County plans to invest in SELA arts ahead of planned regional cultural center

A planned Frank Gehry-designed arts and culture complex in South Gate, a stone’s throw from the Los Angeles River and the 710 Freeway, is still far away.

But L.A. County officials are securing funding — including for artists and art programs in the Southeast region before the planned SELA Cultural Center becomes a reality.

Plans to move ahead with the multi-building arts and culture complex were green-lighted by county officials late last year. The planned Imperial Highway campus, set to be designed by Gehry Partners, is to act as a local arts hub providing arts education, workshops, art galleries, rehearsal rooms and performance space.

The project has drawn $124 million in state funding so far; there’s no ETA for completion yet. L.A County supervisors voted unanimously this week to accept an additional $5 million from the state to support arts and culture programs in the region before there’s a physical space.

Supervisor Janice Hahn, whose 4th District includes Southeast L.A., authored the motion.

“When we get the SELA Cultural Center…finally complete, it is going to be a new hub for creativity, art, and community for this region — but until that day comes, we want to invest in the artists here in SELA and make sure they have the support they need while we work on building their new home,” said Hahn, who was absent from Tuesday’s vote, in an emailed statement.

A Gehry Partners rendering of a building within the planned SELA Cultural Center arts complex.

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Courtesy of Los Angeles County and Gehry Partners, LLC

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County officials will work with the county’s Department of Arts and Culture to develop a plan for how best to spend and disburse the arts funding, Hahn spokesperson Liz Odendahl said.

Meanwhile, the arts complex project itself remains in the fundraising process. Plans are to build the complex on Imperial just off the confluence of the L.A. River and the Rio Hondo, on a Los Angeles Flood Control District property now being used as a maintenance facility.

A screen shot of SELA Cultural Center’s planned location.

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Screen shot from Bing Maps

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The idea was initially proposed by former Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon (D-Lakewood), who represents the area, and it is part of the L.A. River Master Plan. Over the years, plans for the cultural center have drawn both praise and skepticism: praise for its investment in a part of the L.A. region that has long suffered from neglect and industrial pollution, and skepticism from groups who fear it could draw outside speculators to this predominantly Latino area, leading to gentrification and the displacement of its low-income residents.

South Gate’s household incomes are below the state average, according to census data, with 17.5% of households considered to be living in poverty.

The area surrounding the planned cultural center would also eventually be served by Metro’s forthcoming Southeast Gateway Line, which is set for completion in 2035.