{"id":273979,"date":"2026-04-18T08:52:17","date_gmt":"2026-04-18T08:52:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/273979\/"},"modified":"2026-04-18T08:52:17","modified_gmt":"2026-04-18T08:52:17","slug":"trumps-2027-budget-aims-to-shutter-the-nea-neh-and-imls","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/273979\/","title":{"rendered":"Trump&#8217;s 2027 budget aims to shutter the NEA, NEH and IMLS"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Bombs are in and art is out as the Trump administration\u2019s <a class=\"link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.whitehouse.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/budget_fy2027.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">proposed 2027 budget <\/a>requests $1.5 trillion in defense spending (up 44% from last year), while again attempting to snuff out the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities, as well as the Institute of Museum and Library Services.<\/p>\n<p>The budget proposal released earlier this month calls for just enough money to permanently wind down the operations of each agency: $29 million for the NEA (down from $207 million); $38 million for the NEH (down from $207 million); and $6 million for the IMLS (down from $291.8 million).<\/p>\n<p>Congress has the final say about whether or not these cuts actually get made, and Sept. 30 is the deadline to pass next year\u2019s budget. (Failure to do so could result in yet another government shutdown.) It\u2019s worth remembering that Trump tried to defund these organizations last year and was thwarted by Congress. But the administration did successfully choke off funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which ceased operations in January.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s hard to know how this renewed threat to agencies that collectively support thousands of arts programs and initiatives across all 50 states, Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C., will play out, especially because the only constant in this administration is its mercurial temperament. Plus, Congress doesn\u2019t have a great track record of keeping Trump in check (see Venezuela, Iran, the White House East Wing, the Kennedy Center, etc.). The ongoing war in Iran, which pundits warn could last until the midterms, may also impact how Congress decides to vote.<\/p>\n<p>In times of conflict and chaos, we need the arts \u2014 a sentiment  so obvious it normally goes without saying. But this moment somehow feels different. There were many alarming moves that Trump wanted to make during his first term that the so-called adults in the room allegedly kept him from achieving. Those adults are gone and he is now surrounded with enablers. This means the unthinkable is now possible \u2014 as we have seen time and again over the past 15 months.<\/p>\n<p>In a country without the NEA, NEH and IMLS, hundreds of small local arts groups would likely cease to exist entirely \u2014 and with them, the community, education and enlightenment that underpin our increasingly fragile, fractured society. We can close our eyes until it happens, or we can start urgently ringing the alarm bells. I vote for the latter. <a class=\"link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.artsactionfund.org\/breaking-news-presidents-fy27-budget-slashes-cultural-and-educational-funding\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Here\u2019s a link to get you started<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>I\u2019m Arts editor Jessica Gelt banging a gong. This is your arts and culture news for the week.<\/p>\n<p>Dispatch: mots take on AI at Flux Festival            <img class=\"image\" alt=\"A woman on stage.\"   width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1776502332_587_.jpeg\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\"\/>         <\/p>\n<p>A participant experiences \u201cThe Pledge,\u201d part of artist duo mots\u2019 acclaimed \u201cAI &amp; Me\u201d series, on view April 25 at Blum Gallery, Culver City, as part of Flux Festival.<\/p>\n<p>(mots \/ Daniela Nedovescu and Octavian Mot)<\/p>\n<p>Artist duo <a class=\"link\" href=\"https:\/\/mots.us\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">mots<\/a> is staging one of its exploratory AI-centered exhibits \u2014 \u201cThe Pledge\u201d \u2014 at the upcoming <a class=\"link\" href=\"https:\/\/flux.net\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Flux Festival <\/a>at Bloom Gallery in Culver City (April 24 and 25). Last year, mots received quite a bit of attention for its U.S. premiere of \u201cAI &amp; Me,\u201d part of Tribeca Festival\u2019s Immersive Program. That piece, <a class=\"link\" href=\"https:\/\/mots.us\/work\/ai-and-me#the-pledge\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">according to mots website,<\/a> \u201cdives into the weird dynamics between humans and artificial intelligence,\u201d by placing people in a confessional style booth while AI tells them exactly what it thinks of them.