Meet our Arts Organization in Residence: The Arts Council Long Beach
1. Can you tell us a bit about your background and how you became interested in your field?
Mission: The Arts Council for Long Beach cultivates the physical, social, and economic characteristics of Long Beach neighborhoods by nurturing and enlivening the arts. We serve individuals, groups, and organizations through advocacy, arts education, public art, and grant-making within the City of Long Beach. We practice profound inclusion as a collaborator and convener for the benefit of all communities.
2. What inspires your work and where do you draw your creative ideas from?
We are deeply inspired by the dynamic energy of Long Beach — its artists, community members, neighborhood associations, and grassroots collectives. Our creative ideas are born from the ways these groups collaborate, nurture each other, and enliven the arts ecosystem across the city. The authentic spirit of Long Beach — diverse, ambitious, and ever-evolving — continually fuels our work.
3. Can you describe a project or piece you’re particularly proud of and why it stands out to you?
Several initiatives reflect our commitment to community-centered arts innovation, including our award-winning Community Corners project, a partnership with Bloomberg Philanthropies; Creative Corps, a program bringing arts and social impact together; and On the Rise, our current initiative spotlighting emerging artists. We’re also excited about the upcoming Long Beach Rising Artists (LBRA) tour this summer, which will amplify fresh creative voices across the city. These projects stand out because they build lasting bridges between artists, neighborhoods, and civic spaces.
4. What do you hope to achieve or explore during your residency with us?
Through this residency, we hope to cultivate meaningful relationships with professionals in the architectural and design industries while also deepening our engagement with Long Beach’s vibrant community. We see an incredible opportunity to integrate the arts more fully into the fabric of our built environment. One example is our Public Art Map, a dynamic, growing resource that connects residents and visitors to the city’s evolving public art landscape — a platform we are eager to expand and enrich in collaboration with Studio One Eleven.
5. How do you see your work impacting or contributing to our office culture and community?
We aim to create spaces where artists, designers, community leaders, and industry professionals can interact meaningfully outside traditional silos — expanding both creativity and opportunity. By hosting social gatherings, public art installations, and cross-sector collaborations, we hope to help energize the downtown Long Beach corridor and foster a richer, more inclusive creative culture centered around dialogue, innovation, and shared vision.
6. What do you think is the role of art and creativity in the workplace?
Art and creativity are catalysts for connection and innovation. They invite individuals to move beyond conventional thinking, encouraging fresh perspectives, bold ideas, and emotional resonance in professional spaces. By integrating art into the workplace, we foster environments that spark imagination, nurture well-being, and cultivate a future-forward mindset essential for impactful work.
Keep up to date with the Arts Council work at Arts Council Long Beach
Contact Griselda Suarez at [email protected]
