Lakers Launch ‘In The Paint’ Art Program To Recognize And Support BIPOC Community

Matt Peralta
3 Min Read
Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports

In partnership with Charly Palmer, the Los Angeles Lakers have launched “In The Paint,” a competitive fine art program focused on recognizing and supporting the BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) community in Los Angeles.

Palmer, a world-renowned fine artist, will team up with a panel of three judges to select 15 artists of color who will be tasked with creating original pieces of work to be showcased at the inaugural 2022 “In The Paint” Art Exhibition held at the Lakers’ UCLA Health Training Center. Proceeds from the event will go toward the Contributing Artists and support the growth and development of In The Paint initiatives.

In addition to the showcase, Charly and the panelists will also select 10 local BIPOC artists to receive grants in order to support their artistry as well as mentorship opportunities with Charly. In total, 25 BIPOC artists stand to directly benefit from the program in 2022.

Lakers President of Business Operations Tim Harris believes the “In the Paint” program is a good step for the franchise to take to support the BIPOC artists in the city.

“We recognized that we needed to do more to support and shine a spotlight on all the amazing BIPOC artists in our local community,” said Harris. “The In The Paint program will not only highlight the works of these talented artists but also provide them with the necessary tools, as well as mentorship, needed in order to succeed.”

“In the Paint” is a Lakers organization initiative stemming from their six-point Racial Equity Action Plan, a plan to address racial justice and equity. Artists can submit their work and grantees can apply on the Lakers website with submissions due by July 31.

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Los Angeles is home to numerous talented artists and Jonas Never is one that caught the attention of many after he unveiled his mural commemorating “Space Jam: A New Legacy” starring Lakers superstar LeBron James. The mural is located in Venice Beach and depicts James alongside iconic Looney Tunes characters such as Bugs Bunny, Lola Bunny, Daffy Duck, and Tweety.

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Matt was born and raised in Long Beach, Calif. and is a lifelong Lakers fan. Because of his love for basketball and the Lakers, Matt successfully pursued a degree in journalism at California State University, Long Beach (#GoBeach) and is now a Staff Writer for LakersNation.com. He is also a Staff Writer for RamsNewsWire.com and RaidersNewsWire.com. Contact: mattp@mediumlargela.com Twitter: @_MatthewPeralta Instagram: @matthewperalta