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe Pledge\u201d takes that concept further by inviting participants to stand on a stage while AI-generates a statement about them\u2014 one that is solely based on appearance. The person then must decide whether to read the AI feedback aloud into a microphone or leave. If you decide to share, you become part of the permanent video installation. <\/p>\n<p>In this moment of deep AI anxiety, the mots\u2019 work is tapping into more than just a playful back and forth between man and machine. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cOn one hand, we\u2019re thrilled to see people <a class=\"link\" href=\"https:\/\/mots.us\/work\/mots.us\/mots_gpx_paris_web_lq\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">lining up<\/a> to interact with the pieces we build; on the other, we\u2019re trying to gather the courage to destroy them and stop this madness before it\u2019s too late,\u201d the mots write on their website.<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Jessica Gelt<\/p>\n<p>Dispatch: Monster Party            <img class=\"image\" alt=\"The adult-centric interactive melodrama &quot;Monster Party,&quot; at Rita House through April 25.\"   width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1776502332_788_.jpeg\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\"\/>         <\/p>\n<p>The adult-centric interactive melodrama \u201cMonster Party,\u201d at Rita House through April 25.<\/p>\n<p>(Clint Keller)<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMonster Party\u201d starts with a moment of ecstasy. Then the adult-centric interactive play gets demented \u2014 a bit demonic, even. We meet characters shrouded in mystery. Guests at a cocktail party, there\u2019s a writer working on a book about supernatural creatures, a vacuum salesman with a closely guarded secret, a repressed religious fanatic and more. None of them can remember how or why they ended up at this soiree, hosted by the confidently cryptic Baroness, a character who clearly delights in creating sin and madness. We\u2019ll soon find out this isn\u2019t an event for the lucky.<\/p>\n<p>But that\u2019s not just what makes \u201cMonster Party\u201d special. Remounted after a short theatrical run in 2024, the work from immersive creator Matt Dorado intermixes the personal and political. Lurid, humorous and sexy, \u201cMonster Party\u201d is also a scathing critique of how political systems can drive one mad.<\/p>\n<p>Set during the Lavender Scare, the anti-communist purge of LGBTQ+ people from the U.S. government in the 1950s, \u201cMonster Party\u201d opens with camp and then descends into very real horrors of life in the United States. You\u2019ll drink, play parlor games and gradually uncover one dark skeleton after another.<\/p>\n<p>The intimate production is limited to 50 guests per showing, and cocktails are included in the $159.45 ticket. Come ready to socialize.<\/p>\n<p>8 p.m. Thursdays and Friday; 3 and 8 p.m. Saturdays, through April 26. Rita House, 5971 W. 3rd Street <a class=\"link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.monsterpartyshow.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">monsterpartyshow.com<\/a> <\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Todd Martens<\/p>\n<p>        You\u2019re reading Essential Arts     <\/p>\n<p data-element=\"module-description\" class=\"mt-0 mb-4 max-w-150 font-cms-font-service-text text-xs-2 text-cms-color-description-text leading-4.5\">Our critics and reporters guide you through events and happenings of L.A. <\/p>\n<p data-element=\"module-disclaimer\" class=\"inline-block max-w-lg mt-0 mb-3 font-cms-font-service-text text-xs text-cms-color-disclaimer-text [&amp;_a]:text-cms-rich-text-link-color-text\"> By continuing, you agree to our <a class=\"link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.latimes.com\/terms-of-service\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Terms of Service<\/a>, which include arbitration and a class action waiver. You agree that we and our third-party vendors may collect and use your information, including through cookies, pixels and similar technologies, for the purposes set forth in our <a class=\"link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.latimes.com\/privacy-policy\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Privacy Policy<\/a> such as personalizing your experience and ads. <\/p>\n<p>        The week ahead: A curated calendar<\/p>\n<p>FRIDAY<br \/>Chaya Czernowin<br \/>Monday Evening Concerts presents the U.S. premiere of the Harvard-based Israeli composer\u2019s \u201cPoetica,\u201d which she describes as \u201ca journey of one into themselves,\u201d performed by percussionist Steven Schick and the percussion ensemble Red Fish Blue Fish.