Art Weekend LA to launch in late January

There's a new downtown art walk on the scene. It's called Art Weekend LA and is conceived as a quarterly event by a crew of gallery owners and art fans who believe that Downtown Art Walk no longer serves the needs of the galleries. Rather than drawing a party-centric crowd (like Art Walk, which now attracts close to 20,000 visitors each month) Art Weekend is trying to appeal to art fans who want to spend time perusing galleries in depth and are interested in purchasing works of art.

The inaugural event in scheduled for Jan. 22 and 23 from noon to 6 p.m. On Saturday, shuttles will run continuously between five stops featuring 16 galleries. On Sunday, the galleries will keep the same hours but shuttles won't be provided since there is plentiful free parking on that day.

If all goes well, those in charge of the new event -- gallery owner Edgar Varela and and former Downtown Art walk executive director Jay Lopez -- hope to expand it to include Culver City, Santa Monica and Venice.

To read the full story, click here.

--Jessica Gelt

Art Weekend LA logo courtesy of Edgar Varela

Comments

[GleasonsShrink]

As far as I can tell, the only plan, the only incentive, these galleries are using to entice collectors to these ill-conceived Art Weekends is some kind of free shuttle service between galleries? Trust me, if there are any art collectors out there who have any money left, they are either buying art in New York, at Art Basel, or at auction. Giving millionaire limo-riders a free shuttle service between places they already know or those they would never set foot in anyway because they're irrelevant, is wishful thinking. The opening night parties with Two-Buck Chuck is still the best way to get people browsing. Real buyers would never be caught dead participating in some staged Art Weekend.

[mike]

Hey Gleason lighten up the only incentive isn't two buck chuck. The incentive is rebranding and refocusing creating a weekend and central place (i.e the website) that will create a focus on the quality, focused art that is already there and away from the free for all of the monthly art walk that is now giving the art scene in downtown its reputation.

Its a logical ground roots first step and really the only kind that will work in the long run. Not everyone has to be a buyer for the idea to work just an art enthusiast. If the galleries get on the same page there is no reason in the world why this wouldn't work. In fact the galleries would be absolutely stupid not to try and take control of their collective image which right now is awful.

Why not stop being such a negative a-hole and provide some IDEAS instead of coded ill wishes

[GleasonsShrink]

Hey Mike, if the whole purpose of this endeavor is to get art collectors and investors to spend money on art and keep these galleries in business, just getting people enthused to visit the area is a waste of time. If a rich person wants to buy a status car, they know to hit the BMW, Lexus or Mercedes dealers -- sprucing up the shuttle service between Chevy and Kia dealers in an off-the-beaten path location aren't going to boost sales. Increase the quality and you increase sales, not putting lipstick on a pig.

[mike]

Gleason i would say "just getting people enthused" (and aware) is a smart first step if the area became known known as the destination for Chevy and Kia of art that would be about 100 times better than the crappy used car lot of art that its known as now. I agree that the art in DT is mostly serviceable at best but modest, realistic goals are better than no goals plus there is no reason why the area couldn't attract a few cool upstarts the rent is cheap. The gallery has had several strong programs dispersed in the area over the years, Bank, Desoto. Also there are great spaces all over the city that don't revolve around Culver city. Machine Project, The Outpost no reason why DT couldnt be much better it should be.