Los Angeles County Thursday received $8 million in state funding to support the future Southeast LA Cultural Center in South Gate.
Supervisor Janice Hahn, who represents the Fourth District, which includes South Gate, accepted the checks during a news conference Thursday at the Los Angeles County Public Works Yard, the future site of the center. Former Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon, D-Lakewood, and Sen. Lena Gonzalez, D-Long Beach, secured the funding and presented the checks to the county.
One check for $5 million will go to the Los Angeles County Arts and Culture Department’s work on the project, and another check for $3 million will support the work of an advisory panel that will guide the creation of the center.
Hahn, Rendon, and Gonzalez were joined by local artists and county Director of Arts and Culture Kristin Sakoda.
The Frank Gehry-designed center will be the first institution of its kind in Southeast Los Angeles County.
In March, Hahn and Rendon welcomed Gehry and Gov. Gavin Newsom to the site along the Los Angeles River.
“It was the residents and artists of Southeast Los Angeles that asked for a state-of-the-arts cultural center be built in our community and today we are seen very positive progress happening with this check presentation of $8 million dollars,” Rendon said in a statement.
Plans for the 500,000 square-foot facility include a multipurpose theater, outdoor amphitheater, galleries, educational workshops and culinary arts facilities.