<br \/>8 p.m. Zipper Hall at the Colburn School, 200 S. Grand Ave., downtown L.A. <a class=\"link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mondayeveningconcerts.org\/41726---poetica.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">mondayeveningconcerts.org<\/a> <\/p>\n<p>The Last Days of Judas Iscariot<br \/>O.C. theater companies the Wayward Artist and Larking House team up for Stephen Adly Guirgis\u2019 bold, darkly comedic courtroom drama set in Purgatory. Directed by Lizzy McCabe.<br \/>7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and April 23-35. Irvine United Congregational Church, 4915 Alton Pkwy., Irvine. <a class=\"link\" href=\"https:\/\/thewaywardartist.org\/judas\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">thewaywardartist.org<\/a> <\/p>\n<p>Harry Fonseca<br \/>\u201cPortrait of the Artist as a Young Coyote,\u201d an exhibition of more than 30 paintings, prints and works on paper, follows the path of the late Native artist\u2019s alter-ego, the Trickster Coyote, an exploration of his own identity and a means of challenging existing narratives. Also being exhibited is \u201cSedej Tuul\u00e9mis\u00e9 (Blood Relations),\u201d featuring paintings by emerging artist Deerstine Suehead.<br \/>Noon-5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday, through July 3. PDC Design Galleries, 750 N San Vicente, West Hollywood. <a class=\"link\" href=\"https:\/\/pacificdesigncenter.com\/pdcdesigngallery\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">pacificdesigncenter.com<\/a> <\/p>\n<p>            <img class=\"image\" alt=\"Ryan Bancroft will conduct the L.A. Phil this weekend at Walt Disney Concert Hall.\"   width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1776502333_427_.jpeg\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\"\/>         <\/p>\n<p>Ryan Bancroft will conduct the L.A. Phil this weekend at Walt Disney Concert Hall.<\/p>\n<p>(Carlin Stiehl\/For The Times)<\/p>\n<p>Shostakovich &amp; Sibelius<br \/>Ryan Bancroft conducts the Los Angeles Philharmonic with cellist Alisa Weilerstein playing one of her specialties, Shostakovich\u2019s \u201cSecond Cello Concerto.\u201d<br \/>8 p.m. Friday; 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S. Grand Ave., downtown L.A. <a class=\"link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.laphil.com\/events\/performances\/3764\/2026-04-17\/shostakovich-sibelius\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">laphil.com<\/a> <\/p>\n<p>Liu Xiaodong<br \/>For the work presented in the exhibition \u201cHost,\u201d the figurative painter trained his eye on a Detroit tattoo artist with a penchant for medieval battle recreations.<br \/>10 a.m.-6 p.m. Tuesdays-Saturday, through June 13. Lisson, 1037 N. Sycamore Ave., L.A. <a class=\"link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.lissongallery.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">lissongallery.com<\/a> <\/p>\n<p>SATURDAY<br \/>Back to Oz<br \/>MUSE\/IQUE salutes a truly American fairy tale through music with pieces from \u201cThe Wonderful Wizard,\u201d \u201cThe Wiz,\u201d and \u201cWicked,\u201d performed by Carmen Cusack, LaVance Colley, Nathan Granner, DC6 Singers Collective and the MUSE\/IQUE Orchestra.<br \/>5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday; 7:30 p.m. Thursday and April 24; 2:30 and 7:30 p.m. April 25; and 2:30 p.m. April 26. Mark Taper Forum, 135 N. Grand Ave., downtown L.A. <a class=\"link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.muse-ique.com\/events-and-rsvp\/back-to-oz\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">muse-ique.com<\/a> <\/p>\n<p>Colored People\u2019s Time: A History Play<br \/>From Civil War to civil rights, Leslie Lee\u2019s drama, directed by Ben Guillory, examines the lives of Black Americans through a century of struggle.