PHOTOGRAPHIC ARTS COUNCIL LOS ANGELES - PAC LA

Experience | Join | Subscribe | Donate


PAC LA is…

…passionate about photography as an art form.

And we’re excited to share our passion with you.

Dedicated

For over a decade, our focus has been to gather and engage experts and curious newcomers in conversation about the ways photography connects and enriches our community.

Independent

From our roots as an advisory council to one of the largest museums in the country, PAC LA is now recognized as a leading independent resource for the entire arts community in Los Angeles and beyond.

Connected

We bring together artists, gallerists, museums, collectors, educators, and individuals to create unique collaborations, programs and experiences.

Active

PAC LA produces a robust calendar of expertly curated public and member events throughout the city, along with online talks and guided travel, on our own and in partnership with other notable arts organizations. We also produce a thought-provoking digital newsletter every month. It’s free, so why not subscribe?

Here for You

PAC LA exists to build, educate, and engage our community, and that means we do this for you. Whether you are a supporting member, a viewer on our YouTube channel, a follower on Instagram, or a first time guest at an event in your neighborhood, we are so glad you found us.

 

  • The Photographic Arts Council Los Angeles creates unique collaborative programming that engages and educates the community in an evolving public conversation about photography and photo-based art.

  • We recognize photography and photo-based art connects us to one another and pushes the boundaries of our understanding.

    As we build upon our knowledge of photography’s complex history, PAC LA fosters a deeper understanding of contemporary artists and their influence on our culture. We engage our diverse community through active learning opportunities – through viewing and discussing classic and contemporary photography, hearing lectures by experts, engaging in an ongoing dialogue with artists and participating in photo-focused travel.

    Giving back is fundamental to the PAC LA culture. Through volunteer work, partnerships, mentoring and grant initiatives we empower the PAC LA community to contribute to a new generation of scholars, artists, students and social activists discovering photography as a powerful means of self-expression. Join us and experience the wide range of photographic activity in the art capital of Los Angeles and beyond.

  • Created in 2022, our strategic plan focuses on ensuring a future of self-sustainability and a growing and diverse PAC LA community.

    The plan is a living and evolving document that has been embraced and is used by our Board to chart and evaluate our progress regularly.

    Learn more and read the plan here.

Explore: Programs | Travel | Membership | Team


EXPERIENCE PAC LA

PAC LA for Everyone

PAC LA PRESENTS: YEAR OF THE WOMAN

In honor of the powerful women who helped to shape PAC LA's first decade, we are launching Year of the Woman, a series of flagship public educational events celebrating notable women in fine art photography. The organization is building an entire year of programming around this central theme and will offer free, in-person events, held quarterly at venues across the city in 2025 and early 2026.

Read more here.

This groundbreaking programming initiative is made possible through the generous sponsorship of Eastman Museum Los Angeles.

 

Cartografia Interior #35 © Tatiana Parcero

INAUGURAL EVENT: THE COLLECTORS

Our first event in the series, WOMEN COLLECTORS, will feature a discussion with three women with different approaches and at different stages of their collecting journeys. Hosted by the esteemed Photography dealer, Jennifer DeCarlo, our notable panelists are Los Angeles collectors Paula Ely, Alison Bryan Crowell and Sarah Kissell. Attendees will learn why these women chose photography as their medium, how they think about the acquisition process, ways they have developed relationships with artists, and their views on the role collectors play as stewards and custodians in the arts community.

This interactive discussion will welcome audience questions as we explore what it means to be a collector. The event is sure to be lively and insightful for those who have never purchased a photo but are curious, as well as passionate long-time enthusiasts. We look forward to seeing you there!

Saturday, April 19 | 11 AM PST

FREE | Sponsored by Eastman Museum Los Angeles

Generously hosted by Gallerie XII | RSVP HERE

 

 

Public Event Highlight: Photo Forward

In 2023, PAC LA organized and hosted Photo Forward, a brand new, 100% free Photography Fair at Bergamont Station in Santa Monica. Over the course of a weekend, thousands of visitors experienced the excitement of discovering new work, meeting notable gallerists, and learning from PAC LA presenters on topics ranging from the creation of photo books to starting a photo collection.


PAC LA for Members

Member Opportunities

 

12.38 Los Angeles 2020 © Ryan McIntosh

 

Private Artist Walkthrough - Ryan McIntosh at Marshall Gallery

Members are invited to an exclusive artist-led walkthrough of THESE IDEAS WERE NOT MINE, BUT I HAD THEM at Marshall Gallery, a solo exhibition of photographs by LA-based artist and printmaker Ryan McIntosh. Showcasing over two decades of work ranging from abstraction to topographic urban studies, the installation juxtaposes his exquisite silver gelatin prints alongside masterworks of his artistic predecessors including Robert Adams, Edward Weston, and Minor White, among others. Writing by the artist pertaining to the selected works will be paired along side, reflecting on the influence and importance of each photograph.

