Los Angeles is a city of dreams, and for many artists, it's the perfect place to pursue their creative passions. Despite its high cost of living, Los Angeles offers a unique combination of social and cultural philanthropy, making it a center of cutting-edge activity and innovation in the art world. With its abundance of sunlight, sprawling cityscape, and access to some of the nation's top art collections, Los Angeles is an attractive destination for artists and designers alike. The Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) and the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) are two venerable institutions that seek to be more accessible to the public.
Meanwhile, the Getty Center in the mountains offers stunning views of Los Angeles and houses two locations: the Getty Villa in Malibu, dedicated to Greek and Roman antiquities, and the Getty Center itself. The LA Art Show has been running for 25 years, and it's clear that the city has grown to become an important part of the art world. Frieze, one of the world's leading arts organizations, is adding Los Angeles to its art fair circuit, which until now has only presented New York and London. This is a testament to the city's growing importance in the art world.Despite being listed as one of the most expensive cities in the country, Los Angeles remains one of the most attractive and highest-paid cities for artists and designers.
Jay Erker, an artist and curator who has lived in Los Angeles since 1998, recently closed his Los Feliz gallery after the owners sold the building and then kicked them out. Sonya Roth, CEO of Christie's for the Western Region and Los Angeles, believes that over the past 10 years the city has grown to become “a center of cutting-edge activity and innovation in the art community.”However, it's important to note that while Los Angeles may offer some ingredients in that recipe (space, great museums and relatively cheaper rents), in a sprawling city like this one, spontaneity and energy like those in New York are hard to achieve. For half a century, Los Angeles inspired countless movies and novels, but little in the way of a great painting.Ultimately, if we look at the numbers, Los Angeles isn't much more financially viable for an artist than New York. While technically cheaper than New York City, Los Angeles is still a prohibitively expensive place to live - especially for a struggling artist.
And like New York City, Los Angeles is no stranger to gentrification - a scourge for artists around the world.
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