<br \/>8 p.m. Thursday-Saturdays; 3 p.m. Sundays, through May 17. Los Angeles Theatre Center, Theatre Four, 514 S. Spring St., downtown L.A. <a class=\"link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.therobeytheatrecompany.org\/upcoming\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">therobeytheatrecompany.org<\/a> <\/p>\n<p>The Expanding Field: MOCA\u2019s Collection from the 1940s to 1970s<br \/>Works by Mark Rothko, Luchita Hurtado, Piet Mondrian, On Kawara, Robert Rauschenberg, Betye Saar, Anne Truitt and others illustrate the breadth of the museum\u2019s holdings.<br \/>Saturday through Sept. 20. Museum of Contemporary Art, 250 S. Grand Ave., downtown L.A. <a class=\"link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.moca.org\/exhibition\/the-expanding-field\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">moca.org<\/a> <\/p>\n<p>Falstaff <br \/>Craig Colclough stars in LA Opera\u2019s production of the energetic Verdi comedy about two wives turning the tables on an unwanted suitor in merry olde England.<br \/>7:30 p.m. Saturday; 2 p.m. April 26; 7:30 p.m. April 30, May 2 and 6; 2 p.m. May 10. Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, 135 N. Grand Ave., downtown L.A. <a class=\"link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.laopera.org\/performances\/2026\/falstaff\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">laopera.org<\/a> <\/p>\n<p>            <img class=\"image\" alt=\"Steven Culp and Joey Stromberg in &quot;For Want of a Horse&quot; at the Echo Theater Company.\"   width=\"1200\" height=\"799\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1776502333_6_.jpeg\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\"\/>         <\/p>\n<p>Steven Culp and Joey Stromberg in \u201cFor Want of a Horse\u201d at the Echo Theater Company.<\/p>\n<p>(Cooper Bates)<\/p>\n<p>For Want of a Horse<br \/>Olivia Dufault\u2019s comedy about an unusual love triangle involving a horse opens Echo Theater Company\u2019s 2026 season. Directed by Elana Luo.<br \/>Opening night, 8 p.m. Saturday; 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays; 4 p.m. Sundays; 8 p.m. Mondays, through May 25. Echo Theater Company, Atwater Village Theatre, 3269 Casitas Ave. <a class=\"link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.echotheatercompany.com\/for-want-of-a-horse\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">echotheatercompany.com<\/a> <\/p>\n<p>Hear Now Music Festival<br \/>A chamber concert doubleheader (separate admissions): The matinee features Lyris Quartet, Brightwork Ensemble and HEX performing Hugh Levick\u2019s \u201cNo Pasaran\u201d for brass quintet; Ania Vu\u2019s \u201cSmall Tenderness\u201d for vocal ensemble and string quartet; Liviu Marinescu\u2019s \u201cString Quartet No. 1\u201d; Bryan Chiu\u2019s \u201cAnthology\u201d for piano and horn; and Tom Flaherty\u2019s, \u201cRecess\u201d for string quartet. Lyris Quartet and Brightwork Ensemble return for the evening show with mezzo-soprano Peabody Southwell, and the music of Peter Knell, \u201cCanciones de Agua\u201d for mezzo-soprano and violin; Sean Heim, \u201cthere is no such thing as time\u201d for mixed ensemble; Vera Ivanova\u2019s \u201cThe Firebird\u2019s Feather,\u201d for flute solo; and Jordan Nelson\u2019s \u201cJoin\u201d for string quartet.<br \/>Chamber Concert 1, 3 p.m. (2 p.m. preview); Chamber Concert 2, 8 p.m. (7 p.m. preview). First Lutheran Church of Venice, 815 Venice Blvd. <a class=\"link\" href=\"https:\/\/hearnowmusicfestival.com\/announcing-our-15th-anniversary-festival-2026\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">hearnowmusicfestival.com<\/a> <\/p>\n<p>Claudia Keep<br \/>In the exhibition \u201cWater, Water, Everywhere,\u201d the painter finds fascinating details in the life-giving liquid and all its forms, including rivers, ocean waves, clouds and afternoon coffee.<br \/>Opening reception, 4-6 p.m. Saturday; the exhibition runs through May 30. Parker Gallery, 6700 Melrose Ave., L.A. <a class=\"link\" href=\"https:\/\/parkergallery.com\/exhibitions\/claudia-keep-water-water-everywhere\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">parkergallery.com<\/a> <\/p>\n<p>Kinship &amp; Community: Selections from the Texas African American Photography Archive<br \/>The exhibition, a collaboration between Art + Practice and the California African American Museum, shares the work of Black photographers who documented life in the urban neighborhoods and rural villages of eastern Texas from 1944 to 1984. Saturday evening, exhibition curator and NYU professor Nicole R. Fleetwood and Getty Research Institute curator LeRonn P. Brooks will discuss the exhibition and the volatile time of great change that it captures.