Arts Council for Long Beach Commissions Colorful Heroes LB Coloring Book Series Highlighting Essential Workers During Covid-19

On March 24, the Arts Council for Long Beach launched “Keep Arts Working”, a series of events and art commissions that seeks to illuminate the vital work being work amid the COVID-19 pandemic response, alleviate anxiety from our minds and bodies through the arts and begin to recuperate the creative economy.

On Tuesday (March 31, 2020), the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved Supervisor Ridley-Thomas’ motion to proclaim April as Arts Month! The California Arts Council declared April 15 as Virtual Arts The Arts Advocacy Day.

In solidarity with our state and county partners, the Arts Council for Long Beach is continuing its efforts to commission Long Beach artists from the Arts Council’s Artist Registry by creating a series of illustrations for coloring book pages highlighting essential workers in Long Beach and surrounding areas. New coloring book pages will be released every Wednesday at noon on the Arts Council website and shared on social media. Featured artists for this project are: Alex Diffin, Dan Nguyen, London Battle, Mili Makianich, Monique Dominguez, Natalie Mancillas, Paula Oum, Sharniece Chantal, and Omar Howard.

Arts Council Executive Director Griselda Suarez said, ” We want to illuminate the unseen heroes in Long Beach doing the work every day to keep the city functioning and ensuring that everyone has access to food, care, resources, and information. We are stronger and safer because of them.”

For more information about the event, visit https://artslb.org/keepartsworking/ for more information and resources.

April 8 Featured Artist Coloring Book: Dan Nguyen