Save the LA Murals: Blog

Save the LA Murals, a campaign led by the Social and Public Art Resource Center (SPARC) in Venice, aims to revive the essence of public art within the greater Los Angeles region by fundraising for city-wide mural restoration and preservation. Starting in July of 2015, the campaign will continue the mission of SPARC’s Mural Rescue Program (2012), which endeavors to refocus civic attention towards the protection and maintenance of historically significant public murals throughout various communities in Los Angeles.

In 1976, artist and community activist, Judy F. Baca, founded SPARC after experiencing art’s transformative capacities first hand while collaboratively producing public murals with Boyle Heights residents in the neighborhoods of East Los Angeles. Ever since, SPARC has played an active role in establishing collective art making as a relevant outlet to facilitate effective social change. This philosophy envisions public murals both as constructive agents with the ability to mobilize underrepresented communities, and as sites of public memory, that of which disseminate the city’s wide diaspora of richly textured communities and cultures. As public monuments, these murals realize social empowerment among historically marginalized voices through the outward recognition and display of their lived experiences and histories.

We at SPARC continuously strive to preserve the legacy of numerous murals throughout the Los Angeles area that emerged from within their communities through interactive processes as part of the 1988 Neighborhood Pride Program (NPP). Following a period of budget cuts in 2004, the organization has held sole responsibility for facilitating the ongoing and required maintenance of these works with minimal support or funding for staff, outreach, training and restoration.

This campaign asks for your support as we move forward in our efforts to sustain these large scale public art works, many of which have been defaced and remain in dire need of restoration. With your contribution, we will revitalize the ethnic face of Los Angeles’ streets with the permanent colors and experiences of its inhabitants and create awareness for critical social issues at the forefront of public discourse.