<br \/>The exhibition opening is 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday and runs through Sept. 5. Art + Practice exhibitions space, 3401 W. 43rd Pl. L.A. Conversation, 6-7:30 p.m. Saturday. Art + Practice programs space, 4334 Degnan Blvd., L.A. <a class=\"link\" href=\"https:\/\/artandpractice.org\/exhibitions\/exhibition\/kinship-community-selections-from-the-texas-african-american-photography-archive\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">artandpractice.org<\/a> <\/p>\n<p>Majestic Tango<br \/>Directed and produced by Miriam Larici and Leonardo Barrionuevo, this program features 13 dancers and six musicians using music, movement and storytelling to convey the passionate energy of Buenos Aires.<br \/>8 p.m. Irvine Barclay Theatre, 4242 Campus Dr. <a class=\"link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thebarclay.org\/Online\/default.asp?BOparam::WScontent::loadArticle::permalink=majestictango&amp;BOparam::WScontent::loadArticle::context_id=\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">thebarclay.org<\/a> <\/p>\n<p>            <img class=\"image\" alt=\"Richard Mayhew, &quot;West Bay,&quot; 2004. Oil on canvas. 36&quot; x 48&quot;.\"   width=\"1200\" height=\"924\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1776502333_707_.jpeg\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\"\/>         <\/p>\n<p>Richard Mayhew, \u201cWest Bay,\u201d 2004 Oil on canvas 36\u201d x 48\u2019.<\/p>\n<p>(\u00a9 Estate of Richard Mayhew. Courtesy the Estate and Karma)<\/p>\n<p>Richard Mayhew<br \/>\u201cUnderstory\u201d surveys the artist\u2019s work created between 1960 and 2023, when he saw his expressive landscapes as \u201can artistic reclamation of the land stolen from his Black, Shinnecock, and Cherokee-Lumbee ancestors.\u201d<br \/>Opening reception, 6-8 p.m. Saturday; exhibition runs through May 30. Karma, 7351 Santa Monica Blvd., L.A. <a class=\"link\" href=\"https:\/\/karmakarma.org\/exhibitions\/richard-mayhew-la-2026\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">karmakarma.org<\/a> <\/p>\n<p>Natural HERstory<br \/>Drag performance meets real science in this 30-minute STEAM musical, developed by Drag Arts Lab and the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, and designed to engage elementary-aged learners.<br \/>11 a.m. Annenberg Community Beachhouse, 415 Pacific Coast Hwy., Santa Monica. <a class=\"link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.eventbrite.com\/e\/natural-herstory-a-drag-musical-tickets-1983580016225\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">eventbrite.com<\/a> <\/p>\n<p>Parsons Dance<br \/>David Parsons\u2019 New York City-based troupe marks its 40th anniversary with a program set to the music of Milton Nascimento; Giancarlo De Trizio; Champion, Four Set &amp; Skrillex (featuring Naisha); Miles Davis; Sheila Chandra; and Yusuf\/Cat Stevens<br \/>7:30 p.m. Saturday; 2 p.m. Sunday. BroadStage, Santa Monica College Performing Arts Center, 1310 11th St. <a class=\"link\" href=\"https:\/\/broadstage.org\/tickets-shows\/calendar\/parsons-dance\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">broadstage.org<\/a> <\/p>\n<p>The Storyteller of East LA<br \/>The Latino Theater Co. has the world premiere of Evelina Fern\u00e1ndez\u2019s magical realist drama about a 90-year-old woman with dementia and the challenges faced by her family and caregivers. Directed by Jose Luis Valenzuela.<br \/>8 p.m. Thursdays-Saturdays; 2 p.m. Sundays, through May 17. Los Angeles Theatre Center, 514 S Spring St., downtown L.A. <a class=\"link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.latinotheaterco.org\/thestoryteller\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">latinotheaterco.org<\/a> <\/p>\n<p>Verdi in Espa\u00f1a<br \/>The Verdi Chorus performs sequences from the composer\u2019s operas \u201cDon Carlo,\u201d \u201cIl Trovatore,\u201d \u201cLa Traviata\u201d and \u201cErnani,\u201d alongside Bizet\u2019s \u201cCarmen\u201d and selections from Spanish composers Cat\u00e1n, Granados, Gim\u00e9nez, Torroba and De Falla.<br \/>7:30 p.m. Saturday; 4 p.m. Sunday. First Presbyterian Church, 1220 2nd St., Santa Monica. <a class=\"link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.verdichorus.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">verdichorus.org<\/a> <\/p>\n<p>SUNDAY<br \/>Mozart\u2019s Requiem<br \/>Grant Gershon conducts the Los Angeles Master Chorale in Mozart\u2019s final masterpiece, plus the West Coast premiere of Fanny Mendelssohn\u2019s \u201cOratorio on Scenes from the Bible.\u201d<br \/>7 p.m. Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S. Grand Ave., downtown L.A. <a class=\"link\" href=\"https:\/\/lamasterchorale.org\/show-details\/mozarts-requiem\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">lamasterchorale.org<\/a> <\/p>\n<p>TUESDAY<br \/>Yuja Wang and Mahler Chamber Orchestra<br \/>The celebrated pianist continues her long-standing collaboration with MCO for a program featuring works by Segei Prokofiev and Alexander Tzfasman.<br \/>8 p.m. Tuesday. McCallum Theatre, 73000 Fred Waring Dr., Palm Desert; 8 p.m. Wednesday. Segerstrom Center for the Arts, 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa; 7 p.m. Thursday. Granada Theatre, 1214 State St, Santa Barbara; 8 p.m. April 25. The Saroya, 18111 Nordhoff Street, Northridge. <a class=\"link\" href=\"https:\/\/mahlerchamber.com\/concerts\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">mahlerchamber.com<\/a> <\/p>\n<p>WEDNESDAY<br \/>Khorus Harmonia<br \/>Katey Sagal and Kurt Sutter are producing ten performances of this choral concert to benefit the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights and The Wounded Warrior Project.<br \/>8 p.m. Wednesdays-Saturdays; 4 p.m. Sundays, through May 2. Hudson Backstage Theatre, 6539 Santa Monica Blvd. <a class=\"link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.onstage411.com\/newsite\/show\/play_info.asp?show_id=8198\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">onstage411.com<\/a> <\/p>\n<p>This Ends Badly<br \/>The theater collective Frank\u2019s presents an evening of short plays by Frank Demma, Marlane Meyer, John Pellech, John Pollono, Benjamin Weissman and Sharon Yablon.<br \/>8 p.m. Wednesdays, through May 13. Echo Theater Company, Atwater Village Theatre, 3269 Casitas Ave. <a class=\"link\" href=\"https:\/\/echotheatercompany.ludus.com\/show_page.php?show_id=200524351\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">echotheatercompany.ludus.com<\/a> <\/p>\n<p>Arts anywhere<\/p>\n<p>New and recent releases of arts-related media.<\/p>\n<p>            <img class=\"image\" alt=\"The British Museum in London.\"   width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1776502334_734_.jpeg\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\"\/>         <\/p>\n<p>The British Museum in London.<\/p>\n<p>(Kin Cheung \/ Associated Press)<\/p>\n<p>British Museum<br \/>As excitement builds for the opening of the new Geffen Galleries at LACMA on Sunday (for priority members; May 4 for the general public), one\u2019s appetite may be whetted to visit other museums. Why not start in London with the British Museum? The sprightly 273-year-old institution boasts a collection of eight million works and draws more than six million visitors each year. But there\u2019s no need for a plane ticket or a Tardis to see it. Google Arts &amp; Culture offers virtual tours that allow you to wander the halls and grounds for free (and it won\u2019t rain!). <a class=\"link\" href=\"https:\/\/artsandculture.google.com\/explore\/collections\/the-british-museum?c=three_d\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">artsandculture.google.com<\/a> <\/p>\n<p>Philip Glass<\/p>\n<p>Two opportunities to see the work of one of the finest American composers will soon be available with the click of a button or a tap of a screen. First up is \u201cThe Complete Philip Glass Piano Etudes featuring 10 Pianists\u201d (which was <a class=\"link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.latimes.com\/entertainment-arts\/story\/2024-04-04\/philip-glass-piano-etudes-laurie-anderson-jlin\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">performed at Walt Disney Concert Hall<\/a> in 2024) streaming live from the 3,500-seat Hill Auditorium on the campus of the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. 4:30 p.m. Saturday and on demand through April 28. <a class=\"link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/live\/e5VUO7aaLVk\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">youtube.com<\/a> <\/p>\n<p>Six days later, the Paris Opera offers its current, sold-out production of \u201cSatyagraha,\u201d Glass\u2019 revelatory, triptych portrait of Gandhi. Directed by choreographers Bobbi Jean Smith and Or Schraiber, with a cast including Anthony Roth Costanzo and Dav\u00f3ne Tines \u2014 all four members of AMOC*, American Modern Opera Company \u2014 the show will be presented live on the Paris Opera Play streaming platform (for $14) at 10:30 a.m. April 24. POP\u2019s live broadcasts are typically available on demand for 30 days following transmission. <a class=\"link\" href=\"https:\/\/play.operadeparis.fr\/en\/p\/satyagraha-live\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">play.operadeparis.fr<\/a> <\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Kevin Crust<\/p>\n<p>Culture news and the SoCal scene            <img class=\"image\" alt=\"Women in a classroom.