Reporting On The Report.

Each year, Otis College commissions a whitepaper on the state of the creative economy in California. And each report is its own event, where the networking is excellent, the breakfast is hearty, and the conversation is meaty. Arts professionals and creatives from both public and private sectors are drawn together to co-mingle, network, and keep their finger on the pulse of the life-blood of the arts and entertainment in southern California.

This year’s event was enriching on several layers. The TL;DR - careers in the arts and entertainment are the biggest employment sector in Los Angeles County, accounting for 1 out of 5 jobs. And these jobs are future-proof: the skills and competencies in creative occupations cannot be automated. And as a result of institutional racism, lack of access/apprenticeships, nepotism, and more, LA County’s high schoolers of color are being shut out of opportunities to make post-secondary lives for themselves in these fields that, oftentimes, they don’t even know exist. What was enriching was that, rather than engaging in helpless debate about the issue, Otis carved out time and space for young artists to speak on their experiences to the gathered audience.

Photo credit: Monica Nouwens/Otis College of Art and Design. All Rights Reserved

Additionally, time was granted to Dr. Amir Whitaker - founder of Project Knucklehead, a national non-profit dedicated to community arts - to make a case for arts education as a pillar of workforce development. In fact, his presentation inspired the beginnings of a plan for KRAFTED to create physical and energetic space to prepare the next generation of young artists for the creative workforce.

Click here to view and download the 2020 Otis College Creative Economy Report. Also, I really encourage you to set aside some time, make yourself a meal, and dig into this replay of the entire program below (skip ahead to 00:24:30)