Art and Design thrive in Long Beach.

The DTLB Art + Design Walk has become a vital component of the emerging Design District. This quarterly event aimed at cultivating a vibrant creative hub and making art  design accessible for everyone. 

By integrating live music, performances, and artist vendors, the Art + Design Walk creates a lively and interactive atmosphere that fosters community engagement. We collaborate with the DTLB Alliance (the local Business Improvement District), to foster connections within the art and design community and producing art activations in various public and private spaces throughout downtown. Each Art + Design Walk is different offering unique perspectives of the Downtown and encouraging visitors to explore and enjoy the neighborhood.

Where global art meets local culture

Produced by Creative Class Collective, Long Beach Walls is part of the Worldwide Walls series, bringing large-scale murals and installations to the city since 2015. With over 140 murals across 40 square miles, the festival has transformed Long Beach into a vibrant, walkable outdoor gallery, attracting cultural influencers from across LA and beyond.

While murals are the highlight, Long Beach Walls also features exhibitions, artist talks, workshops, block parties, and concerts. Art Renzei adds a contemporary touch, blending nature with the man-made through unique public art installations that encourage viewers to see the city in a new light.

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Where Design Breathes, Moves, and Imagines the Future

The Immersive Design Research Lab (IDRL) is a new 14,000-square-foot research space at the Mosaic Promenade in Downtown Long Beach, dedicated to creative experimentation at the intersection of design, art, and lived experience. Within this raw urban site, the Lab hosts its signature program, Design Happenings, a series of participatory, “experience-first” engagements inspired by the radical performance art Happenings of the 1950s and ’60s and re-envisioned as advanced design methods.

In each Design Happening, visitors are not just observers but collaborators, moving through spaces, pausing for encounters, and navigating the in-between (間 Ma) of embodied experience. From sensing materiality and immateriality to thinking through touch, sound, and movement, these happenings unfold as design in action, creating moments of wonder that double as content for future worlds. Together, the IDRL and its Design Happenings form a living research platform for exploring how design can help us imagine and shape complex futures.

Where innovation and collaboration drive creative culture forward.

For two decades, Unexpected Connections has united forward-thinking individuals from diverse industries to drive positive change through conversations on planning, creative culture, public art, and economic viability. The latest event, hosted by Intertrend Labs and the Long Beach Economic Partnership, themed “Catalyzing the Creative Economy,” took place at the Long Beach Convention Center. Influential speakers, urban planners, designers, and architects shared insights to fuel the creative economy and ensure Long Beach’s long-term vitality. Unexpected Connections brings together inventive minds to spark meaningful dialogue and ideas, propelling creative culture to new heights.

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Where Learning Meets Local Impact

Led by Intertrend, the Community Design Collaborative brings together students, educators, and professionals to reimagine local spaces through the power of design. The inaugural project, a partnership with beloved neighborhood café DoLy’s, connects Intertrend’s creative team with CSULB design students and faculty to refresh the brand, interior, and digital identity of the store. Over six weeks, students gain hands-on experience through research, design development, and client feedback — bridging classroom learning with real-world application. The collaboration not only supports a local small business but also strengthens the creative fabric of the Design District, showcasing how education and community can work hand-in-hand to shape a more vibrant Long Beach.

Shaping tomorrows urban leaders

The City of Long Beach’s Urban Planning and Design Internship Program, launched in 2024, offers college students a hands-on opportunity to explore careers in urban planning and civic design. In its inaugural year, the program provided real-world experience through workshops, mentorships, and projects with public, private, and nonprofit organizations. The program will continue in 2025 and 2026, offering paid internships at locations including the City’s Community Development Department, as well as with private sector firms like Studio One Eleven and City Fabrick. Interns will gain valuable experience in urban planning and community engagement, learning to address local challenges and contribute to building vibrant, sustainable neighborhoods.

Educating Young Minds to Design the Future

The LBPL Creativity Lab at the Billie Jean King Main Library, now in its third year within the Downtown Long Beach Design District, nurtures middle school youth through explorations of art, design, and civic engagement. Students learn about Design Thinking, a human-centered design process that fosters creative solutions and innovative problem-solving, by engaging in hands-on activities and exploring real-world challenges. Through inspiring field trips to design destinations like City Hall, Studio One Eleven, and Intertrend, and working with innovative technology, students gain invaluable experiences that empower them to tackle complex issues together. The program culminates in a student showcase, highlighting their innovative solutions. The Creativity Lab fosters creativity, critical thinking, and a strong sense of community, offering year-round opportunities for young people to grow and connect with the world around them. Together, we are cultivating a creative and connected community.