? How an unconventional idea works at the Natural History Museum

Emily Tarinelli — Fri, 28 Aug 2026 10:00:00 GMT

The Natural History Museum's new Mindfulness Mornings series turns the North American Mammal Hall into an immersive wellness space in the hours before doors open to the public.

Following Dudamel at the Bowl, Anna Handler has the toughest assignment of the summer

Mark Swed — Thu, 27 Aug 2026 19:29:19 GMT

New L.A. Phil conductor-in-residence Anna Handler follows Dudamel's epic farewell at the Hollywood Bowl with Beethoven's Fifth.

Director Bart DeLorenzo bluntly assesses L.A. theater while remaking Ibsen's 'Enemy of the People'

Charles McNulty — Wed, 26 Aug 2026 10:00:00 GMT

L.A. theater director Bart DeLorenzo adapts and directs a new version of Ibsen's savagely timely 'Enemy of the People' at the Odyssey Theatre.

Gustavo says goodbye with four-night Hollywood Bowl extravaganza

Mark Swed — Wed, 26 Aug 2026 10:00:00 GMT

For the last year, 'Gracias Gustavo' garlands have adorned Los Angeles. Over the weekend, a supremely happy-seeming Dudamel milked the thanks in a four-concert blowout.

Appreciation: Dolly Parton was special to the LGBTQ+ community. She showed us our country loves us

Kevin Rector — Wed, 26 Aug 2026 00:09:17 GMT

Dolly Parton loved LGBTQ+ people, and we loved her — in part because she showed us that our country still loves us too.

Kennedy Center may need to be demolished if not renovated, Justice Department argues

Jessica Gelt — Tue, 25 Aug 2026 23:21:04 GMT

In a Monday court filing, lawyers for the Justice Department argued that the Kennedy Center may need to be torn down if it doesn't receive the renovations proposed by President Trump.

Eileen Cowin is a 'wry disruptor' in expansive new LACMA retrospective

Leah Ollman — Tue, 25 Aug 2026 10:00:00 GMT

"Eileen Cowin: Between Panic and Paradise," on view at LACMA through Jan. 3, highlights an impressive array of the L.A.-based photographer's most provocative work.

An exhibition created with Dolores Huerta traces U.S. deportation history

Isa Farfan — Mon, 24 Aug 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Activist Dolores Huerta helped create the exhibition 'Help Wanted/Leave Now,' with plans in the works for travel.

After 15 years, a landmark South L.A. theater is set to reopen

LaMonica Peters — Mon, 24 Aug 2026 10:00:00 GMT

The wait is over, and the Vision Theatre Performing Arts Center is preparing to reopen, ushering in a new era of performance, events and Black culture in Leimert Park.

The newly homeless National Symphony finds shelter at the Hollywood Bowl

Mark Swed — Thu, 20 Aug 2026 18:28:42 GMT

The beleaguered National Symphony, evicted from the Kennedy Center, makes an appearance at the Hollywood Bowl.

Imagined by Iranians amid war, made by artists in L.A.: How a powerful show was born

Sharon Mizota — Thu, 20 Aug 2026 10:00:00 GMT

"To Share a Stomach" at the Brick features works envisioned by 25 Iranian artists that were fabricated with varying degrees of collaboration by 24 counterparts in the U.S.

Sing and dance with 7-pound flaming candles? The 'impossible' stamina of 'Beauty and the Beast's' Lumiere

Jenelle Riley — Wed, 19 Aug 2026 10:00:00 GMT

As Lumiere in "Beauty & the Beast" at the Hollywood Pantages Theatre, actor Danny Gardner must sing and dance with live flames on his hands. Here's how his 7-pound 'handlesticks' are created backstage.

Hidden details of 250-year-old masterpiece get closer look ahead of Getty debut

Anthony Solorzano — Tue, 18 Aug 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Conservators from London and L.A. are taking a close look at Joshua Reynold's "Portrait of Mai" ahead of the painting's West Coast debut at the Getty.

How Laufey's annual fan event, 'A Very Laufey Day,' exploded — and where to catch it in L.A.

Maria Sherman — Sun, 16 Aug 2026 17:11:00 GMT

What began as a way to encourage her fans to get outside has transformed into a global fan event. Here's what to know about 'A Very Laufey Day' and how to celebrate in Los Angeles and beyond.

Kennedy Center board votes to close venue for two years, inscribe Trump's name on building

Jessica Gelt — Thu, 13 Aug 2026 19:04:56 GMT

The Kennedy Center's board of trustees on Thursday voted to move forward with President Trump's plan to close the building for renovations and to inscribe his name on the building to commemorate the upgrades.

