The event I’ve chosen for this week is so spectacular that I’m giving you a week’s advanced notice. I love art, I love things that are free, and I especially love when the two combine. And that is exactly what the downtown Los Angeles Art Walk does — but on a massive scale.
The second Thursday of every month, close to forty art galleries located in the vicinity of Downtown Los Angeles open their doors to the art community for a free art walk.
The art walk was started in 2004 by a grassroots art community in an attempt to bring a flourishing art culture to the heart of Los Angeles. Although the event originally only consisted of a few innovative galleries trying to increase their public presence, it has turned into a thriving and vibrant monthly event in which thousands of locals and visitors alike crowd the streets around Gallery Row.
Most of the art galleries showcase contemporary and modern art, though much of it pushes the bound of traditional categories of art and is therefore hard to categorize. I recommend you simply check it out for yourself. The large number of galleries may be intimidating at first, so for first time visitors I would recommend picking out a few to visit and then expanding to more once you have decided on what you like best. A list of galleries featured each month is available online with links to their Web sites.
In addition to the traditional galleries, the art walk also features The Salon, which, like the French literary and philosophical salons of centuries past, is a place for the art-minded to gather, exchange ideas and discuss art. The discussion topic of The Salon changes each month and this month’s topic is still being decided on, so check the Web site for updates. Admission to The Salon is also free and will be held at Clifton’s Cafeteria, an offbeat hip restaurant that has been open for decades.
The Spring Arcade is another highlight of the art walk. This historic building (built in 1923) showcases free music, art performances and live projection art — a new and living approach to art. The building is located off of 5th street and 6th street, near Biola’s original campus, and is open to art-walkers from 8-11 p.m.
Because each of the galleries set their own hours, there are no specific hours for the art walk so you must check the hours of specific galleries you want to visit. However, there are general times to visit depending on what you want to see. According to the art walk’s Web site, the streets will be the most crowded from around 7-11 p.m.. If you want to avoid the crowds, try to come between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. If you plan on participating in The Salon, visit between 5:30 p.m. and 7 p.m.
There are also free walking tours available between 6:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. Reservations for these can be made online a few days before the actual walk. Also, a few days before the event, be sure to download a map of all the galleries so you can adeptly navigate all the artistic creations.
Parking for the event varies greatly so it is difficult to put a price on it. Be sure to bring about $5 in case free parking on the side streets is not available.
The Web site for art walk is www.downtownartwalk.com and I would suggest browsing the sight and familiarizing yourself with the event and location before actually heading out to see the art.
