The city of Los Angeles hosted its fifth annual Robert Vargas Day celebration on Saturday, bringing together community members, local artists, and youth for a free arts festival at Robert Vargas Square, according to coverage by KTLA. Held at the intersection of 1st and State streets in Boyle Heights, the event served as a platform for Angeleno muralist Robert Vargas to connect young people with established creatives.
Celebrating Angeleno Murals at Robert Vargas Square
The annual celebration honors the contributions of Robert Vargas, a Boyle Heights native renowned for his large-scale murals. According to KTLA, city officials originally designated Robert Vargas Day to coincide with the birthday of the artist’s father on September 8. Additionally, Los Angeles County recognizes January 24 as Robert Vargas Day in honor of his mother’s birthday. Speaking to KTLA on Saturday morning, Vargas emphasized his commitment to his roots. “I’m using my day as a platform to be able to give back and pay it forward to the next generation, and to really make this intersection — Robert Vargas Square at 1st and State streets — a destination for the arts,” he said.
Community Engagement and Youth Art Initiatives
The gathering aimed to inspire school-aged children to pursue creative passions. Offering advice to young aspiring artists, Vargas recommended keeping a physical sketchbook. “Sketchbooks are like the gateway to imagination,” Vargas told KTLA during the weekend broadcast. “Having a sketchbook in hand to either get your ideas out [whether] you’re writing as a journal or making actual drawings. I think it’s so important for kids’ creative health; we should all have a sketchbook within arm’s reach to just sketch and draw.”
Special Guest Appearances and New Artwork
The festivities drew notable figures from the entertainment industry, including Black Eyed Peas member and Los Angeles native Taboo, who arrived to support the local artist. “It’s an honor to be here with my brother who has done a lot of great work … and is representing East Los Angeles at its finest,” Taboo said, according to Yahoo. The celebration also coincided with the recent unveiling of Vargas’s new Los Angeles Chargers-themed mural, titled “The Storm Is Coming,” located on the side of the DoubleTree Torrance hotel.
Related reading