From Arroyo Culture to NELA Arts
Examines arts culture in the Arroyo Seco from the Arts and Crafts movement colony of the “Arroyo Culture” to the contemporary NELA art scene. It chronicles the major figures of this bohemia which waned with the decline of the region during decades of suburban outmovement and white flight. The significance of art collectives in the revival of the Northeast Los Angeles art scene is discussed, with Chicano(a)/Latino(a) art collectives emerging in the 1970s and white artists through the Arroyo Arts Collective in the 1980s. The central figures and themes of the Latino/a arts renaissance are explored in depth. The contributions of the arts to community development and cultural revitalization are identified. Finally the growing role of arts entrepreneurs in economic development is discussed, with reflections from arts leaders on the gentrification process and their growing role in local politics and cultural policy