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Arts Month

Arts Month is an opportunity to celebrate the role of art and artists in LA County. Libraries are places where you can find many types of art: literature, poetry, film, music, and civic art!

Civic Art & Libraries

Not all works of art are in museums. Civic artworks are installed in public spaces for everyone to enjoy, for free! They include visual art such as paintings, sculptures, and murals, plus performances, sound installations, and more. In LA County, one percent of the cost of new projects goes toward the creation of new artworks, conservation efforts, and art programs and services. The LA County Civic Art Collection now contains more than 600 artworks. You can find them in County offices, public buildings, parks, and more than 180 artworks are in 46 of our LA County Library locations. These artworks are made by diverse artists, and reflect the values and cultures of the communities where they are installed.

Celebrating Arts Month at LA County Library

LA County Civic Art Passport for Arts MonthWe are partnering with our friends at LA County Department of Arts and Culture to bring you our 2025 Civic Art Passport. This year’s Civic Art Passport features 22 libraries with civic artworks and serves as a guide to exploring the collection.

Pick up a passport at any of our LA County Library’s locations. Visit each library in the passport and collect all 22 passport stamps to receive an exclusive Arts Month gift bag.

If you share photos of your visit to a civic artwork on social media, make sure to tag @‌LACountyLibrary, @lacountyarts, and use the hashtag #ICheckedOutArt!

You can learn more about the artwork featured in our passport with this helpful guide from the LA County Department of Arts and Culture.

Featured Events

Golden State Mutual Art Talk
Saturday, April 26 at 3 pm
at View Park Bebe Moore Campbell Library

We are teaming up with LA County Arts & Culture to bring you a talk about the Golden State Mutual Insurance Company collection and the pieces that are on display at View Park Bebe Moore Campbell Library. For all ages.
Learn more and register

Muralist painting a large outdoor pieceHighlighting Careers in Civic Art
Monday, April 28 at 5 pm
on Zoom

Join this panel discussion co-hosted with the Department of Arts & Culture exploring the work and careers of three artists in the County Civic Art Collection: Rebeca Méndez, Noé Montes, and Felix Quintana.
Learn more and register

Tips for Looking at Art

People looking at artAccording to our friends at LA County Department of Arts & Culture, when looking at art, the most important thing to remember is to take your time! The more time you spend looking at a work of art, the more details you notice, which helps your brain make more emotional connections to the artwork.

Here are some things to think about while you look at an artwork at one of our libraries or elsewhere around LA County:

  • Examine the visual elements of the artwork: color, shape, texture, materials, size, or use of light. Does one element stand out to you more than the others?
  • How does this artwork relate to the physical space that it’s in?
  • What do you think the artist wanted to express?
  • How does the artwork make you feel?

Explore Art Programs and More with Us!

Explore art-making programs and live performances for every age, visit world-class works of art in your community, and browse our collection to discover new inspiration and familiar favorites in literature and media.