Run for Fun! Arts in Parks🎺

Green space, park access, and trees

Expand existing project, program, or initiative (expanding and continuing ongoing, successful work)

Since the pandemic, community engagement has fallen quite a bit throughout LA. ARTRONIKA produces annual cultural events with the Dept of Rec and Parks; attendance numbers have declined at our neighborhood events since COVID-19. A general lack of awareness exists in regards to programming at local parks; many may not realize that these green spaces often have free community events meant to foster communication and engagement. These activities can become positive opportunities to address issues like loneliness and depression that increased when we experienced lockdowns during COVID-19. In certain neighborhoods, public parks and green spaces became inaccessible due to an unfortunate rise in temporary tent encampments. Recovery efforts did involve cleaning up public green spaces, yet hesitancy still remains with people visiting parks due to ongoing safety concerns. Showing that local parks are safe, open and welcome for us to enjoy once again helps communities benefit during our recovery.

Run for Fun! Arts in Parks🎺 is a series of events in local parks that combines a 5K Marathon with an immersive music & arts festival free for residents to attend and open to all ages. Aztlan Athletics Foundation collaborates with ARTRONIKA - their organization has been producing successful community engagement events since 1974. Both began working together at the Venice HOLI Celebration. This popular South Asian holiday welcomes in Spring with a festival showcasing live musicians, dance companies, Indian food, and a variety of immersive art activities. LA Dept of Rec and Parks co-produces this annual event at Penmar Park in Venice.
Community participation is encouraged at our series. For the Venice HOLI Celebration, volunteers hand out colored HOLI powder meant to be thrown in the air and at each other, all free of charge for attendees. At another event, the Mental Health Awareness Fair in Artesia Park, we encourage attendees to take a complimentary yoga class or attend several free workshops & educational seminars pertaining to health & wellness.
Our optional 5K marathons are open to all ages & experience levels. We welcome elderly participants to walk the marathon and we ensure accessibility options for our disabled friends. We hope Angelenos re-introduce themselves to beautiful green spaces in nature; attending our events in local parks promotes health & wellness while providing residents with a cultural festival where they can interact with neighbors in their community.

Angelenos will be spending more time outdoors in local parks as a result of our Run for Fun! Arts in Parks🎺 series. Community members make meaningful connections at our immersive art events. Residents will have an additional reason to go and visit a park in LA County that they might not have discovered otherwise. For people that are not active or say they would never participate in a 5K Marathon, we hope our cultural events can lower the barriers to entry as we encourage attendees to also participate in running and other active offerings.
Currently we have 5 events in our Run for Fun! Arts in Parks🎺 series. Aztlan Athletics Foundation produces over 20 Marathons throughout Southern California annually. Goals are to add a music and art festival to more marathons and other health and wellness events in local parks. Councilwoman Traci Park supports ARTRONIKA events and she also sits on the 2028 Olympic Committee. By Summer 2028, we hope to have at least 12 events in our series.

For this proposed initiative, we will define success through several key metrics. We will measure the impact by assessing attendance numbers at events, participant feedback through surveys, and media coverage. Additionally, we will track the diversity and number of artists engaged, aiming for representation reflective of the local South Asian community in Los Angeles County. Success will be indicated by increased visibility and recognition of local talent in the arts scene, strengthened community partnerships, and broader community engagement with South Asian arts and culture. Through these measures, we will demonstrate our progress in addressing under-representation and enhancing cultural inclusivity in Los Angeles County.

Aztlan Athletics Foundation is the main collaborator for the Run for Fun! Arts in Parks🎺 series. The non-profit organization has been producing successful community engagement events at local LA Parks since 1974. They manage all aspects of producing a 5K Marathon. This includes obtaining permits, working with local park managers, rentals for stages, hydration/snack stations, insurance, and a variety of other expenses associated with producing live public events. South Asian Network is a social justice non-profit arts organization that does fantastic work for South Asians in Los Angeles. They are a trusted resource for reliable information pertaining to the needs of this underserved community. SAN promotes ARTRONIKA events and also helps by providing staff and volunteers when needed.