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Celebrating Community & Culture

For 39 years, Grand Performances has transformed Los Angeles with free world-class performances that celebrate diversity and foster community. Join us in creating a more vibrant city.

Make a lasting impact. Explore a partnership with us today.

Inspire Community, Celebrate Diversity, Unite Los Angeles

At Grand Performances, we believe in the transformative power of the arts.

Our mission is to inspire community, celebrate diversity, and unite Los Angeles through free, globally-inspired performances. Located in the heart of downtown, our inclusive, open-air venue welcomes all to experience the magic of live arts.

"The shows at Grand Performances aren't free -– they're priceless" NPR

Years in Existence

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Our Legacy

Since 1986, Grand Performances has been a cornerstone of the Los Angeles arts scene.

From Stevie Wonder to Kamasi Washington, our stage has hosted a rich tapestry of artists that reflect the cultural diversity of our city. We’re proud to have been the launching pad for local talents like Ozomatli and La Santa Cecilia, while also bringing world-class international artists to our community.

“Best Free Outdoor Summer Concert Series” Los Angeles Magazine

Our origin story begins in the 80s

Grand Performances was conceived in the late 1980s by the City of Los Angeles and its Community Redevelopment Agency to enliven Bunker Hill with free performing arts programs, and to introduce downtown Los Angeles to thousands of people for whom this was not yet a destination.

A unique arts partnership

As part of a unique public/private partnership with the property owners of California Plaza, Grand Performances became “the urban experiment that works,” bringing together the nation’s most diverse audience including people from all fifteen council districts to experience world-class artists reflective of the diversity found in neighborhoods throughout the City.

Over 1 million attendees

As one of the oldest free performing arts programs in the region, Grand Performances has served over 1 million people since its inception with live performances, related workshops, master classes and audience discussions; and has developed partnerships with the Los Angeles Unified School District, the Los Angeles Public Library and numerous youth organizations to provide opportunities for children to interact with the arts and artists.

Community Impact

Our audience reflects the true spirit of Los Angeles—multicultural, multigenerational, and from all walks of life.

Our free performances are more than entertainment; they’re a celebration of the city’s diverse cultural fabric, fostering greater appreciation and understanding of global cultures.

Customer Focused

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“A grand gift to the public… democracy in musical action” Los Angeles Times

Every event we host strengthens the community and makes the arts accessible to all.

Why Partner with Us

Your Impact

Partnering with Grand Performances means more than just sponsorship—it’s a commitment to cultural enrichment and community empowerment.

Your support helps ensure that the arts remain accessible to everyone, particularly in underrepresented communities.

Visibility & Credibility

Aligning your brand with Grand Performances places you in front of a broad, diverse audience that values cultural richness and social responsibility.

With our extensive reach across digital platforms and social media, your brand will gain visibility and trust among those who appreciate meaningful community engagement.

Our Audience

GP reaches an audience that is multigenerational, multicultural, multi-ethnic and comes from every socioeconomic group and geographic area of LA County. Our online audiences are even more diverse and span the entire globe.

Our 2023 audience survey shows 14% White/Caucasian; 35% Latino/Hispanic; 14% Black/African-American; 21% Asian/Asian-American; 2% Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, 9% Mixed Race/Ethnicity, and 5% Other.

**Our online audiences are even more diverse and span the entire globe.*

Testimonials

Hear what our incredible partners have to say!

Support us by donating or becoming our sponsor

Donate

Your generosity fuels our mission to keep the arts free and accessible. Every contribution makes a difference. Donate today and support a more vibrant Los Angeles.

Sponsor

Explore sponsorship opportunities tailored to your brand’s goals. Whether you’re looking to boost visibility, engage with the community, or support the arts, we have a package that’s right for you.

Connect

Ready to make an impact? Schedule a meeting with our partnership team to discuss how we can work together to create a brighter future for Los Angeles.

About Us

A non-profit organization that provides free access to the global performing arts

All of our shows are free, outdoors, all ages and open to the public. Most of our events take place at California Plaza in the Grand Avenue Arts District of Downtown Los Angeles, next to the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA), The Broad and Walt Disney Concert Hall.

Founded in 1986, over the last 39 years Grand Performances has presented free live concerts featuring Stevie Wonder, Ozomatli, Kamasi Washington, Madame Gandhi, Ana Tijoux, Soulection, Aloe Blacc, Angelique Kidjo and countless others.

