“A jewel of a museum, tucked away in East LA, showing NEXT LEVEL artists with roots in LA.
There isn’t aNOTHER ONE quite like it.”
Catherine B., Sierra Madre
ON VIEW
OFELIA ESPARZA: A RETROSPECTIVE
EXHIBITION DATES: 10/18/2025 – 04/18/2026
Widely recognized as one of California’s most revered folk artists with a cultural impact spanning more than seven decades, Esparza helped bring the cherished traditions of Mexican altar-making and Día de los Muertos into the American mainstream, beginning in the 1970s, through her work with community arts center Self Help Graphics & Art in Boyle Heights.
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ACT ON IT! ARTISTS, COMMUNITY, AND THE BROCKMAN GALLERY IN LOS ANGELES
EXHIBITION DATES: 09/27/2025 – 01/17/2026
Act on It! showcases dozens of works from the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) collection, capturing the aesthetic, political, and social statements encountered by Brockman Gallery visitors and underscoring the reach and lasting significance of the Davis brothers’ project.
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DEL ALMA: LATINA PORTRAITS FROM THE VINCENT PRICE ART MUSEUM @ The Music Center
EXHIBITION DATES: 04/13/2024 – 05/31/2026
Del Alma: Latina Portraits from the Vincent Price Art Museum presents an intergenerational group of portraits by Los Angeles-based Latina artists, who collectively explore portraiture and cultural identity through diverse forms of creative expression.
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Form and Function in the Ancient Americas
Our ongoing permanent exhibition
Form and Function in the Ancient Americas highlights the wide range of cultures represented in our Ancient American collection. Cultures from the Nayarit-Jalisco-Colima region of West Mexico (2000 – 1000 BCE) to the Chimú of Peru (900-1500 CE) are featured.
VIEW DETAILSUpcoming Events
January 17, 2026
“Act on It” Closing Program: Common Ground
April 25, 2026
“New Voices” opening reception
student opportunities
Students: Submit to New Voices, the East Los Angeles College-focused student art exhibition. Submissions are open now through February 27, 2026.
Connect With VPAM
We hope to see you on Saturday, January 17 at 1:00 PM for a special “Act on It!” closing program, presented in collaboration with @writlargeprojects.
Join us for a panel moderated by acclaimed scholar, curator, and critic Dr. Tiffany E. Barber (@tiffanyebarber), exploring the Brockman Gallery’s inclusive philosophy. Featuring: Dale Davis, Dominique Moody, Margaret Garcia, Michael Massenburg, and Linda Vallejo.
The afternoon will conclude with a live musical benediction by The Voices of Creation (@thevoicesofcreation @jimettarose), whose rousing performance closes the exhibition with joy and reverence.
Free and open to all! Tap the link in our bio to reserve your free tickets.
“Act On It!” was organized by the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (@lacma) in collaboration with the Vincent Price Art Museum at East Los Angeles College; Riverside Art Museum; Lancaster Museum of Art and History; and California State University, Northridge, Art Galleries. Install photo by @monicaorozcophotography.
VPAM wishes you a happy #NewYearsEve and a joyful 2026 ahead! Pictured here: Ofelia Esparza during the energetic opening reception “Ofelia Esparza: A Retrospective.”
📣 HOLIDAY HOURS: VPAM is currently closed through Wednesday, January 7, 2026. We will re-open during our regular hours on Thursday, January 8, 2026.
Please note our NEW WINTER HOURS:
Thursday–Friday: 12PM–4PM
Saturday: 11AM–5PM
Closed Sun–Wed
🎨 On View: Visit “Act On It! Artists, Community, and the Brockman Gallery in Los Angeles” through January 18, 2026. “Ofelia Esparza: A Retrospective” is on view through April 18, 2026.
Photo by @dianafeil_photography.
On this #ChristmasEve, we`re highlighting "Mama Lupe`s Last Nacimiento," originally created in 1990. From the 1940s through 1990, Ofelia Esparza`s mother, Mama Lupe, created Nacimientos, or Nativity scenes, in their East Los Angeles home. A cherished tradition for both the family and neighboring community, Mama Lupe`s nacimientos were often built with the help of her children and grandchildren.
For the exhibition "Ofelia Esparza: A Retrospective," Ofelia’s daughters, sons, and grandchildren came together to bring multiple altars to life, including the Nacimiento—a living testament to family tradition, creativity, and unity.
This recreated altar features key elements from Mama Lupe’s original design: ornamental figurines, the central scene of Joseph and Mary, a Christmas tree, a hand-painted backdrop, and more.
We wish everyone a happy holiday season!
Photos by Paul Salveson.
HOLIDAY CLOSURE + NEW HOURS ❄️ In observance of the winter holidays, VPAM will be closed Tuesday, December 23, 2025 through Wednesday, January 7, 2026.
We will re-open Thursday, January 8, 2026. Please note our NEW WINTER HOURS:
Thursday–Friday: 12PM–4PM
Saturday: 11AM–5PM
Closed Sun–Wed
VPAM`s staff wishes you a great end-of-year!
Pictured here: An installation view of "Act On It! Artists, Community, and the Brockman Gallery in Los Angeles," on view through January 18, 2026. Photo by @monicaorozcophotography.
DonatE
The Vincent Price Art Museum is a cherished educational and cultural resource for local residents, students, artists, and arts supporters. When you donate to the VPAM Foundation, our fundraising organization, you join a community of supporters who are passionate about sustaining a dynamic museum that is making a transformative impact in the arts.
IN THE NEWS
December 3, 2025
See Ofelia Esparza’s dazzling altars at VPAM
KCRW
November 5, 2025
For Ofelia Esparza, ‘It’s always been about community.’ Now East LA pays tribute to her legacy
Boyle Heights Beat
November 5, 2025
At 93 years old, LA artist who helped popularize Day of the Dead gets her first solo show
LAist
STAY VPAM INFORMED!
Our monthly newsletter is a great resource for all VPAM happenings including exhibitions, free programming and more.
All exhibitions are underwritten by the Vincent Price Art Museum Foundation and East Los Angeles College.
Cover Photo credit: Monica Orozco.