August 4, 2025 The Best Source of News, Culture, Lifestyle for Culver City, Mar Vista, Del Rey, Palms and West Los Angeles

L.A. County Board of Supervisors Appoints Arts Leader Kristin Sakoda as Executive Director of the Los Angeles County Arts Commission

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors appointed Kristin Sakoda to head its Countywide Arts Initiatives as Executive Director of the Los Angeles County Arts Commission.

The Los Angeles County Arts Commission provides funding for over 350 nonprofit arts organizations through a $9 million grant program and runs the nation’s biggest internship program.  The Commission’s free community programs advance diversity and accessibility for the County’s 88 municipalities and 137 unincorporated areas.

Ms. Sakoda will join the County on February 15, 2018 with over 20 years of cultural arts experience.  For the past nine years, she has been instrumental in guiding the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, the largest arts funder in the U.S. outside of the federal government, in the areas of diversity, equity and inclusion, arts administration, programmatic initiatives, legal matters, legislation, public art, and capital projects at City cultural facilities.  In joining the County, Ms. Sakoda will have a broad mandate to advance arts and culture Countywide under the direction of the Board of Supervisors.

Chair of the Board, Supervisor Sheila Kuehl, said, “The varied and rich cultural life of LA County is the envy of the country and I am so happy to welcome Kristin Sakoda, who is totally suited to our multi-faceted landscape–a performer/lawyer/arts-executive with a great vision for building and expanding the diversity of our extraordinary cultural assets.”

“One of the first things I did as a County Supervisor was to look at how we address equity and inclusion in the Arts,” said Supervisor Hilda L. Solis. “Through my motion, we established the County Equity and Inclusions Initiative and contributed $1 million in new funding. As a Board, we knew we wanted someone who understood what we were trying to accomplish. Kristin Sakoda has a vibrant personality and a deep passion for the Arts, and I look forward to her building upon the solid foundation we have created.”

“I have full confidence in Kristin’s ability to bring Los Angeles County’s wealth of artistic and cultural assets to the forefront,” Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas said.  “I look forward to her leadership in bolstering diversity, inclusion and equity in the creative fields, while raising the profile of the arts as an economic engine for the region.”

Supervisor Janice Hahn said, “Kristin Sakoda is a proven leader and a talented artist in her own right. She brings decades of experience to the important job of shepherding civic art projects and arts education across the County.   From the bright lights of Broadway to Tinseltown, we welcome Kristin and her family to LA County!”

“The Arts Commission plays a vital role in funding, programs and facilities which foster access to the arts for the diverse communities across our county,” said Supervisor Kathryn Barger.  “Ms. Sakoda brings the leadership, vision and decades of experience necessary to advance and promote arts as a vital part of our county’s economy and culture.”

“Kristin Sakoda is an established cultural leader, promoting arts education and outreach on the East Coast,” said Arts Commission President Pamela Bright-Moon.  “We are fortunate to have her and I look forward to working with her.”

“I am thrilled and humbled to have been selected to lead the Los Angeles County Arts Commission and its mission to foster excellence, diversity, vitality, understanding and accessibility of the arts in one of the largest and most ethnically diverse counties in the country,” said Kristin Sakoda. “I look forward to working with the Board of Supervisors, Arts Commissioners, and staff, to build on their excellent work and advance initiatives to support arts and culture Countywide.”

Related Posts

Culver City Approves 344-Unit Project, Drops Office Space From Jefferson Site Plan

August 3, 2025

August 3, 2025

More Housing, Less Office Space as Long-Stalled Site Moves Toward Construction Culver City officials have signed off on a revised...

Cary Grant’s Former Beverly Hills Estate Hits Market for $77.5M

August 3, 2025

August 3, 2025

Rebuilt by His Widow, the Home Now Offers Sweeping Views Once owned by Hollywood legend Cary Grant, a Beverly Hills...

LA Housing Permits Rebound in Q2: Wildfire Rebuild and Fast-Tracked Reviews Spur Modest Growth

August 3, 2025

August 3, 2025

New Data Shows a 37% Quarterly Jump in Residential Permits, Long-Term Uncertainty Looms Residential development in Los Angeles picked up...

Federal Court Upholds Stay on Trump-Era Immigration Raids in California

August 3, 2025

August 3, 2025

Detention Horror Stories and Legal Pressure Keep Feds at Bay  A federal appeals court on Friday upheld a temporary order...

Two LA County Deputies Charged in Off-Duty Scheme Tied to Crypto ‘Godfather’

August 2, 2025

August 2, 2025

Deputies Accused of Abusing Law Enforcement Powers for Beverly Hills Mogul One Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department deputy pleaded guilty,...

Metro Releases Draft Environmental Report for Sepulveda Transit Project, Public Comment Now Open

August 2, 2025

August 2, 2025

Six Route Alternatives Under Review for Valley-To-Westside Connection The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) has released its Draft...

Trump Administration Freezes $200M in UCLA Research Funds Over Student Protests

August 2, 2025

August 2, 2025

UCLA Says Freeze Harms Life-Saving Research With No Connection to Stated Reason Donald Trump’s administration has blocked $200 million in...

Culver City’s National Night Out Returns August 5 With K9 Demo, Live Music, and Fun

August 2, 2025

August 2, 2025

This Year’s Celebration Moves to the Culver Steps to Encourage Community Spirit Culver City’s annual National Night Out celebration returns...

City Installs Crosswalks In Sawtelle District After Residents Paint Their Own

August 1, 2025

August 1, 2025

Los Angeles Begins Official Safety Upgrades Near Stoner Park City crews began installing official crosswalks Friday near Stoner Park in...

HARD Summer Returns This Weekend With New Sound Strategy After 2024 Noise Complaints

August 1, 2025

August 1, 2025

Sold-Out EDM and Hip-Hop Festival Runs Saturday and Sunday at Hollywood Park The HARD Summer music festival is set to...

Free Document Shredding, Electronics Recycling Set for Saturday in Culver City

August 1, 2025

August 1, 2025

Culver City Offers Secure Way to Recycle Tech and Shred Paper This Weekend Residents will have the opportunity to responsibly...

Last Call: Culver City Wants Your Input in Hiring Its Next City Manager

July 31, 2025

July 31, 2025

Public Survey Open Through August 1 Invites Residents to Weigh In As Culver City begins its search for a new...

1,000 Additional National Guard Troops Withdrawn From LA as Federal Presence Continues to Shrink

July 31, 2025

July 31, 2025

National Guard Presence in Los Angeles Slashed Again Amid Ongoing Rollback Roughly an additional 1,000 National Guard troops have been...

Luxury Watches Stolen From Keanu Reeves Recovered in Chile, To Be Returned to Actor

July 31, 2025

July 31, 2025

Six Rolex Watches Worth Over $120,000 Were Seized in Santiago Police Raid Six high-end watches stolen from actor Keanu Reeves’...

Aging Mindfully: Zen-Inspired Senior Living Takes Shape in Simi Valley

July 31, 2025

July 31, 2025

Two Zen-inspired senior living communities are embracing the reality of aging — consciously. Ensō Village, open since 2023 in Sonoma County,...