The concept for the Downtown Long Beach (DTLB) Design District emerged from our studio’s dedication to urban renewal and innovation. Our goal is to cultivate a vibrant hub for collaboration and community engagement. As the spearheaders of this vision, we curate a variety of community events and arts programming to enhance the cultural tapestry of our downtown.

The DTLB Design District is a concentrated area within the urban core of Long Beach that serves as a thriving hub for creative and design-focused activities.

To complement the adjacent East Village Arts District, our objective is to establish a roadmap for a vibrant Design District in Downtown Long Beach, fostering creativity, innovation, and community engagement. The project aims to create a network of aligned players in Downtown Long Beach that together facilitate the growth of the local economy, enriched cultural experiences, and help create a sense of community for creative organizations and businesses. 

Design District activities include enhancing public spaces through physical improvements and programming, providing networking opportunities, creating dedicated infrastructure for creatives and businesses, supporting and advocating for streamlined regulations, and identifying financial incentives.

LA Design Festival

Following the LA Design Festival, we were invited by Poster Territory to host the innaugural United States International Poster Biennial (USIPB), celebrating exceptional national and international poster design. Over 200 graphic design pieces were carefully chosen from a pool of 7,000 submissions across 75 countries. Continuing our effort to activate public spaces, Long Beach was the exclusive U.S. location to display these posters in an open-air setting.

Downtown Long Beach welcomed the festival, celebrating every culture and individual voice. Partners and sponsors included the Downtown Long Beach Alliance, Inkwell Long Beach, The Ordinaire, Dream Share, and Heart Share, a group of ambitious teenage volunteers who helped install the posters in one afternoon.

DTLB Art Walk

The DTLB Art Walk has become a vital component of the emerging Design District. This quarterly event aimed at cultivating a vibrant creative hub and making design accessible for everyone, showcases the local art scene with a diverse array of artwork from local artists and designers.

By integrating live music, performances, and artist vendors, the Art Walk creates a lively and interactive atmosphere that fosters community engagement. We collaborate with the DLBA, the local Business Improvement District and festival organizer, to foster connections within the art and design community and producing art activations in various public spaces and private spaces throughout the downtown area. Each Artwalk is different offering unique perspectives of the Downtown and encouraging visitors to explore and enjoy the neighborhood.