A new mobile app called ArtWrld, founded by Josh Goldblum (CEO of Bluecadet), has launched to improve access to the Los Angeles and New York art scenes. The app provides up-to-date listings of gallery shows, museum exhibitions, talks, and events, allowing users to search by date, view editors' picks, and save shows on Google Maps. It aims to be "the AllTrails for art," making great shows more accessible and providing context for newcomers. Other projects filling the gap in local art coverage include Shana Nys Dambrot's newsletter "13 Things LA" on Substack and the anonymous Instagram account Diva Corp USA, which offers artist-on-artist criticism.
These initiatives matter because traditional arts coverage in Southern California and beyond has been cut back or eliminated entirely, leaving a void in discovery and critical dialogue. By offering user-friendly tools and independent platforms, they help smaller, artist-run spaces gain visibility and make the art world less insular. The success of these projects—ArtWrld gained over 500 users in its first week—highlights a growing demand for accessible, community-driven art resources that bypass legacy media constraints.