\"   width=\"1200\" height=\"816\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1775230218_675_.jpeg\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\"\/>         <\/p>\n<p>Pooya Mohseni, from left, Ava Lalezarzadeh, Tala Ashe and Marjan Neshat in \u201cEnglish\u201d by Sanaz Toossi at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts. <\/p>\n<p>(Joan Marcus)<\/p>\n<p>With the U.S. at war with Iran, \u201cThis is an important moment to experience \u2018English,\u2019 Sanaz Toossi\u2019s Pulitzer Prize-winning drama, set in an English-language classroom outside of Tehran in 2008,\u201d <a class=\"link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.latimes.com\/entertainment-arts\/story\/2026-04-11\/english-theater-review-sanaz-toossi-pulitzer-wallis\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">writes Times theater critic Charles McNulty<\/a>. \u201cThe play, now having its L.A. premiere at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, reminds us of the lives \u2014 the hopes, the dreams, the sorrows \u2014 on the other side of the headlines.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s been an anxious journey for <a class=\"link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.latimes.com\/travel\/story\/2026-04-13\/bob-baker-marionette-theater-to-purchase-highland-park-home\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Bob Baker Marionette Theater<\/a> since 2019 when it was forced out of its downtown home of 55 years. After a lengthy search, the nonprofit signed a 10-year lease for a former cinema-turned-Korean Church in Highland Park. With that, however, came the accompanying stress of being renters in L.A. But good news has arrived: the beloved theater \u201chas entered into an agreement to purchase its [current] home at the corner of York Boulevard and North Avenue 50,\u201d reports Times features columnist Todd Martens.<\/p>\n<p>            <img class=\"image\" alt=\"A shiny building.\"   width=\"1200\" height=\"883\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/1773918251_798_.jpeg\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\"\/>         <\/p>\n<p>The Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center is a major expansion of the California Science Center.<\/p>\n<p>(Myung J. Chun\/Los Angeles Times)<\/p>\n<p>California Science Center has completed construction on its new <a class=\"link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.latimes.com\/entertainment-arts\/story\/2026-04-13\/california-science-center-air-space-gallery-construction-complete\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">$450-million Samuel Oschin Air &amp; Space Center,<\/a> which houses the Endeavor shuttle. Staff writer Malia Mendez headed onsite to get the scoop on the, \u201csleek 20-story, 200,000-square-foot new building rising over Exposition Park,\u201d nearly doubling the museum\u2019s exhibition space. <\/p>\n<p>The impossibly trendy SoCal health food retailer <a class=\"link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.latimes.com\/entertainment-arts\/story\/2026-04-14\/erewhon-to-open-at-lacma-david-geffen-galleries\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Erewhon is launching a  cafe at Los Angeles County Museum of Art\u2019s new David Geffen Galleries<\/a>. And, like almost everything about the new building, public opinion is split on whether or not that\u2019s a good idea.<\/p>\n<p>Architecture writer Sam Lubell put together a fascinating <a class=\"link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.latimes.com\/entertainment-arts\/story\/2026-04-16\/peter-zumthor-architect-evolution-lacmas-david-geffen-galleries-criticism-overblown\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Q&amp;A with Peter Zumthor<\/a> in which the Geffen Galleries\u2019 architect addresses a number of ongoing criticisms about his creation, including its loss of square-footage.<\/p>\n<p>In case you missed it: <a class=\"link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.latimes.com\/entertainment-arts\/story\/2026-04-09\/pink-tony-awards-host\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Pop singer Pink has will host the 79th Tony Awards. <\/a>\u201cThe award ceremony returns to New York City\u2019s Radio City Music Hall on June 7, with nominations announced May 5,\u201d writes Times reporting fellow Iris Kwok.