Arts professionals work for the betterment of society as they give voice to the difficult questions that communities face across generations. Issues of belonging, acceptance, existence, and quality of life are framed, addressed, and challenged within the creative industries in Los Angeles. As the field-wide artistic community collectively celebrates our ancestries, engages our present, and envisions a better tomorrow, undocumented artists and arts workers in Los Angeles are largely invisible.
This report serves as witness to the undocumented labor force of the LA creative industries, an essential community within the arts sector. Today, there is a widespread lack of awareness of this segment of the population within the arts and culture community, underscoring the need for improved systems and practices to promote the inclusion and vitality of undocumented artists and arts professionals.
The focus of this document is undocreatives. The term refers to undocumented members of the creative industries (artists and arts professionals). Further key terminology is defined in the Appendices. This analysis utilizes testimonios to highlight their lived experiences, the systemic challenges they face, and the support that they need from the arts sector. As the first analysis of its kind, this study acknowledges the significance of creating space for undocumented arts professionals within larger studies, dialogues, and practices surrounding cultural equity and inclusion.
