Preserving Art Murals

Councilmember LaBonge is fighting to preserve and protect fine art murals throughout Los Angeles.

Councilmember Tom LaBonge, frustrated with the graffiti and damage to beloved public murals throughout Los Angeles, pressed several city departments to come up with new regulations for the creation and preservation of fine art murals.

“Art brings intelligence, comfort and joy to the people,” the councilmember said. “I want to preserve and protect the murals that are a vivid part of the life of our city, and establish a better system for considering the creation of new ones.”

Currently, the creation and maintenance of murals on private property is governed through the City’s sign regulations in the zoning code. This has given rise to unintended consequences. In many cases, new signs cannot be created and the validity of existing murals is called into question. Emerging artists are denied the opportunity to create important new works of art and the cultural endowment of art murals is slowly being lost.

To address this problem, the councilmember introduced a motion directing the Department of Planning to work with the Cultural Affairs Department, the City Attorney’s Office and the Department of Building and Safety to come up with creative solutions to the protect murals and consider applications for new ones. The councilmember spoke before the Council’s Planning and Land Use Management committee, where his motion was aired on May 27.

“I’m for art and fine art murals. I feel passionately that city code should address them separately from commercial signs,” the Councilmember said.