Saturday April 5 | Noon PST

Marshall Gallery | Members - RSVP Here


Image courtesy of Photo London.

PAC LA In London

May 12-18 2025 | London UK

Photo London and so much more awaits you on this curated full-service trip to the heart of the United Kingdom. Highlights of our exclusive five day itinerary include a private VIP preview of Photo London, a welcome to the Victoria and Albert Museum from their Director of Photographs, and curator conversations in the Tate Modern and National Portrait Galleries. We’ll visit a selection of London’s foremost galleries and drop in as invited guests at Peckham 24, a weekend festival that champions new voices in contemporary photography. Under the expert guidance of Clare Kunny of Art Muse, you will also be meeting with notable collectors in their homes and seeing influential artists work in their studios.

Now accepting deposits - limited spaces available.

$3,500 | Sign Up Here

Not a member? You are welcome to join us. Non-member pricing includes a full year of PAC LA membership benefits.

 

Member Event Highlight: The Lapis Press

In March 2024, PAC LA members were invited to The Lapis Press for a special curatorial walkthrough of the studio–visiting works from newly released editions by Stephen Shore and Daido Moriyama, as well as projects on view by Ed Ruscha, Kehinde Wiley, Matthew Brandt, Analia Saban and others.


PAC LA Online

Since early 2020, PAC LA has presented conversations with artists, curators, collectors and experts from all corners of the photography and lens-based art world. Visit our YouTube Channel to enjoy our full archive.

Production of new PAC LA online talks and our free public archive is made possible by the generous financial support of the Herb Ritts Foundation.

Recent Conversations

PAC LA Online Hightlight: A Conversation with John Simmons

Our June 2023 artist talk and discussion with acclaimed photographer and cinematographer John Simmons. The artist presented works from his archive of early photographs and from his current practice, and shared his background and stories of his multi-disciplinary career as a documentarian of social and visual culture, as well as his passion for working within the mediums of photography and film.


Questions/Ideas about PAC LA Events? | Email us!

 

THE REWARDS OF MEMBERSHIP

 
 

PAC LA Membership connects you directly to the heart of the photographic arts community here in Los Angeles.


Through expertly curated experiences, our members…

Explore and Discover

PAC LA members have unparalleled access to artists, museums, galleries, and private collections, all year long, all over Los Angeles. And beyond.

Learn and Discuss

Our private group visits are hosted by leading curators, academics, and often, the photographers themselves. We create comfortable opportunities for members to ask questions, share impressions and exchange ideas with the experts, and each other.

Connect with Each Other

Not only do our members share a curiosity and enthusiasm for fine art photography, they are also warm, welcoming and fun to spend time with. Join this vibrant community and you’ll find yourself among friends.

Support PAC LA

Membership contributions are the primary source of funding for PAC LA. Your dues allow us to serve the Los Angeles arts community as an independent council, produce outstanding programming for members and the public, and to support the health and growth of this vital ecosystem through our work.

Want to do even more with us? Become a Sponsor member!

All membership fees are 100% tax deductible.

Join or Renew today!

Member Programs include:

Artist Studio Visits & Conversations

Meet photographers where they work, or join them for a guided tour through a new installation. Get direct insight into the creative process and their personal stories.

Past Highlights: Ken Gonzalez-Day | Matthew Brandt | Zanele Muholi| Torbjorn Rodland & James Turrel | | Todd Gray | Judy Dater

Curator-Led Museum & Gallery Walkthroughs

Dive into curator-led walkthroughs at major museums including: The Getty, The Hammer, The Autry, LACMA, The Huntington, The Norton Simon Museum, and more.

Past Highlights: Mapplethorpe at LACMA | Kamoinge Workshop at the Getty | Shirin Neshat at The Broad | La Raza at the Autry

Insider Access to Private Collections and Shows

Be welcomed into private homes and spaces to see photographs that are not normally available to the public. You will also enjoy VIP treatment at photo events around the world.

Past Highlights: Stanford Libraries Collection | Salon event with Tom Gitterman | Collection Visit with Paula Ely & Cesar Rueda | VIP Passes to AIPAD, Photo London and Zona Maco

Immersive Travel

The PAC LA Travel Program offers members extraordinary photography-focused travel opportunities in the US and internationally.
Past Highlights:
Japan, Chicago, Mexico City, Paris, New York, Toronto, Carmel, Kansas City, Tucson, Washington, D.C. and San Francisco | Coming soon: London!

See upcoming PAC LA Events here.

Have a membership question? | membership@paclosangeles.com