bardoLA is a Los Angeles-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit arts organization dedicated to advancing international dialogue in arts and culture. Through exhibitions, performances, and cross-disciplinary collaborations, the organization works to erase borders—geographic, political, and cultural—by fostering creative exchange and mutual understanding.
bardoLA supports projects that amplify underrepresented voices, challenge dominant narratives, and highlight shared human experiences that transcend language and nationality. The organization is grounded in the belief that art can connect communities, promote empathy, and serve as a powerful tool for cross-cultural bridge-building.
The organization draws inspiration from the Tibetan Buddhist concept of bardo, the astral state between two lives on Earth. At its core, bardo represents a space of transformation—both exhilarating and challenging—offering an opportunity for growth. bardoLA’s work across artistic mediums reflects this idea of the in-between space by producing projects that foster creative risk-taking, support international artistic collaboration, and encourage innovation driven by curiosity and a sense of wonder.
bardoLA has realized projects across the globe, from the California desert to the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt, and is the only California-based nonprofit to have presented three official Collateral Events at La Biennale di Venezia, Biennale Arte (2015, 2019, 2022) in Venice, Italy.
bardoLA, while based in Los Angeles and dedicated to supporting our city's vibrant creative community, is not attached to any traditional exhibition space, striving instead to remain fluid and open to change, and thus free to move and manifest in diverse environments.
bardoLA was born on the summer solstice, June 21, 2014.
While our work manifests across the globe, we are headquartered on the unceded lands of the Fernandeño Tataviam, Chumash and Gabrielino Tongva peoples. We honor their ancestors and offer our gratitude for their continued stewardship of the lands and waters colonially known as Los Angeles.
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