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.

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.

Our goals include: 

• Fostering and expanding opportunities for the photographic community to engage with and learn from each other 

• Improving two-way communication by seeking and acting upon feedback from the community

PAC LA generates opportunities for dialogue, co-learning and mutual mentorship by: 

• Continuing to stimulate an evolving cultural conversation surrounding the photographic arts 

• Developing and augmenting our existing in-person, online and travel-based learning 

• Encouraging broader participation by offering free or low cost events

• Producing inclusive and challenging programming ranging from introductory educational opportunities to explorations of work by emerging and established artists 

• Developing and recruiting knowledgeable, diverse, and multi-focused programming perspectives 

As PAC LA evolves and grows we are: 

• Managing relationships across organizations and among peers; those we can support and mentor, and those who can support and mentor us

• Establishing partnerships to help provide focused financial support or in-kind resources for collaborative and educational endeavors 

• Expanding our audience by engaging, co-programming and collaborating with fellow organizations that support our mission and enhance our presence and accessibility as a resource for the community

PAC LA makes inclusivity a central tenet of our growth strategy by: 

• Identifying constituencies we have yet to reach  

• Creating focused marketing and social media programs for our target audiences

• Developing community partnerships and reciprocal relationships to further expand PAC LA’s audience and membership base

As we expand our reach, we will showcase the PAC LA experience by:

• Incorporating affordability and convenience into our programming mandate

• Offering scholarships, sponsorships and grants to foster access 

• Creating diverse opportunities for connecting within the PAC LA Community: educational, social, and professional

• Ensuring that new faces are noted and welcomed, and that loyal members are regularly recognized and appreciated

PAC LA will be sustained for years to come by: 

• Giving members, donors and sponsors compelling reasons to support the growth of the PAC LA community

• Creating giving opportunities for all audiences

• Offering a membership program that appeals to people at each stage of support, and encourages increasing commitment over time

PAC LA is rethinking collecting by: 

• Promoting the concept of considered collectorship for everyone

• Unlinking collecting from large dollar figures as well as from collection size 

• Putting the rules of collecting in collectors’ hands

PAC LA explores just who collects and why. We are: 

• Illuminating the collector’s role in the arts ecosystem 

• Keeping artists at the center of the discussion 

• Highlighting the impact collectors have on the ongoing production of art 

PAC LA helps point the way to building collections by: 

• Providing a space for interaction between emerging and established collectors

• Offering education on the various markets and their function 

• Fostering mentorship between collectors 

• Providing a liaison between collectors and artists or galleries 

• Offering established collectors peer support and exchange of ideas 

In collaborative learning environments PAC LA will be: 

• Reaching participants at all stages of collection building 

• Facilitating understanding of acquisition and care of photography

• Fostering an ongoing appreciation and understanding for all image-based art

• Developing an annual budgeting and forecasting discipline aligned with strategic priorities 

• Building an integrated and articulated fundraising plan for all sources: membership, annual giving, major gifts, foundation grants, corporate support and earned income events 

• Establishing financial metrics and reporting 

• Continuing our transition from an all-volunteer working board to a governing board

• Revising our understanding of the roles of staff and board members 

• Offering ongoing educational opportunities to staff and board 

• Establishing pathways for identifying and welcoming new board members 

• Continuing to examine and refine our operational structure and processes

• Incorporating non-profit standards and best practices