The Hollywood Bowl, renowned for its world-class performances and picturesque natural setting, is not just a musical sanctuary but also a pioneering example of a public–private partnership in the arts—a model that has inspired similar ventures across the United States, including The Music Center in Downtown Los Angeles, The Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., and Lincoln Center in New York.
The story of the Hollywood Bowl began in the early 1920s, when Los Angeles was a young but rapidly expanding city. Eager to build a welcoming community gathering place, the Hollywood Bowl’s founders inaugurated the first summerlong, outdoor symphonic concert series in the world in 1922. They believed that if they charged only 25 cents for a ticket, people would come en masse, night after night—and they were right.
By 1923, the mortgage on the land had been completely paid off. In a triumphant moment, the Bowl’s indomitable founder Artie Mason Carter set fire to the mortgage papers onstage, proclaiming: “We, the People Own the Bowl!” One year later, in October 1924, the Bowl’s founders deeded the property to the County of Los Angeles, ensuring that they always would.
We, the People Own the Bowl!
Since its gifting in 1924, the relationship between the Hollywood Bowl and the County of Los Angeles has flourished, creating a mutually beneficial partnership. In 1959, the Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation assumed ownership and operational control of the Bowl, with the LA Phil managing its programming. This arrangement has allowed the Bowl to thrive as an 88-acre public park, open from sunrise to sunset every day, where urban wildlife and native plants coexist with cultural landmarks and performance and gathering spaces.
The Hollywood Bowl’s success owes much to the support of Los Angeles County Supervisors over the last century. John Anson Ford, a pivotal figure in the 1930s and 1940s, worked tirelessly to secure funding and legal changes that allowed for public investment in the arts. Ford’s legacy was continued by subsequent supervisors including Ernest Debs, Edmund Edelman, Zev Yaroslavsky, Sheila Kuehl, and, today, Supervisors Lindsey P. Horvath, Hilda L. Solis, Holly J. Mitchell, Janice K. Hahn, and Kathryn Barger. These leaders have championed the Bowl, cementing its status as a place of civic pride for Angelenos and a beacon of cultural excellence for the world.
The continuous support from the County of Los Angeles has ensured that every summer season brings enhancements to the Bowl’s grounds, improving the experience for artists and audiences alike. While the Bowl’s numerous remodels and renovations have kept the venue feeling fresh and state-of-the-art, they also had made it difficult to meet the criteria for designation on the National Register of Historic Places—an important distinction that would secure the Bowl’s status and continued preservation.
Listen to the First 100 Years podcast to learn more about the handful of Bowl champions who have been recognized with a space named after them on the grounds.
Working together, in 2004 the County and the LA Phil developed the Hollywood Bowl’s first Design Guidelines, which ensure that all development at the venue adheres to a cohesive aesthetic inspired by the iconic sculpture and 1940 Works Progress Administration project Muse of Music, Dance, Drama by George Stanley.
Stanley’s design embodies the Streamline Moderne style of Hollywood’s Golden Age. As such, the Bowl’s design philosophy emphasizes simplicity and elegance—horizontal lines, circles, repetition, and indirect lighting—creating a balance between honoring the Bowl’s historical roots and embracing modernity.
As a result of these concerted efforts, in December 2023 the Bowl was listed for the first time on the National Register of Historic Places, marking the culmination of decades of advocacy and investment.
In all senses, the Hollywood Bowl is a hybrid—public and private, natural and developed, classic and modern. Yet it remains a constant: a cherished space that sets the standard for outdoor arts and culture spaces across the country. On behalf of all of us at the LA Phil and the County of Los Angeles, we hope you enjoy this historic venue and remind you that—for now and forever—the Hollywood Bowl belongs to you!