Check Out Sophia Belsheim’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sophia Belsheim.

Hi Sophia, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today. 
In 2014, artist Mark Bradford, activist Allan DiCastro, and philanthropist Eileen Harris Norton founded Art + Practice in Leimert Park, a neighborhood in South Los Angeles. A+P was conceived as a container and a collaborator for others with the expertise to accomplish our mutual goals and the two primary facets of our mission: first, showcasing museum-curated contemporary art by artists of color and organizing public programming and second, supporting the transition-age foster youth with housing, employment, and educational opportunities. From this vantage, A+P is more than a gallery space or a mission-centered nonprofit. Our model conjoins parallel efforts that support the social and cultural innovations of contemporary art with community practice. We serve some of the most affected and underserved foster youth in South Los Angeles (ages 18-24) through our work with nonprofit social service provider First Place for Youth (firstplaceforyouth.org/), and more recently expanded our mission to support the educational needs of refugee children and their families through our collaboration with Nest Global (nestglobal.org/). Parallel to that work, we are currently in a five-year collaboration with the California African American Museum (caamuseum.org/) to bring museum-class contemporary art to Leimert Park. 

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
We are currently celebrating our tenth anniversary in 2024. Looking back, we reflect on the meaningful growth A+P has made over the years and appreciate the incredible work that our collaborators have spearheaded. By working together, we have learned about ways to improve our programming in support of the folks that we serve. We are encouraged by what remains possible for our work and for the worlds of contemporary art and social practice more broadly. 

Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I serve as the Director of Art + Practice. I have been with the organization since its founding in 2014. I am most proud of the journey and my commitment to A+P’s mission. When A+P was founded, the idea of pairing a museum-curated contemporary art with social engagement work was unheard of. The model has been proved as a success, and now is replicated by other nonprofit arts institutions across the country. That represents success for me and is something that I am honored to be a part of. 

Alright, so to wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
Come visit Art + Practice in Leimert Park. We have many dynamic contemporary art programs planned in 2024 as part of our collaboration with CAAM and in celebration of ten years at A+P. Also, when you stop by, don’t forget to pick up a Year X catalogue with our merchandise. Our catalogue documents our ten-year history and welcomes readers to learn more about our mission throughout the years. 

Contact Info:

• Website: https://artandpractice.org/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/artandpractice/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/artandpractice/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkWl-HUI_93txKgXd_JcstA/about
• SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/user-182764493

Image Credits
Art + Practice