PHOTOGRAPHIC ARTS COUNCIL LOS ANGELES - PAC LA

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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

Art Fair Month in Los Angeles!

February showcases LA’s place at the epicenter of the arts, as the city hosts multiple notable art fairs, along with special exhibitions at local galleries, film screenings, and other remarkable events throughout the month. PAC LA is highlighting the following as particularly interesting for those interested in photographic and lens-based arts.

 

Felix Art Fair

Felix is an art fair created with the intention to foster intimate experiences that prioritize conversation, collaboration, and community.

Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel - Feb 19-23

Frieze Los Angeles

Frieze Los Angeles largely focuses on contemporary art and celebrates the exceptionally dynamic culture of Los Angeles and its global contributions to the visual arts.

Santa Monica Airport - Feb 20-23

Post-Fair

Post-Fair is the pilot edition of an alternative three-day art fair. Low cost to the galleries and the visitor, it seeks to simplify the art fair experience by focusing on solo presentations in an iconic venue with a relatively low impact, open plan format.

Santa Monica Post Office - Feb 20-22

William Kentridge Collection Screening

Join Eastman Museum Los Angeles for a special screening of William Kentridge’s complete ‘Drawings for Projection’ . Comprising eleven short films made from 1989 to 2020, the collection is a touchstone of Kentridge’s prolific career. Usually projected in museums’ black-box rooms, this magnum opus—animated by his drawings on paper in charcoal and colored pencil and distinctive use of erasure—is even more powerful on the big screen. This event is FREE and open to the public.

Aero Theater - Feb 21 at 1, 4 and 7:30 PM | RSVP Here

© Chiron Duong, treasure 2004

Join PAC LA and Rose Gallery for the opening of The Language of Form, a presentation of works by Chiron Duong, Karl Blossfeldt, Manfred Müller, and Rinko Kawauchi. This exhibition examines the roles that stillness and movement play in artistic endeavors.

Rose Gallery has always been a great supporter of PAC LA and deeply believes in the work we do to engage and educate about Photography and Lens-Based Art here in Los Angeles and beyond. In an enormous act of generosity the gallery has decided to donate a significant portion of the proceeds from this exhibition to PAC LA. As a non-profit, we are tremendously grateful for this kindness and acknowledgement of our work within the photography community.

Rose Gallery

Opening Reception - Feb 22 | 2-5 PM | Show runs through March 29

 

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

 

PAC LA Members visiting The Etherton Gallery in Tucson - Feburary 2025.

 

Member VIP Art Fair Access

PAC LA has arranged a limited number of VIP Passes and special access to the art fairs listed above for our members. If you are interested in attending one of these events as a member, please contact us to check on availability.

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.

Recent Conversations

Events
WATCH: A Picture a Minute - 2024
Oct 18
WATCH: A Picture a Minute - 2024
WATCH: Artist Conversation with Matías Sauter-Morera
Aug 29
WATCH: Artist Conversation with Matías Sauter-Morera
WATCH: A Discussion with Stéphanie Solinas
May 30
WATCH: A Discussion with Stéphanie Solinas

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, Washington, D.C. and San Francisco | Coming soon: London and Tucson!

See upcoming PAC LA Events here.

Have a membership question? | membership@paclosangeles.com

PHOTOGRAPHIC ARTS COUNCIL LOS ANGELES | 1920 Hillhurst Avenue #238 Los Angeles, California 90027