The City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs (DCA) is proud to announce it has joined the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books as a community partner. This collaboration of L.A.’s premier literary institutions celebrate the richness of storytelling, with the goal of promoting literary culture to a broad and diverse audience.
This year’s theme for the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books is 30 years of storytelling. Taking place on April 26 and 27, 2025 on the University of Southern California campus, this year recognizes the festival’s 30th anniversary. The Festival of Books is the nation’s largest book festival–drawing readers, writers, publishers, and creators from around the world. Through a partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts Big Read program, DCA will host a creative art making zone, with activities for young people and their families. Featuring silk-screening and print-making areas, along with a children’s stage featuring young poets and professional storytellers, DCA and partners will make the world of books
more accessible to all.
The festival is free and open to the public with tickets required for select programming. For more information on the Festival of Books, please visit: latimes.com/festivalofbooks/.
Festival of Books 2025 DCA Creative Art Zone Program Details
DAY ONE: Saturday, April 26, 2025; 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
● 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. ONGOING
DCA and Big Read giveaways
Community Mural
● 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. noon
Invited Guest: Recreation and Parks Department presents:
Easy and DIY No Clasp Bead Bracelet with Stretch Elastic for all ages.
● 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Artist Demonstration: Self-Help Graphics: Spin-the-Wheel and Win a Print!
● 12:15 – 12:45 p.m.
Performance: Grupo de Teatro Sinergia: 10-Minute Play and Talk Back
¡GORDA! by Sandra Nia Rodríguez — A full-figured woman, full of life, suddenly feels anxious about an unexpected and increased interest from a platonic friend. As she ponders the issue, in a rushed and incoherent inner conversation with herself, her anxiety increases into a spiral of panic and self-loathing. When her emotional stage is about to reach a climax, an unexpected resolution emerges, giving a surprising turn to her journey.
● 1:30 – 3:00 p.m.
Workshop: Mike the Poet
What does it mean to be alive in Los Angeles?! Come write your own Los Angeles poem with devoted Los Angeles poet, Mike the PoeT. Draw on your memories, family history, local landscape & your imagination to write about your LA. No experience necessary, all skill levels welcome. You can even read your poem aloud in an open mic at the end of the workshop.
● 3:30 – 5:00 p.m.
Hands-on Workshop: Center for Arts Eagle Rock: Make Zines, Make Friends
Center for the Arts Eagle Rock (CFAER) invites you to explore the art of zines in an accessible, all-ages workshop and artist roundtable where you will make an original zine inspired by prompts. Share your story, make new friends and learn about self-publishing from local zine makers in this creative storytelling adventure. We will also have a giant zine on hand for you to contribute to a collaborative, community-created artwork! To learn more about CFAER, a DCA Art Partner Center, visit cfaer.org
DAY TWO: Sunday, April 27, 2025; 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
● 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. ONGOING
DCA and Big Read giveaways
Community Mural
● 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. (noon)
Invited Guest: Youth Development Department (YDD) presents:
JC Arce, a member of the LA City Council for the City of LA’s YDD, will present an art-based workshop that will energize all LA Times Festival of Books attendees. JC is a social entrepreneur, community leader, and sustainability advocate dedicated to driving impact at the intersection of youth policy, culture, business, and social good. As the founder of the Collidescope Foundation, JC seeks to empower youth leaders through operational support & capacity building, mentorship & incubation, and community events with coalition-building initiatives.
Representing the City of LA’s YDD, LA City Youth Council member Olivia Zhao, will host a workshop at the Festival of Books showcasing The Mental Wellness Handbook developed under the mentorship of teachers and community advocates and in partnership with her nonprofit, Once Upon A Teen. The Mental Wellness Handbook offers support for mental and emotional well-being, advice, comprehensive resources and is backed by evidence-based treatment methods.
● 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Artist Demonstration: Hit and Run: Spin-the-Wheel and Win a Tote!
● 12:15 – 12:45 p.m.
Performance: Art in the Park: Puppet Show
● 1:15 – 1:45 p.m.
Onstage: Drag Arts Lab presents Drag Story Hour
● 2:00 – 3:00 p.m.
Sun Valley Youth Arts Center is pleased to celebrate the Festival of Books event with an art project of customizing personal bookmarkers. Participants will utilize a variety of materials to personalize and create their own bookmarker. Come visit us at the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs booth for a fun and creative experience!
● 3:30 – 5:00 p.m.
Canoga Park Youth Art Center invites you to create your own visual story! Together participants will use art materials to make accordion style booklets, inspired by beloved children’s book author Eric Carle!
● 4:30 – 5:00 p.m.
Canoga Park Youth Arts Center presents Josh Heller, a teacher of storytelling through podcasts and beatmaking. Heller finds time to write about foodways and culture in the city of Los Angeles. Learn about how Josh tells his LA story through music and literary arts with this reading and talk-back.