How letting Dudamel be Dudamel led to unpredictable, wonderful L.A. music

Mark Swed — Wed, 12 Aug 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Over his 17 seasons as music director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, L.A. shaped Gustavo Dudamel and he shaped L.A.

Lucas Museum announces new restaurant inspired by Skywalker Ranch — and reservations are already open

Jessica Gelt — Tue, 11 Aug 2026 16:00:22 GMT

The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art on Tuesday announced its flagship restaurant, Skywalker Grill. Nestled at the top of the museum with sweeping city views, the classic American eatery is now taking reservations.

Anthony Hopkins, composer? How the actor collaborated with Gustavo Dudamel on his debut album

Tim Greiving — Tue, 11 Aug 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Anthony Hopkins this month releases his debut album of classical compositions, "Life Is a Dream," through Decca Classics. It was recorded with London's Philharmonia Orchestra and conducted by Gustavo Dudamel.

'Game of Thrones' spinoff 'The Mad King' stokes fan theories on 3.5-hour play's opening night

Emily Zemler — Mon, 10 Aug 2026 20:39:39 GMT

"Game of Thrones: The Mad King," the first stage adaptation of writer George R. R. Martin's bestselling fantasy saga, opened Saturday at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre with Martin — and rapturous fans — in attendance.

Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra names transformative new music director

Mark Swed — Mon, 10 Aug 2026 18:00:00 GMT

A report from Salzburg on Matthias Pintscher, who will become music director of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra in 2027.

Charming Victorian inn with cocktail parlor, organs and no screens opens just outside L.A.

Dakota Kim — Thu, 6 Aug 2026 10:00:00 GMT

When Monrovia's historian Steve Baker died in 2022, two preservationists set out to honor his dream of transforming his 1887 home into a restored B&B with modern comforts.

Dudamel brings Mahler's 'Resurrection' to Salzburg as symbol of optimism in time of tragedy

Mark Swed — Wed, 5 Aug 2026 20:00:11 GMT

Conducting Mahler's 'Resurrection,' Gustavo Dudamel serves as an L.A. symbol of optimism in Salzburg in the aftermath of the Venezuelan earthquakes.

A giant golden trophy mocking Trump is going on tour

Jessica Gelt — Wed, 5 Aug 2026 10:45:00 GMT

A 10-foot sculpture of a golden trophy made for President Trump by the anonymous arts activist group Secret Handshake is officially on tour, with an Instagram page and appearances in D.C., New York and St. Paul, Minnesota.

Geno Segers exits Broadway's 'Hadestown' after backlash over transgender comments

Emily St. Martin — Tue, 4 Aug 2026 03:10:03 GMT

Geno Segers has left Broadway's 'Hadestown' and issued an apology after past videos and social media comments about transgender rights triggered online calls for his replacement.

'Everybody's high on dance': At 25 years, Hip Hop International has big plans for the future

Jevon Phillips — Fri, 31 Jul 2026 18:11:30 GMT

Hip Hop International crowns its world champions in Phoenix on Saturday, in a competition featuring 3,000 dancers from more than 55 countries.

'RuPaul's Drag Race' star Alaska takes on Mary Todd Lincoln in 'Oh, Mary!' at Ahmanson Theatre

Anthony Solorzano — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 17:00:00 GMT

Alaska will star as Mary Todd Lincoln in 'Oh, Mary!' at the Ahmanson Theatre in the fall alongside J. Harrison Ghee.

'It's been the right time for a long time': Behind Watts Towers' $22-million campus renovation

Jane Horowitz — Wed, 29 Jul 2026 17:05:51 GMT

Groundbreaking begins in October on a $22-million renovation of the Watts Towers Arts Center Campus. With this work, one of Los Angeles' most important cultural landmarks is entering a new chapter after more than a decade of planning and community engagement.

5 powerful works by Betye Saar that represent her fearless vision, in art and life

Jessica Gelt — Tue, 28 Jul 2026 17:24:07 GMT

Groundbreaking assemblage artist and lifelong Angeleno Betye Saar died at 99, leaving a vast trove of work in her wake that reshaped the art world and helped kickstart the Black women's movement.

Older actresses shine in rarely revived Noël Coward play at Theatricum Botanicum

Charles McNulty — Tue, 28 Jul 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Jan Wikstrom, Susan Angelo and Ellen Geer lead a cast of older actress in an entertaining revival of Noël Coward's 'Waiting in the Wings,' presented outdoor at Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum under the direction of Willow Geer.

Betye Saar, influential assemblage artist who 'liberated' Aunt Jemima, dies at 99

Carolina A. Miranda — Mon, 27 Jul 2026 21:30:17 GMT

Assemblage artist Betye Saar, who's known for arming stereotypical images of mammies with deadly weaponry, and has influenced generations of artists, has died.

