The City of Beverly Hills announced a new Inter-Commission Collaborative Initiative that will bring the Arts & Culture Commission and Human Relations Commission together in developing programs highlighting
cultural diversity, inclusion and belonging. Through Community Engagement and the Arts, the two commissions will find relevant ways to showcase global arts and cultural art forms, support local artists, arts and service organizations, and honor community-based individuals and philanthropists who enrich their communities through daily acts of kindness, compassion and tireless service. Members of the Inter-Commission Collaborative Initiative are Human Relations Commissioners Annette Saleh and Karen Popovich Levyn, and Arts & Culture Commis-sioners Stephanie Vahn and Deborah Frank.
“While Beverly Hills has always been a place welcoming people from all over the world to come to reside, visit and work, it is not enough to just accept people, rather it’s crucial to celebrate and find meaning in what makes us different and unique,” said Jenny Rogers, Director of Community Services. “The new program will feature the arts, lectures and community engagement as a way to manifest a community of
kindness and love, and to stand in opposition of hatred, violence, racial intolerance and injustice.”
Arts & Culture Commissioner Deborah Frank pointed out the groundbreaking nature of the new collaboration.
“This joint venture between our two commissions is groundbreaking and has never been done before. Through our
collaborative programs, we hope to cultivate a sense of community amid a cultural awakening. In upcoming art programs, we will showcase artwork from emerging and L.A.-based artists and people of color, hoping to offer inclusion and belonging by drawing attention to social issues and the talent of artists across all cultures. Art is essential in that it can unite us and heal us,” said Frank.
Human Relations Commissioner Annette Saleh noted that the “Human Relations Commission recognizes the benefits inherent in a diverse community, fosters understanding and acceptance of all its citizens, and promotes civil discourse and conduct.”
She added, “Our hope is the upcoming events will highlight the Human Relations Commission’s primary objective to actively establish our city as a model of a just and equitable society. And by aligning with the mission of the Arts & Culture Commission, we saw a path to bringing into existence a relevant celebration of cultural diversity and spreading a message of inclusion through the arts and other forms.”
Programs are still in the development stage. But, current proposals include the following:
An art installation created by TZ Projects in collaboration with The Wallis Annenberg Center for Performing Arts. Slated for Nov. 19-29, artwork from emerging voices and Los Angeles-based artists of color will be projected on window activations along the façade of The Wallis on Santa Monica Boulevard;
A collaboration between the City of Beverly Hills and United Talent Agency will activate empty storefronts in Beverly Hills with art installations in an exhibit entitled: “Beyond 2020: A Cultural Experience Like No Other.” The intent of the exhibit is to look forward in a positive way by creating wonder and meaning during challenging times. The art installations are proposed for December;
A quarterly literary event featuring individuals of interest who are artists, academics, educators and experts in their fields of study with emphasis on prominent figures in the history of cultural diversity, tolerance and inclusion. Dates and times to be determined.
All programs are being developed with social distancing in mind in order to ensure public safety. For more information on the Embrace and Celebrate Culture Initiative, visit www.beverlyhills.org/embraceandcelebrateculture.
