LA28 Cultural Olympiad to Showcase Los Angeles Arts Alongside Olympic Games

Los Angeles is gearing up for a significant cultural initiative for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games, spearheaded by the LA28 Cultural Olympiad. Under the leadership of executive director Nora Halpern and senior vice president Dwayne Jones, the program will feature free screenings of sports films, live music, performances, culinary experiences, art installations, and unique exhibitions at local museums. A digital calendar and mapping tool will aid in event discovery and will continue to function after the Games through collaboration with a community organization. The Olympiad will commission 16 local artists to design posters celebrating the Olympics and Paralympics, set to be revealed in a gallery in July 2027 and showcased on billboards and merchandise. Institutions can apply for official participation starting early 2027, earning the "Official LA28 Cultural Olympiad Mark." Support has already been shown by LACMA, the LA Philharmonic, and the Museum of Latin American Art. Unlike the 1984 Games, which featured freeway murals by artists like Judy Baca, the 2028 event will emphasize local talent. The International Olympic Committee mandates a cultural aspect from host cities, and Los Angeles, with one in six jobs tied to the creative economy and over 3,000 arts nonprofits, is well-equipped for this endeavor.