Grand Park Celebrates the Spirit of America's Independence Day This July Through Public Art Installations

Grand Park, powered by The Music Center, will magnify the culturally rich and diverse communities that comprise L.A. County with a month-long public art installation that applies an artistic lens to celebrate home and freedom, themes often associated with July 4th observances.

From July 1-31, 2021, Grand Park's Portraits of Freedom: Building a Life in L.A. will feature photography and video exhibitions as well as a nighttime projection installation. Located throughout different areas of Grand Park between Grand Avenue and North Broadway, the on-site programming will illuminate Los Angeles through civic pride, identity and engagement while narrating cornerstone stories of the American experience. Portraits of Freedom: Building a Life in L.A. will take place in lieu of the annual Grand Park + The Music Center's 4th of July Block Party; the county's largest free Independence Day celebration will return in 2022.

Grand Park will remain open on July 4th for Angelenos to enjoy the installations as well as the park's lush gardens and grassy areas. However, there will be no live events, including the traditional fireworks show, occurring that day as the County finalizes its master reopening plan that will allow the park to resume more large-scale events.

"Rather than a one-day event, Grand Park is marking the July 4th holiday with a month-long celebration with Grand Park's Portraits of Freedom: Building a Life in L.A. The public art installations highlight the people and places of Los Angeles County and our diverse interests and serve as inspiration behind our collective longing for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness," said Rachel S. Moore, president and CEO, The Music Center. "Our Grand Park team has curated a multitude of arts experiences to inform and celebrate our community while allowing Angelenos to ease back into summer routines, including relaxing in the park on warm days or strolling through its beautiful green spaces on cool evenings."

"As July marks the history of our nation's Independence, Grand Park's Portraits of Freedom: Building a Life in L.A. goes local to honor the contributions and reflections of immigrants, BIPOC communities and Indigenous stewardship as part of these new public art installations," added Julia Diamond, director, Grand Park. "From its opening in 2012, Grand Park has been proud to be the flagship location for the County's communal celebrations and will continue to be. Yet at its core, Grand Park offers so much more with its expansive lawns, shade-lined sidewalks, walking trails and a sense of place, where Angelenos can enjoy summer outings within a sprawling civic center. With Grand Park's Portraits of Freedom: Building a Life in L.A. installations located in pockets throughout the park, visitors can discover and become reacquainted with all that Grand Park has to offer year-round."

Community members from across L.A. County are invited to follow Grand Park on social media channels to learn more about #PortraitsOfFreedom and share their own stories and reflections of home and freedom. For updated information, visit grandparkla.org.