Victorian parlor meets Candyland: Inside the maximalist apartment of a Silver Lake stylist

Lisa Boone — Mon, 27 Jul 2026 10:00:00 GMT

A maximalist salon collides with a backstage circus dressing room in the Silver Lake apartment of stylist Wendi Weger, whose delightful fusion of art and fashion is behind the Curatorial Dept. in Atwater Village.

'It's not coming back': Giant of the stage and L.A. theaters confront the end of the nonprofit movement

Jessica Gelt — Fri, 24 Jul 2026 19:50:36 GMT

Oskar Eustis, who's stepping down as the artistic director of New York's Public Theater in 2028, shook up the arts world with his comment that the American nonprofit theater movement was over. He explains why and what needs to be done to move on.

Two theaters, nonstop screenings: Inside the Lucas Museum's film programming plans

Jessica Gelt — Fri, 24 Jul 2026 00:45:00 GMT

The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art announced its inaugural film programs to run nonstop throughout the day in two dedicated theaters.

'The Merry Wives of Windsor Cove' gives Shakespeare a 'Beach Blanket Bingo' makeover

Charles McNulty — Thu, 23 Jul 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Eli Simon directs 'The Merry Wives of Windsor Cove,' a musical adaptation of Shakespeare's comedy that's part of this summer's New Swan Shakespeare Festival.

Mexican American cinema exhibit coming to Academy Museum in Fall 2027

Carlos De Loera — Wed, 22 Jul 2026 21:16:46 GMT

The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures announced that it will open a exhibition celebrating Mexican and Mexican American film history in September 2027.

They're raffling off their $2-million home for $7 to travel the world: 'If not now, when?'

Lisa Boone — Wed, 22 Jul 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Daniel Leigh and his wife, Lauren Vaknine, are selling their five-bedroom home in England through the online raffle platform Raffall and planning to travel the world with their two kids.

Meet 'Gillian': The untold story of 'Phantom of the Opera's' 2,000-pound chandelier

Eloise Rollins-Fife — Tue, 21 Jul 2026 19:58:18 GMT

After almost 40 years of performances, the 2,000-pound chandelier at the heart of the action in the famed Gothic melodrama "Phantom of the Opera" is a character unto itself. If beads could talk, this would be its story.

Yoko Ono's 'Cut Piece' has lost little of its cutting urgency

Mark Swed — Tue, 21 Jul 2026 17:00:00 GMT

The Broad's Yoko Ono concert at REDCAT in concert with its exhibition reveals just how closely Ono was to John Cage and in the process connects the Broad and Grand Avenue with LACMA.

Sexual kinks are no substitute for human connection in Erik Patterson's 'F— Strangers'

Charles McNulty — Tue, 21 Jul 2026 16:26:22 GMT

Echo Theater Company presents the world premiere of provocateur playwright Erik Patterson's "F— Strangers," directed by Chris Fields and starring Michael Sturgis, James Tupper, Sean Luc Rogers and Tasha Ames.

20 years and $3.7 million later, a historic Spanish-style Wallace Neff home returns to glory

R. Daniel Foster — Tue, 21 Jul 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Despite buying an 'ugly mess' in 2002, the Lauensteins had high hopes for restoring their Wallace Neff home. A breakthrough came after finding a hidden set of original plans in a cabinet.

The Hollywood Bowl's beast of a new sound system is a work in progress

Mark Swed — Thu, 16 Jul 2026 21:27:30 GMT

The L.A. Phil began the first all-American week of the L.A. Phil Hollywood Bowl season with new works about soccer and Suffs led by Tito Munoz in his Bowl debut and Thomas Wilkins

Vija Celmins, Denis Villeneuve to be honored at LACMA's 2026 Art + Film Gala

Jessica Gelt — Wed, 15 Jul 2026 13:00:00 GMT

Artist Vija Celmins and filmmaker Denis Villeneuve will be honored at LACMA's 15th annual Art + Film Gala co-hosted by Eva Chow and Leonardo DiCaprio.

Enough about her legacy. At 100, Betye Saar just wants to keep making art in L.A.

Tara Anne Dalbow — Wed, 15 Jul 2026 11:00:00 GMT

As Betye Saar turns 100, she's more interested in creating new work than reflecting on her legacy as one of America's most groundbreaking artists.

'Mexodus,' a live-looping, hip-hop history lesson, reenergizes the American musical

Charles McNulty — Wed, 15 Jul 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Brian Quijada and Nygel D. Robinson bring their award-winning musical 'Mexodus,' a live-looping, hip-hop musical about a fugitive slave who finds freedom south of the border, to Pasadena Playhouse.

The battle over Frida Kahlo: Activists sue to keep her art from leaving Mexico

Patrick J. McDonnell, Cecilia Sánchez Vidal — Tue, 14 Jul 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Many Mexicans worry that an exhibit showcasing paintings by Frida Kahlo and other artists will leave Mexico and never return.

