LA County Selects Artist for Wildfire Community Memory Project

Artist Tanya Aguiñiga was selected for a Los Angeles County artist-in-residence program and was preparing Tuesday to lead workshops aimed at preserving the memories and experiences of people affected by the January 2025 wildfires.

Aguiñiga will serve as artist-in-residence with the LA County Cultural Climate Commons: Community Memory Lab & Living Archive, a community archiving initiative intended to document experiences stemming from the fires and explore creative approaches to recovery from climate-related disasters.

During the residency, Aguiñiga will develop a series of collective memory and art-making workshops for Altadena residents and others affected by the fires, according to the Department of Arts and Culture.

The workshops will provide opportunities for participants to share stories and create artwork reflecting their experiences. Art created during the workshops may be added to a new LA County Library digital archive, county officials said.

The initiative is led by LA County Library and the LA County Library Foundation in partnership with the Department of Arts and Culture, Altadena Library District, Altadena Library Foundation, Los Angeles Public Library and Library Foundation of Los Angeles.

County officials said the project is intended to preserve community history and provide opportunities for creative expression and social connection following the wildfires.