"Best Free Outdoor Summer Concert Series"

Hailed as the “Best Free Outdoor Summer Concert Series” by Los Angeles Magazine and called “a grand gift to the public… democracy in musical action” by the Los Angeles Times, Grand Performances presents an annual season of free performing arts events featuring local and global artists in music, dance, theatre, poetry and more at the breathtaking California Plaza in the heart of Downtown.

...transformative experiences that spark a greater appreciation of the arts

Grand Performances strives to create transformative experiences that spark a greater appreciation of the arts, enrich and broaden understanding of global cultures, and encourage audiences to interact with the world around them. Grand Performances offers a welcoming and inclusive open-air environment in the heart of downtown Los Angeles and works with a network of community partners to ensure everyone is encouraged to participate.

Multicultural and multigenerational audience

Our audience is multicultural and multigenerational and comes from every socio-economic group and geographic area of LA County. Grand Performances is a national leader in its field, and widely known for its eclectic programming and commitment to serving the arts, artists, and the community.

GP History

Launched in 1986 during a time of redevelopment in downtown Los Angeles, Grand Performances (GP) is SoCal’s longest-running presenter of free global and local performing arts. Over the years, Grand Performances has nurtured artists from L.A.’s own neighborhoods, often providing early career opportunities.

Diverse Artists Shine on Grand Performances' Stage

Artists such as daKAH Hip Hop Orchestra, Ozomatli, Diavolo Dance Company, La Santa Cecilia, and Kamasi Washington all received breakthrough presentations on Grand Performances’ stage.

In addition, a longtime commitment to presenting contemporary artists from Latin America, Africa, and Central/East Asia has brought important world-class touring artists to our community and has ensured the stage reflects the many faces of Los Angeles.

Revitalizing LA Since the 1980s

LA’s Urban Arts Experiment

Engaging 1 Million in LA Arts

30 Years Transforming Downtown LA"

Grand Performances would first like to acknowledge and thank the former Community Redevelopment Agency of the City of Los Angeles and the CRA/LA, a designated local authority and successor, for their commitment to the arts; and most importantly for recognizing the critical role that free performing arts has in maintaining a creative, cultural, and economically vibrant Los Angeles.

Thanks to the vision of Mayor Tom Bradley and the CRA, GP has presented world music, dance, theatre, spoken word, film, and poetry in the performing arts spaces of California Plaza for over 30 years.  This performing arts program has served as a backdrop to the transformation of the downtown community for over three decades.

Gratitude to Cal Plaza for Arts Support

GP acknowledges the current and past owners and managers of One Cal, Two Cal, and the Hotel at California Plaza (Cal Plaza), the three of which make up the mutual benefit corporation Plaza Commons, Inc. (PCI), for their support of the performing arts program. 

Grand Performances - Marketing Highglihts

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Artistic Vision

Believing that access to the arts should be a right and not a privilege and believing that all our presentations should be offered with the finest technical support available, the vision that drives Grand Performances’ programming is complex and addresses multiple concerns including:

Artistry

A high priority for artistic excellence.
Programming that reflects genre diversity.
Artists that reflect the cultural diversity of our community.
Developing, commissioning, and producing artistic works by innovative artists as part of our services to the community.
Supporting and nurturing the careers of local artists.

Access

It is important to the artists to know that they are reaching America’s most diverse audience, and it is important to the audience to know that they are part of that audience.
We must continue to have innovative marketing programs that result in community-wide audience development without regard to economic condition.

Meaning

Expand programs that engage the audience and also demonstrate how the arts comment on a variety of social issues that pertain to the broader community.
Scheduling artists whose works are meaningful to various segments of our community, thereby providing other segments of our community with opportunities to better understand the many communities that make up Los Angeles.

Leadership

Recognizing our unique position in the broader arts community and providing leadership assistance as that community strives to contribute to the broader community in Los Angeles.
Collaborating with other art and non-art community-serving organizations to strengthen ties to the communities; provide audiences with new information about others that positively impact on community health; and to build stronger support teams for all Grand Performances work.

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Ready to make an impact?

Schedule a meeting with our partnership team to discuss how we can work together to create a brighter future for Los Angeles through the arts.