<\/p>\n<p class=\"infobox-title\">Enjoying this newsletter? Consider subscribing to the Los Angeles Times<\/p>\n<p class=\"infobox-description\">Your support helps us deliver the news that matters most. <a class=\"link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.latimes.com\/subscriptions\/digital-only.html?pid_campaigns=7442_MTRDigitalWB2,7443_MTRDigitalWB2\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Become a subscriber.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>                  <img class=\"image\" alt=\"A punk flyer\"   width=\"1200\" height=\"1559\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1776502337_770_.jpeg\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\"\/>         <\/p>\n<p>Nathan Peterson, Cell 63 Flyer, May 29, 1992, displayed in CSUN Art Galleries, which received a Mike Kelley Foundation grant.<\/p>\n<p>(\u00a9 Nathan Peterson, Punk Arts &amp; Culture)<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s been a decade since the Mike Kelley Foundation for the Arts began awarding Infinite Expansion Grants to local contemporary arts organizations. The money has always mattered, but means even more during a time of great uncertainly about federal support for the arts (as I wrote in my newsletter intro). This year\u2019s round of grantees was just announced, with nine L.A. contemporary arts groups sharing $400,000 in support. These groups, a news release says, \u201cexemplify risk-taking, critical inquiry, and community engagement,\u201d and include Art in the Park Community Cultural Programs; Color Compton; Cal State University, Northridge Foundation on behalf of CSUN Art Galleries; Barnsdall Art Park Foundation on behalf of Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery (LAMAG); Los Angeles Performance Practice; Monday Evening Concerts; Clockshop; Institute of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles (ICA LA); and the Vincent Price Art Museum Foundation.<\/p>\n<p>Big change is coming to the Soraya and California State University, Northridge. Artistic and Executive Director Thor Steingraber, is leaving his position after 12 years to become president and chief executive at Vivo Performing Arts in Boston. The Soraya has also announced Steingraber\u2018s replacement: Chad Hilligus. Hilligus arrives at CSUN from the Gallo Center for the Arts in Modesto where he served as chief executive and curated more than 100 multidisciplinary live performances.<\/p>\n<p>And another leadership shakeup has come to the Los Angeles Master Chorale, which announced that its current president and chief executive, Scott Altman, will step down on June 5 to become executive director of Miami City Ballet. Master Chorale board member William Tully will serve as interim president while the group launches a national search for a replacement.<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Jessica Gelt<\/p>\n<p>And last but not least<\/p>\n<p>It doesn\u2019t get much weirder than this: <a class=\"link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.latimes.com\/politics\/story\/2026-04-16\/hegseth-recites-pulp-fiction-speech-at-pentagon-prayer-service\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Hegseth recites \u2018Pulp Fiction\u2019 speech at Pentagon prayer service<\/a> <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Bombs are in and art is out as the Trump administration\u2019s proposed 2027 budget requests $1.5 trillion in&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":273980,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[27],"tags":[10242,10246,10247,10243,48,52,51,47,50,49,63,10244,10239,10241,1406,10245,10240,1860,3044,430,1968],"class_list":{"0":"post-273979","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-los-angeles","8":"tag-design-columnist-carolina-a-miranda","9":"tag-existential-questions","10":"tag-group-show","11":"tag-l-a-museum","12":"tag-la","13":"tag-la-headlines","14":"tag-la-news","15":"tag-los-angeles","16":"tag-los-angeles-headlines","17":"tag-los-angeles-news","18":"tag-los-angeles-times","19":"tag-matthew-lopez","20":"tag-opera","21":"tag-pauline","22":"tag-performance","23":"tag-private-jet","24":"tag-schindler-house","25":"tag-show","26":"tag-story","27":"tag-week","28":"tag-work"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/273979","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=273979"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/273979\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/273980"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=273979"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=273979"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=273979"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}