21 venues · 101 upcoming events
Things to do in DTLA & Arts District: free events and every venue
Every place we list events for, grouped by neighbourhood. Each venue page shows what’s coming up (recurring shows on their next date), what we’ve listed there before, the address, Metro rail and bus and what’s nearby — checked by a person, not a crawler.
Free in DTLA & Arts District this week
3 free events in the next seven days, soonest first. Free means the venue prints it as free; a few still ask you to register.
- Gloria Molina Grand Park
SAT, OCT 24Downtown Día de los Muertos Ofrenda ExhibitionGloria Molina Grand ParkFree · no ticket necessaryDetails → - Gloria Molina Grand Park
SAT, OCT 24Downtown Día de los Muertos Opening CelebrationGloria Molina Grand ParkFREE RSVPDetails → - Los Angeles Central Library
SUN, OCT 25Celebrating DiwaliLos Angeles Central Libraryfree and open to everyoneDetails →
DTLA & Arts District
- Clay CA
Clay CA9 upcomingChinatownChinatown ceramics studio running beginner wheel nights, figurative handbuilding courses and seasonal pit firings.See what's on → - Colectivo Cihuateotl
Colectivo Cihuateotl Centro Cultural1 upcomingCity TerraceCommunity-run cultural center in City Terrace offering screen printing and other art and wellness workshops for BIPOC and queer communities.See what's on →
- Collab MakerSpaceCollab MakerSpace0 pastLincoln HeightsMembership wood and metal shop with low-cost two-hour intros to woodworking, welding, laser cutting and CNC routing.See what's on →
- El PuebloEl Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical Monument0 pastOlvera StreetThe historic plaza and Olvera Street marketplace, home to traditional celebrations such as Las Posadas, Día de los Muertos and the Blessing of the Animals.See what's on →
- Element
Element Art Center24 upcomingChinatownMulti-craft workshop space on North Broadway where one evening might be wheel throwing and the next stained glass, spoon carving or mosaic.See what's on → - FlowerSchool LA
FlowerSchool Los Angeles4 upcomingDowntown LADowntown floral arts school running two-hour hands-on classes in seasonal arranging, centerpieces and holiday wreaths.See what's on → - Grand ParkGloria Molina Grand Park3 upcomingCivic CenterTwelve-acre civic park stretching from the Music Center to City Hall that stages free festivals, concerts and the downtown Día de los Muertos gathering.See what's on →
- ICA LA
Institute of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles6 upcomingArts DistrictNon-collecting contemporary art space in the industrial east side of downtown, with exhibition openings, readings and evening performances.See what's on →
- JANMJapanese American National Museum3 upcomingLittle TokyoLittle Tokyo museum of the Japanese American experience with talks, film screenings and book programs; its pavilion is slated to reopen in January 2027.See what's on →
- Tactile Lab
LA Tactile Lab5 upcomingFashion DistrictFashion District fiber studio offering multi-day courses in floor-loom and tapestry weaving, quilting, punch needle, basketry and other textile crafts.See what's on → - LA Woodshop
LA Woodshop6 upcomingFashion DistrictFull-day woodworking and lathe-turning courses in a shared shop south of downtown, from intro joinery to turning your own bowl or lamp.See what's on → - LAPL Central
Los Angeles Central Library3 upcomingFinancial DistrictThe flagship of the LA Public Library system, hosting free author talks, art and architecture tours and citywide reading programs.See what's on → - LA ConservancyLos Angeles Conservancy0 pastFinancial DistrictPreservation nonprofit leading weekly docent walking tours of downtown's Art Deco towers, Broadway theaters and Union Station.See what's on →
- MOCAMOCA Grand Avenue10 upcomingBunker HillDowntown's contemporary art museum, with monthly DTLA ArtNight evenings, talking tours and artist conversations; its Geffen Contemporary space hosts performances in Little Tokyo.See what's on →
- Self Help GraphicsSelf Help Graphics & Art1 upcomingBoyle HeightsLandmark Chicanx/Latinx printmaking center known for its open print studio, family art Saturdays and the city's longest-running Día de los Muertos celebration.See what's on →
- Still Life
Still Life Ceramics DTLA2 upcomingArts DistrictArts District clay studio with wheel and handbuilding classes, guest-artist workshops and a monthly queer clay meetup.See what's on → - The Broad
The Broad2 upcomingBunker HillFree-admission contemporary art museum on Grand Avenue that also hosts community markets, performances and late programs.See what's on → - House of Clay
The House of Clay LA6 upcomingFashion DistrictA Fashion District studio in the L.A. Cornell Building teaching short beginner hand-building workshops (matcha bowls, ramen bowls, tiny foods), kintsugi repair, silver rings and a four-week intro to pottery.See what's on → - IAO
The Institute for Art and Olfaction11 upcomingChinatownChinatown nonprofit scent lab that teaches hands-on perfume blending, accord-building and smelling sessions around its perfume organ.See what's on → - Wan Sewing
The Wan Sewing Studios5 upcomingHistoric CoreBroadway sewing school running three-week beginner bootcamps plus pattern-making, tailoring and upcycling classes.See what's on → - Throw ClayThrow Clay LA0 pastSouth ParkLate-hours downtown pottery studio offering one-time wheel sessions, six-week beginner courses and memberships.See what's on →