The Los Angeles County Department of Arts and Culture has announced artist, business owner, and community organizer Sandra Hahn has joined its Arts Commission, the L.A. County Board of Supervisors’ longstanding advisory body for the arts. The Commission seats 15 members, diverse arts community leaders chosen by the Board of Supervisors to represent each of the five districts in the County. Hahn was appointed by Supervisor to the Fourth District, Janice Hahn (no relation).

Hahn brings a blend of self-starting entrepreneurship, experience as a multi-media artist and musician, and community arts advocacy to the Commission, which supports and advocates for Arts and Culture. The Whittier native’s colorful career includes marketing and advertising roles, event production, freelance design for restaurants, teaching jobs, membership in the East LA band, Los Illegals, and the creation of award-winning film and video art. She sits on boards including the Los Angeles Music and Art School, the Los Angeles Theater Center, and is the current Chair of the Whitter of Chamber of Commerce.

“Sandra Hahn’s journey from a business-minded little girl to a civic tour de force could probably only happen in Los Angeles County. It’s full of fearless career pivots, a devotion to community and art, and a passion for reviving businesses and civic endeavors. Her lived experience enables her to connect people and initiatives in commerce, art, education, and government sectors, in ways that few people can. I think she will bring a fresh, passionate perspective to the Arts Commission, and I am excited to see what she will do,” said L.A. County Supervisor, Janice Hahn.

“I am pleased to extend a warm welcome to Sandra Hahn in joining the Arts Commission. She is a true hyphenate, having been in the arts in multiple ways, from culinary arts to business owner, to artist and nonprofit arts board member. She will be especially valuable at this moment in time, as the Department of Arts and Culture works this year to support the sector through pandemic relief initiatives, by advancing equity, and by furthering our cross-sector work in L.A. County. We value her lens on the region’s creative economy from the ground up,” said Kristin Sakoda, Director of the Department of Arts and Culture.

“Everyone deserves access to the arts, from young children in school to older L.A. County residents who might never have had much engagement in them before. I know from my own life that the arts expand learning, build personal growth through expression, and that they can be used as a means of communication between groups who might not otherwise feel connected. I am honored to join the Arts Commission, and to help bring the power of the arts to more people in the County,” Hahn said.

“I am excited that Sandra Hahn is joining the Arts Commission, as we collaborate with the Department of Arts and Culture and the L.A. County Board of Supervisors to bring relief, recovery, and equity to the arts. Sandra has been navigating the local creative economy for decades—and she excels at building synergies within the culture and business sectors. She’ll bring that expertise to our Arts Commission work, and I think it will be particularly resonant in this challenging but hopeful time,” said Constance Jolcuvar, president of the L.A. County Arts Commission.

About the Los Angeles County Department of Arts and Culture
The mission of the Los Angeles County Department of Arts and Culture is to advance arts, culture, and creativity throughout Los Angeles County. It provides leadership, services, and support in areas including grants and technical assistance for nonprofit organizations, countywide arts education initiatives, commissioning and care for civic art collections, research and evaluation, access to creative career pathways, professional development, free community programs, and cross-sector creative strategies that address civic issues.