Earlier this month the Arts Council for Long Beach unveiled an enhanced artist registry with the goal of giving creative professionals an improved space online to share their work and other information. Those registered are now able to regularly update their own profiles, as well as add events to the arts council’s calendar.

Artists of all genres are encouraged to submit a new profile here.

“The new artist registry will connect performers, musicians, writers, and artists of many genres to residents and businesses on a more dynamic site,” Griselda Suarez, executive director of the Arts Council, said in a statement. “We are filled with enthusiasm as there are countless opportunities to highlight the various ways arts and culture take shape in Long Beach.”

The registry, redeveloped by Sé Reed of Kerredyn Collaborative alongside the new website, now allows artists to add their own information, as well as update their own listing without having to contact the arts council, as was prior protocol. Additionally, the search functions have been improved, making it easier to explore the listings.

A new calendar has also been launched, letting the community add their own arts-related events, through which the arts council will then release a second phase of the website with an interactive citywide arts map, alongside its public art map.

The registry was originally introduced to the community nine years ago as a gift from Leadership Long Beach, according to this 2009 Press-Telegram article.

The first of four exhibitions organized by the Community Arts Project Committee celebrating the new registry opened last week featuring works by local artists Betsy Lohrer Hall, Brittany Ransom, Gail Werner and Meeson Pae Yang at The Collaborative gallery in downtown Long Beach. Over 150 arts supporters attended the opening reception for Meditations, according to the arts council.

Photo courtesy of the Arts Council for Long Beach of Meditations attendees.

The works in Meditations are meant to encourage viewers to “meditate on their own connection to natural or human-made environments,” according to the release.

In addition, several activations by Lohrer will take place during the exhibition, titled Walden Here: Urban Field Notes on Tuesday, April 10 from 11:30AM to 1:00PM, Saturday, April 28 from 1:00PM to 3:00PM and Tuesday, May 8 from 11:30AM to 1:00PM.

Curated by Brian Trimble, co-chair of the Community Arts Program Committee, Meditations will run through May 18 at The Collaborative, located at 421 West Broadway. Gallery hours are Wednesday through Saturday, 12:30PM to 5:00PM.

For more information, head to the arts council’s website here.

Asia Morris is a Long Beach native covering arts and culture for the Long Beach Post. You can reach her @hugelandmass on Twitter and Instagram and at [email protected].