Compound, the forward-thinking nonprofit that blended art, community wellness, and food with its restaurant Union, has closed, effective immediately. Founder and leader Megan Tagliaferri said a “series of financial events and lack of nonprofit funding grants coming in” were the main components of its demise. This also follows plans for the organization’s first big fundraising gala, IN/sight, set to take place on Sept. 13.
In a formal statement, Megan noted, “I birthed the vision of Compound back in 2013, with a deep yearning to bring greater healing, transformation and personal growth to individuals living a human experience. We officially launched in 2020, during one of the most trying times in human history… We will make sure our artists’ work is placed in other art spaces to further their careers.”
This is not the organization’s first battle with closure. Following a 2021 round of layoffs that put the space in a precarious position, it eventually weathered itself out. However, this time, the closure is far more permanent.
“It was an extremely hard decision to make,” said representative Vanessa Kanegai. “But with the drastic cuts at the federal level in arts and culture—especially for non-profits—mixed with fewer grants, it was proving to be an uphill battle we couldn’t climb.”
Compound was an innovative project—despite its success or lack thereof due to mismanagement.
Compound is now closed, but for the time it existed, it stood as one of Long Beach’s boldest experiments: a nonprofit cultural complex where contemporary art, wellness, dining, and live music converged. And with a newly minted executive director under January Parkos Arnall and a slew of solid, beautiful exhibitions, Compound looked like it was on its way to steadiness and greatness.
Housed in a pair of Art Deco warehouses in the Zaferia district, the venue embodied a new approach to gathering. Imagine art exhibitions rubbing shoulders with barefoot yoga in a courtyard. Sound‑bath meditation under sculptures. Intimate meals at Union. And creative workshops—all under one inclusive roof. What it attempted was not merely about programming; it was about renewing Long Beach’s cultural landscape with something both unexpected and deeply communal.
The loss of Compound is little but that: a loss. For Long Beach. For art. And for future investment.
What made Compound especially noteworthy was not just its ambition but its approach. Backed by a serious philanthropic investment—transforming underused architecture into a 15,000‑square‑foot “cultural sanctuary” with exhibitions, wellness events, and food equity programming—it walked the line between boldness and sincerity.
The idea was to create a space that didn’t just host events, but nurtured transformation: giving local artists room to dream, wellness practitioners a gathering place, and neighbors an accessible platform for dialogue and connection. Whether that was executed rationally remains a different question, as this situation feels immediately echo-y of the organization’s 2021 situation, where multiple community partners and former employees decried a lack of transparency about operations. And that very well could send an awful message about uplifting and financially backing Long Beach’s art scene. And that is: don’t.
In giving way—its closure owed in part to the complex funding challenges that non-profits face, particularly in the wake of the pandemic—Compound nonetheless leaves a legacy worth honoring. It served as a reminder that Long Beach is a place ready for ambitious cultural reinvention, and that investing seriously in the arts, community, and creative collision is both necessary and radical. Its absence now feels like a call to future would-be patrons: this city deserves more spaces with that level of vision, generosity, and cultural pride.
