Arts Month in Long Beach
October is National Arts and Humanities Month. In Long Beach, where art is part of the everyday fabric of the city—expressed on its walls, in its neighborhoods, even on its utility boxes—October provides 31 days to appreciate, enjoy and sometimes participate in all that’s been created by the city’s wide range of creatives: musicians, visual artists, makers and artisans. Here’s where you can experience art and interact with those who make it this October.
LONG BEACH SYMPHONY
The Long Beach Symphony’s 89th season begins in October, a season that Music Director Eckart Preu calls “diverse.” The October program certainly is. It begins Oct. 21 with the symphony’s opening night featuring pianist Andreas Boyde playing classical selections by Brahms and Dvorak and then continues Oct. 22 with the RuMBa Foundation Family Concert: Halloween Spooktacular. Both performances take place in the Long Beach Terrace Theater. On Oct. 28, A Beatles Celebration by Classical Mystery Tour, accompanied by the symphony, takes place in the Long Beach Arena.
Local Museums
Long Beach is home to four remarkable art museums, each with a distinct focus. During October, the Museum of Latin American Art (628 Alamitos Ave.), will continue its activities highlighting Hispanic and Latinx Heritage Month while, across the street, The Pacific Island Ethnic Art Museum (695 Alamitos Ave.) presents The Living Handbook exploring the industrialization of time. On Oct. 6, Long Beach Museum of Art opens Ordinary People featuring works by artists, thinkers and activists that affect positive change. The Kleefeld Contemporary Art Museum, on the campus of Cal State Long Beach (1250 Bellflower Blvd.), continues Drag Show, narrating the LGBT counterculture experience in 1980s and 1990s New York City.
PUBLIC ART
Long Beach is home to a collection of public art that is second to none in Southern California, featuring breathtaking murals, sculptures and historic mosaics. Heck, even utility boxes get turned into art. The Arts Council for Long Beach has constructed an excellent digital resource to guide you to virtually any work of art you desire. Its Public Art Map not only has every piece of public art in the city, but allows you to search for it using numerous filters, whether by neighborhood, specific artist, art type, etc.