Get Your Art Fix with Venice Art Week

7:29am

BY MELANIE CAMP

Venice Art Week Kicks off next Sunday, May 15. For the first time ever some of the most loved art events in Venice; ARTBLOCK, The Venice Art Crawl, and Venice Family Clinic’s Venice Art Walk & Auctions, will all take place in the same week.

From free events to charity fundraisers that have a powerful impact on the community, Yo! Venice has the lowdown on everything an art lover needs to know…

On Sunday May 15 the sixth Venice ART- BLOCK Open Studios will run all day from 11am- 6pm.

It is a free event that showcases the art and artists that make up the soul of Venice. Providing a glimpse into established studios and emerging artist spaces.

Centered in the Oakwood neighborhood and along Abbott Kinney Boulevard, ARTBLOCK, “calls attention to the vitality and importance of the arts in Venice and the diverse art district that is undergoing rapid change,” said ARTBLOCK’s Francisco Letelier.

There will be around 70 venues and many more artists. With studios like 1003 Art Gallery and Lounge, Weir-Quiton Studios, and Letelier Studio, Letelier said ARTBLOCK 2016 will emphasize new forms of access to the arts and invites everybody, at any age, to join in the many arts activities and work- shops along the route.

The event is a grantee of the Arts Activation Fund. Created by Los Angeles City Mayor Eric Garcetti the fund supports projects that benefit the creative community of Los Angeles.

ARTBLOCK maps can be found online at veniceartblock.com or picked up on the night from any of the studios along the route. Yellow flags will guide art lovers through the community. Shuttle buses and pedicabs will be available.

Following ARTBLOCK, on Thursday May 19, from 6pm-10pm, the Venice Art Crawl will guide revelers on a night-time art tour of Venice Beach.

Another free event, the Crawl spreads as far north as Rose Avenue, south to Washington Boulevard, has a western border along Pacific Ave, and an eastern border along Lincoln Boulevard.

Businesses, art studios, and homes throughout Venice will open their doors. Uniting art fans by sharing art diversity within the neighborhood. Information booths will be at Venice Arts, 1702 Lincoln Boulevard, Love Shack, 2121 Lincoln Boulevard, and Danny’s Venice, 23 Windward Avenue. The Rasta Bus will provide shuttle rides for Crawlers up and down Lincoln Boulevard throughout the evening.

One of the highlights is a student multimedia exhibit at Venice Arts. The non-profit arts organization has a big impact on the community providing life-changing arts education for low-income youth. Plus, internationally renown photographer Bobbi Bennet will host an exhibit, “BEAUTY is the EYE of the BEHOLDER,” at her studio a block north of Washington Boulevard, at 1145 Harrison Ave. Download your Venice Art Crawl map online at veniceartcrawl.com or get the special Art Crawl Boardwalk App here.

Venice Art Week will culminate in the Venice Family Clinic fundraiser Venice Art Walk & Auctions on Sunday May 22, at Google Los Angeles, 340 Main Street in Venice.

Each year the event showcases emerging and established Los Angeles artists and raises over $750,000 to fund vital health care for the 24,000 low- income, uninsured, and homeless patients of the Venice Family Clinic.

Bringing art lovers together to make a meaning- ful impact in the community, tickets for the Art & Architecture Tours, Angel events, and Artist Studio Tour can be found online at www.venicefamily clinic.org or by calling 310.664.7916.

At Google, the Venice Family Clinic Art Walk & Auctions is free and

open to all art fans. The event showcases a gallery-quality contemporary silent art auction along with accompanying artist studio tours, artisan shops, family activities, entertainment, music, food and more.

For further details jump online and visit venicefamilyclinic.org.

Get your art on and enjoy Venice Art Week May 15-May 22.