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What to expect
Every week, Essential Arts covers the depth and breadth of Southern California’s complex cultural sphere: the latest biennial, the avant-garde building design, a groundbreaking opera and the Pulitzer Prize-winning play — along with all the bits of related news emerging from the region and beyond.
This begins with the voices of our award-winning critics, who bring a depth of reporting and experience to the region’s cultural scene: Christopher Knight’s profound knowledge of art in Los Angeles; Mark Swed’s longtime immersion in classical music; Charles McNulty’s deep understanding of theater, and his ability to identify the idea that stays with you long after the performance is over.
But it also includes our reporting: investigations, profiles, interviews, photo essays and explanatory pieces produced by a team of longtime journalists who know what’s happening in the creative corners of L.A. — and beyond.
Latest Essential Arts newsletters
Ana Segovia’s fluorescent, film-inspired paintings, plus the week’s happenings, including Grand Park’s New Year’s Eve celebration and the biggest arts and culture news.
A letter to Essential Arts readers, L.A. County’s annual holiday celebration, a Velázquez masterpiece in Pasadena and decommissioned Confederate statues coming to MOCA in 2025.
A tribute to the late theater director and producer Bobby Garcia, and more of the week’s biggest arts and culture news.
‘Cat Kid Comic Club: The Musical’ makes theater fans for life, plus the week’s biggest arts and culture news.
Tributes to the late theater directors Ted Weiant and David Schweizer, plus the week’s biggest arts and culture news.
‘Wicked’ onstage and onscreen, ‘Once Upon a Mattress’ at the Ahmanson and this week’s big news and events in Southern California arts and culture.
The U.S. debut of abstract painter Zaachariaha Fielding, plus the week’s biggest arts and culture news and an ode to South Coast Rep co-founder Martin Benson.
Give the gift of homemade arts and crafts this holiday season
The Natural History Museum’s new NHM Commons is now open, housing Gnatalie the green dinosaur, plus productions of “The Nutcracker” and “A Christmas Carol” ring in the holidays.
Isabella Cuglievan’s latest kaleidoscopic compositions, plus the week’s arts and culture news digest.
