In memory of Larry T. Baza
In late February of this year, the realm of California arts and culture lost a bright light: Lifelong cultural leader, arts advocate, and social activist Larry T. Baza passed away at the age of 76 due to COVID-19.
After four years as a thoughtful, steadfast member of the California Arts Council, Baza was elected in December of 2020 to serve as Chair of the state arts agency, in a unanimous decision made by his Council peers. He presided over the Arts Council’s public meeting for the first and only time as Chair on January 26, 2021 — a role and honor that he was immensely proud of as the culmination of his career of service in the arts.
Baza was an exemplary public servant and a leader in the arts field, but more than that, he was a fierce egalitarian, an inspirational mentor, a true friend, and an indelible part of our CAC family.
We join countless community members from across the San Diego region, the state, and the nation in celebrating Larry Baza’s life. We dedicate this inaugural issue of DREAM magazine in his honor, as a tribute to the lasting legacy of his caring, passion, dedication, kindness, and generosity he shared with all who knew him.
“I first met my friend Larry Baza at a performance presented by Sushi Gallery, San Diego’spremier performance art venue in the mid–’80s, where he served as Associate Director. I was a few years into directing the La Jolla Museum of Contemporary Art (now Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego) and we immediately talked with ease as he was open, intelligent, and knowledgeable about art, and a proud San Diegan.
“In 1990, Larry took over as Executive Director of the vital Centro Cultural De La Raza, which he led brilliantly for the next decade. We at the Museum of Contemporary Art had similarly been following, exhibiting, and collecting art of the border region for some years, and in 1992 had received a grant from the NEA to support a major traveling exhibition. Members of the Border Art Workshop / Taller De La Frontera, which was based in the Centro, discovered that we had cited Centro artist and BAW / TAF founder Guillermo Gómez-Peña’s writings in our grant application and justifiably insisted that we share the grant and the exhibition. After a highly contentious meeting at the Centro, Larry and I subsequently and constructively worked out that the two institutions would co-curate, co-present and co-travel the exhibition. The result was a far better exhibition which drew large audiences to both venues, a more scholarly, bilingual catalogue, and a robust itinerary. For me, it was a great lesson in humility and developed into a successful collaboration between two dissimilar institutions with vastly different venues, staff sizes, and financial resources.
“This unlikely partnership cemented a lasting friendship with my Latino mentor, who went on to lead our art community in so many important and generous ways, culminating in his chairing the California Arts Council. I miss him greatly.”
Dr. Hugh M. Davies
Director Emeritus
Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego
“How to describe Larry Baza in a few words? He was a role model, a fighter, and the leader of many causes, always seeking justice and inclusion into progressive politics, LGBTQ rights, support for the cultural world in San Diego and beyond; and most of all a loving and kind human being.
“Larry’s beautiful smile greeted me every time we met at Noel-Baza Fine Art gallery, where he and Tom, his wonderful husband, showed and promoted local San Diegan artists. He used to say, “Hola bella,” and we spent endless hours talking about our families and heritage from Mexico. I could confide in him personal issues; no matter the difficult times, he was able to find the luminous spot towards hope. We seasoned our conversations with “bad” words in Spanish, laughing like little mischievous children.
“His life commitment to make our society better, more just, and inclusive was and is a gift for all of us. Following his steps and example is the best way to honor Larry.
“His enormous and strong legacy will prevail. I thank him for having granted us so much; for giving me faith and hope in humanity.
“Thank you, dearest friend, you and your unique smile will always live in my heart.”
Marianela de la Hoz
Artist
“Larry Baza was a fierce activist for LGBTQ+ rights and a lifelong advocate for the arts in San Diego. It is with great sadness that we mourn his passing, but it is also an honor to remember his legacy. Larry was integral to the work of our community and a gentle but impassioned trailblazer who prioritized serving others. My heart goes out to his partner, Tom Noel, and their family, but I am grateful for the way his story lives on with them.
“His love for visual arts started when he attended San Diego High School. He shared that passion with countless others through his service on the California Arts Council.
“This native San Diegan showed us how to follow our passions while serving our community. We mourn a part of our history with his passing. However, we must also carry a responsibility to remember what he accomplished and celebrate the strides he made to help others.
“Larry, thank you for your passion and dedication to those around you, and for a life spent in service to this City. We will not soon forget the ways you made an impact on all of us.”
Office of Mayor Todd Gloria
City of San Diego
“Larry Baza was a profoundly humanizing presence in the art community of San Diego.
“For several decades, Larry championed numerous artists, he encouraged us to persevere, he was enthusiastic about our work, he delighted in our success, he showed up for events, exhibitions, panels, celebrations. He was tireless about contributing to the idea that art and community are essential for a vibrant society. Deep within the heartbreak of the loss of this gentle giant, we find strength in the constancy of his advocacy, in the wide breadth of his influence.
“I am fortunate to be one of the many beneficiaries of Larry’s radiance. He recognized in me a potential for growth and confidence before I saw it myself. He challenged me when I most needed it, and he was generous in his continued interest in what I was doing. Larry exemplified a keen sense of pride in his own work and he did it with a certain verve, a specific thrill emanated from him when he was amongst artists. It was enough to have been in his orbit. He taught me that blending joy and hard work can be sustained, and for that I will always be grateful.”
Bhavna Mehta
Artist
“Over the many years that we were friends, neighbors, and fellow community activists, Larry mentored hundreds of individual artists and community leaders throughout the region. He worked for the arts and social justice from the center — the inside — always pushing and guiding every progressive initiative. He helped shape the cultural landscape of our local communities, our city, and our entire state. You may not have known him, but you have felt his impact and have benefited from his advocacy and activism.
“Larry was a humanitarian and civic leader who believed that artists and local cultural organizations are our most important community resources. He was committed to supporting all of us and worked continually to bring focus, advocacy and support to our neighborhoods. I trust we can honor him best by continuing his work and commit to building strong and vibrant cultural communities with equitable support of the arts and of artists throughout California. As Larry said to me once, with his knowing and radiant smile, ‘We still have much more work to do.’”
Lynn Susholtz
Artist / Founder, Art Produce
“First things first — Larry Baza was an artist — a theater artist. He lived a life that in itself was a work of art. Larry led his people with a theater artist’s polish, grace, and poetic speech. The collaborative service he performed, his visionary discernment, and his capacity for connection inspired and nurtured generations of artists and activists. He was generous with his laughter, but one of the most serious persons I have ever known. These gifts uplifted and enlightened our community. As a colleague, he taught that we were “bridgers,” an idea now embodied in the ideas of “intersectionality” and “allyship.” The choice to be a community artist is now understood as “social practice,” valued and dignified in the contemporary art world. Street theater, as Larry practiced it, was gritty, tireless, and ecstatic. He engaged the cast of characters in a fluid way. He flowed easily, and in the moment. He would build the confidence of a fledgling performer, electrify the larger group, and then confidently guide our improvisations. Now we can continue our lives as works of art, for ourselves and on his behalf. Larry’s absence will become a portal to illuminate the dark places where we sometimes find ourselves. He will always be with us, just playing a different role.”
Cindy Zimmerman
Artist, educator and activist
DREAM is California’s newest arts and culture magazine, published by the California Arts Council, the state’s arts agency.
The annual publication features voices and stories from across the state, sharing a glimpse into the depth of impact of creativity and cultural expression in a region as large and diverse as California. The premier issue explores what it means to dream, introducing artists and culture bearers from communities throughout the state.
Visit www.arts.ca.gov/dream for more information.
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