Lucas Museum to give free annual passes to South L.A. neighbors, host community preview day

Jessica Gelt — Thu, 9 Jul 2026 17:00:12 GMT

The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art will give free annual passes to South L.A. neighbors in the 90037 ZIP Code.

Meow Wolf taps famed L.A. animation house for its new Los Angeles venue

Todd Martens — Thu, 9 Jul 2026 17:00:00 GMT

The experiential art firm has entered into a creative partnership with Titmouse, the studio behind popular series such as "Big Mouth" and "Star Trek: Lower Decks."

After her son's death, she found a new purpose. 'He's whispering: Mom, this is your path'

Lisa Boone — Thu, 9 Jul 2026 10:00:00 GMT

After suffering the loss of her child, journalist Esme Saleh leaned into her creative side, painting folk art-inspired taper candles as a way to move forward.

A meal with an animated Mona Lisa? Immersive dining goes high tech — but will L.A. eat it up?

Todd Martens — Wed, 8 Jul 2026 10:00:00 GMT

At the "7 Paintings" experience in West Hollywood, guests are urged to paint with vinaigrettes and unlock a treasure chest of cheese.

8 splendid plays that beg for an L.A. production ASAP

Charles McNulty — Wed, 8 Jul 2026 10:00:00 GMT

8 new plays that deserve to be seen in L.A. include work by Joshua Harmon, Samuel D. Hunter, Nazareth Hassan, Talene Monahon and Ro Reddick.

When, unlike our upcoming 250th anniversary, a bicentennial mattered to orchestras

Mark Swed — Thu, 2 Jul 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Unlike our stingy semiquincentennial, in 1976, the NEA observed the bicentennial by commissioning six major U.S. composers for six orchestras.

DTLA's former Ace Hotel is reborn as a 'creative hub' — and yes, you can still sleep there

Kailyn Brown — Thu, 2 Jul 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Behind the multimillion-dollar renovation is South Korea-based AJU Continuum, best known for its culture-forward Ryse Hotel in Seoul.

'Coriolanus' in Griffith Park: Indie Shakes conscripts Shakespeare's haughty warrior

Charles McNulty — Wed, 1 Jul 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Independent Shakespeare Co. presents a vivid outdoor rendering of William Shakespeare's 'Coriolanus,' directed by David Melville, as part of its Griffith Park Free Shakespeare Festival.

The Sparkletts building is now a historic monument. What's next for L.A.'s mosque-like oasis?

Christopher Reynolds — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 16:33:04 GMT

City officials are hoping to save the former bottling plant, which the L.A. Conservancy calls a bold example of Moorish Revival industrial design.

As L.A. dance spaces shutter, dancers keep moving through a funding drought

Steven Vargas — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 10:00:00 GMT

As major dance institutions like Bodytraffic and L.A. Contemporary Dance Company close their doors, dancers still persevere. Here's how.

Sequins! Dancing queens! ABBA! Go backstage for 'Mamma Mia!'s' 25th anniversary tour at the Ahmanson

Eloise Rollins-Fife — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Twenty-five years after its Broadway debut, the veteran BTS creatives of "Mamma Mia!" helps turn the Ahmanson Theatre into an ABBA-fueled, multigenerational dance party.

As construction resumes at L.A. eyesore, creator behind its beloved bird mascot steps forward

Ryan Steven Green — Mon, 29 Jun 2026 10:00:00 GMT

For years, construction stalled at an Eagle Rock site set to become a 31-unit multiuse complex. In the meantime, a mysterious papier-mache bird, nicknamed 'Pinky' took roost. But who made the beloved mascot?

American playwrights are embracing the nation's complexity. Will audiences answer the call?

Charles McNulty — Mon, 29 Jun 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Democracy is in crisis. But writers such as Young Jean Lee, Tarell Alvin McCraney and Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, are stepping up, dramatizing the complexities of what it means to be an American.

Movies, books, art and music to explore as America turns 250

Mon, 29 Jun 2026 10:00:00 GMT

As America celebrates 250 years, we size up how it's been portrayed in, and has shaped, what we watch, listen to and read.

This 99-year-old ballet teacher once taught Parisian royalty. Now she teaches in Pasadena

Katie Simons — Mon, 29 Jun 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Helga Monson de Kansky was once predicted to become ballet's next star. Instead, she chose a life with her family and a career as a dance instructor.

They worked as early Hollywood artists with little recognition — until now

Julius Miller — Fri, 26 Jun 2026 17:35:22 GMT

The UC Irvine Langson Orange County Museum of Art's latest exhibition highlights uncredited artists who made significant creative contributions to early Hollywood.