Judy Baca & Social and Public Art Resource
Judy Baca, world-renowned painter and muralist, community arts pioneer, scholar and educator, has taught art in the University of California system for over 28 years, including 15 years at UCLA Cesar E. Chavez Department of Chicana/o Studies. She founded the first City of Los Angeles Mural Program in 1974 which evolved into the community arts organization, SPARC, the Social and Public Art Resource Center which continues to create public art. She serves as SPARC artistic Director and has experimented with incorporating new digital technology into her mural production process.
The Social and Public Art Resource Center (SPARC) is a non-profit community arts center based in Venice, California. According to its mission statement, “SPARC espouses public art as an organizing tool for addressing contemporary issues, fostering cross-cultural understanding and promoting civic dialogue.” SPARC’s intent is to examine what we choose to memorialize through public art, to devise and innovate excellent art pieces; and ultimately, to provide empowerment through participatory processes to residents and communities excluded from civic debate. SPARC’s works are never simply individually authored endeavors, but rather a collaboration between artists and communities, resulting in art which rises from within the community, rather than being imposed upon it.
Judy Baca, pintora y muralista de renombre mundial, pionera en las artes comunitarias, erudita y educadora, ha enseñado arte en el sistema de la Universidad de California por más de 28 años, incluyendo 15 años en el Departamento de Cesar E. Chavez de Estudios Chicana/o en UCLA. Ella fundó el primer Programa de Mural de la Ciudad de Los Ángeles en 1974 que evolucionó en la organización de artes de la comunidad, SPARC, el Centro de Recursos Sociales y de Arte Público que continúa creando arte público. Ella es directora artística de SPARC y ha experimentado con la incorporación de nueva tecnología digital en su proceso de producción de murales.