About covering the arts in California

Although New York is often seen as the center of the art world, there is plenty to do in California.

The New York Times has been highlighting California’s ambitious museums, top art schools and adventurous galleries for years. Some of my favorite recent articles discussed how the Los Angeles arts scene is eclipsing the Bay Area, how old theaters in San Francisco are rethinking the size of their seats, and how San Diego is finally getting its answer to the Hollywood Bowl.

Robin Pogrebin, a longtime arts writer for The Times, moved to Los Angeles from New York last fall to strengthen coverage and cover art, architecture, music, theater and cultural institutions in California.

Just this week, she published an article about the Resnicks, an LA couple who have made major donations to cultural organizations but have come under scrutiny for their water use, and another article about the increasing recognition of Asian artists at the Frieze Art Fair , which opens today in Santa Monica.

I spoke with Robin about her impressions of the West Coast art scene. Here’s our conversation, lightly edited:

In such a large state, how do you think about what to focus on?

I’ve always considered the West Coast an important part of our cultural coverage, given that it is home to many important museums and galleries and that Los Angeles has a long tradition of producing artists. Hollywood also has the potential to fuel the theater and dance worlds, and both classical music and opera have their own vibrant followings here.

Now that I’m based here, I’m researching, discovering, learning and responding to what seems newsworthy or interesting to me. I go to lunch and dinner every day with people who can help me understand the cultural ecosystem here, and attend events in many different arts disciplines almost every evening. I keep an eye on potential trends and individual stories worth telling.

What do you think are the big themes in the West Coast art world?

I think about how a growing emphasis on diversity and inclusion is changing the cast of influencers – including artists, executives and donors. How cultural organizations are adapting to the post-pandemic change in audience patterns, with people more likely to stay home and less likely to plan ahead. And how cultural institutions will continue to cultivate new financial supporters and create new models for interacting with audiences.

Why did you decide to write about it? Lynda and Stewart Resnickwho are major donors to the arts in California?

I am interested in going behind the scenes of California culture to better understand the key players who create and support the visual and performing arts. The Resnicks continued to emerge as important philanthropists — not just because they had their names in museums LACMA and the Hammer, but also as major donors to California universities. While the Resnicks have been around for a while, we’ve never taken a close look at who they are and where they send their philanthropic dollars.

I was struck by the sentence in your article about how LA is a city without a long tradition of philanthropy. Why is that absent in LA?

I’ve asked that question many times. While in New York serving on cultural boards carries significant prestige and people make efforts to become trustees, in LA it has historically been more difficult for arts organizations to recruit active board members interested in donating their time and treasure .

People cite several reasons, namely that tech moguls are interested in supporting other issues, such as healthcare, and that Hollywood moguls are more skittish about relinquishing their fortunes, given their firsthand experiences with the ups and downs of the entertainment industry. There are certainly some great California philanthropists, such as Eli Broad, the Chandlers and the Annenbergs, but there seems to be less depth than in New York when it comes to donating large amounts of money to the arts.

What are your first impressions of life in Los Angeles in general?

California makes me feel very energetic. There’s clearly a rich universe of creative forces at work – not to mention good food and a diverse physical landscape, including ocean and mountains. And everyday stress is certainly alleviated by warm sunshine, blue skies and palm trees.

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Tell us

We are in the process of putting together ours California soundtrack for years, and have recorded most of the hits. Which songs do you think still need to be added?

Tell us at CAtoday@nytimes.com. Include your name, the city you live in, and a few sentences about why you think your song deserves to be included.

And before you go: good news

The Los Angeles Public Library is hosting its first Plant Day this weekend, an all-ages event celebrating the magic of Earth’s flora.

Held Saturday at the Central Library in Downtown LA, the event welcomes spring with programs including gardening classes, plant-related arts and crafts projects and keynote speakers.

The library has invited a number of notable figures to participate. Chaz Perea, the LA Dodgers’ landscape manager, and his staff will discuss their recent developments transformation of Dodger Stadium grounds in a botanical garden chock full of native Californian plantings. Jeanette Marantos, a plant and gardening writer at The Los Angeles Times, will teach attendees how to create habitat gardens and discuss why they matter.

All calls are free. More information about the program can be found on the library website and start planning your day.