Arts and Health Week — Skid Row Action Plan

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors unanimously declared next week, the week of June 10, 2024, as Arts and Health Week. The Motion to do so was made by Supervisor Hilda Solis.

From the Motion titled Los Angeles County Arts and Health Week 2024: “There is growing research and proven connections demonstrating that arts can positively impact mental health, physical health, and public health, for all communities. Even more, the arts can bring people together across demographic, economic, and social lines. They are places where people can both see and express themselves, their communities, and their cultures in public performances, cultural activities, and exhibitions. Everyone should experience the healing power of the arts.”

Some people know, but many don’t, that Skid Row is a very powerful arts and culture community. I’m aware of this “growing research and proven connections” through the Skid Row Arts Alliance. One source is Urban Voices Project, a music wellness program based in Skid Row health care clinics with a performance choir. Another source is Piece By Piece, focusing on mosaic art, and them promoting the book “Your Brain On Art”.

Supervisor Hilda Solis with the other County Supervisors passed this Motion on June 28, 2022 — Skid Row Action Plan-Improving the Lives of Residents on Skid Row by Addressing Homelessness Stemming from Decades of Institutional Racism. This June 2022 Motion launched a Skid Row Action Plan planning process resulting in a final 90 page report Implementing The Skid Row Action Plan released earlier this year. The Plan was created in a dynamic process between the County, other Government bodies, and Skid Row as a community.

Now it’s onto something called “co-implementation” which I believe is uncharted territory for both the County and Skid Row. Maybe everybody’s brain needs to be on art :)