Meet Evonne Gallardo

Today we’d like to introduce you to Evonne Gallardo.

Every artist has a unique story. Can you briefly walk us through yours?
I’m not an artist, but my work is creative in finding conduits and connections for artists. I am an arts and culture consultant dedicated to honoring and valuing artists as critical components of a successful society. I have dedicated my life’s work to serving and resourcing artists and the organizations that serve them, one of my favorite quotes is from Marcel Duchamp, “I don’t believe in art. I believe in artists.”

My family’s roots lie in Boyle Heights and East Los Angeles. I was lucky to inherit my passion for arts and culture from my mother who insisted on my exposure and participation in diverse cultural practices, despite limited money and access to museums, theaters and arts education. Cultural practices were found in the everyday: my grandmother’s cooking, the elaborate and carefully tended gardens of neighbors, murals conveying our community’s struggles, hopes and dreams, and the folklórico groups and danzantes who rehearsed in backyards and recreation centers. Today, I work to highlight artists and culture bearers who have been overlooked by traditional arts and culture structures and markets, but who make Los Angeles the eclectic and diverse region that it is.

I have over 20 years of experience in arts and culture management in New York and Los Angeles. Now, with my consulting practice based in Los Angeles, I work with diverse artists, arts and culture organizations, and public arts agencies from across the country.

Please tell us about your art.
My work is centered on artists and the arts and culture ecosystem. The projects I undertake include curatorial and public art projects; community engagement in the arts; building cultures of strategic thinking within arts and culture organizations; and advancing best practices around cultural diversity, equity and inclusion in the arts. I serve as Vice Chair of the Board of Directors for the National Association of Latino Arts and Culture, and as a Commissioner for the mayor-appointed Cultural Affairs Commission for the City of Los Angeles’ Department of Cultural Affairs. It is truly a privilege to do what I love, and I don’t ever take it for granted.

An underlying strategy in my work is empowering and placing artists in leadership roles for efforts both within the institution and outside of it. My pro bono services offer artists assistance in writing and marketing, grant opportunities and fellowship applications, as well as connections to projects and opportunities that align with the artist’s work.

Message/Inspiration: 1. I love art, but I love artists more; and 2. Artwork IS work (pay artists)

Given everything that is going on in the world today, do you think the role of artists has changed? How do local, national or international events and issues affect your art?
The role of the artist has never been more critical. We likely have never seen the number of artists, both professionally trained and self-taught, that we do now in the U.S. Artists are making a critical impact outside of traditional arts venues and markets as story tellers, culture bearers, mirrors, disruptors, and visionaries. It feels like we have never needed them more than now. It is not a coincidence that one of the first orders of business from our current political administration was to threaten the elimination of the National Endowment for the Arts. It’s like the late 80s/early 90s all over again. The ability and influence to change people’s minds is power, and as James Baldwin said, “The role of the artist is exactly the same as the role of the lover. If I love you, I have to make you conscious of the things you don’t see.”

How or where can people see your work? How can people support your work?
Visit https://evonnegallardo.com for more on my work.

You can support my work by helping to advocate and ensure that artists are paid a fair and equitable wage, and by supporting local, culturally-specific arts organizations in Los Angeles such as Self Help Graphics & Art, California African American Museum, La Plaza de Cultura y Artes, Chinese American Museum, Japanese American National Museum, and Plaza de la Raza, just to name a few. Find out about longstanding and valuable cultural assets like these, and don’t take them for granted–invest in the cultural diversity that makes this city great.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://evonnegallardo.com

Image Credit:
Clockwise from right: 1. Courtesy of Vincent Price Art Museum 2. Courtesy of the National Association of Arts and Culture 3. Courtesy of Rafa Esparza 4. Evonne Gallardo

Getting in touch: VoyageLA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.