Past Exhibition

Los Angeles Poverty Department presents
Skid Row History Museum, A Gallery Exhibition

June 28 - August 2, 2008 | Opening Reception June 28, 6-9pm

Los Angeles Poverty Department Presents Skid Row History Museum, A Gallery Exhibition Image

This exhibition explored the history of Los Angles’ Skid Row through the stories of those who live, work and inspire others there. It also celebrated those who have created positive change in this community. The Los Angeles Poverty Department (LAPD) is a non-profit arts organization that connects lived experience to the social forces that shape the lives and communities of people living in poverty.

Events Connected to The Exhibition

OPENING RECEPTION: JUNE 28, Saturday, 6-9 pm; Live From Skid Row: Jeff Dietrich and Catherine Morris of the Catholic Worker and the Hippie Kitchen remember remarkable people and initiatives. Music from Ron Taylor and Oscar Harvey. Performances by Ibrahim Saba and Kevin Michael Key. Food & drinks.
PERFORMANCE & PUBLIC CONVERSATION: JULY 18, Friday, 6-9 pm; @ Lamp Community Art Project Gallery, 452 S. Main St. LA 90013; Live From Skid Row: Public discussion with Pete White and Becky Dennison of LA Community Action Network (LACAN). Music from Weba Garretson and Ralph Gorodetsky. Performance by Michelle Autry and Sunshine Mills. Food & drinks.
WORKSHOP: JULY 25, Friday, 2-6 pm; @ The Box Gallery, Chinatown, 977 Chung King Road, LA 90012; Live From Skid Row: Workshop for Skid Row residents from Lamp Community and the Downtown Women's Center. Food & drinks.
PERFORMANCE & PUBLIC CONVERSATION: JULY 26, Saturday, 6-9 pm; @ The Box Gallery, Chinatown, 977 Chung King Road, LA 90012; Live From Skid Row: Public discussion with Mollie Lowery, founder and first executive director of Lamp Community. Music from Code Zero. Performance by Tony Parker and Charles Porter. Food & drinks.
CLOSING RECEPTION: AUGUST 2, Saturday, 6-9 pm; @ The Box Gallery, Chinatown, 977 Chung King Road, LA 90012; Live From Skid Row: Public discussion with Ted Hayes, founder of Dome Village. Music from Ron Taylor, Church of the Nazarene Gospel Choir. Performance by Riccarlo Porter. Food & drinks.

Press

"Skid Row History Museum" review by LA Times writer Mindy Farabee: read here

"Live from Skid Row" review by Flavorpill writer Sascha Feldman: read here

Further Information

A map of Skid Row will be on the floor of the front gallery, marking significant sites where these stories have unfolded. This exhibition will also include images and videos highlighting the community’s efforts and strides. These videos feature speakers at public meetings and performances by LAPD. In the back gallery visitors will be invited to contribute their ideas for Skid Row’s own “Walk of Fame,” which seeks to honor those people and organizations that have bettered the community. In this area there will be inspiration booklets for visitors to draw out their ideas of whom they believe should be honored. The ultimate vision behind the Skid Row History Museum is to create a series of permanent public artworks, (plaques, signs, and the like) actually installed in the streets of downtown for this eventual “museum without walls”.

This exhibition has many goals; one is that it will enable the public to better understand the Skid Row community and the challenges that they have endured. The second is to empower the Skid Row population with work that confers the often-denied respect that this community and its members deserve.

As a major part of this exhibition there will be multiple events, including public discussions with key figures of the Skid Row community, musical and dramatic performances and workshops for members of Lamp Community and Downtown Women’s Center. See above for list of events.

Funding assistance for this project has been provided by the Community Redevelopment Agency of the City of Los Angeles (CRA/LA).

About LAPD:: The Los Angeles Poverty Department (LAPD is a non-profit arts organization that was started in 1985 by activist John Malpede. LAPD’s mission: creating performance work that connects lived experience to the social forces that shape the lives and communities of people living in poverty. LAPD is committed to creating high-quality, challenging performances and artworks that express the realities, hopes and dreams of people who live and work on Skid Row.
About CRA/LA:: CRA/LA (www.crala.org), a public agency, is regulated by the State of California and operates within the City of Los Angeles. It attracts private investment into economically depressed communities to eliminate blight, revitalize older neighborhoods, build housing for all income levels and create and retain employment opportunities. CRA/LA manages 32 redevelopment projects areas and three revitalization areas in seven regions: East Valley, West Valley, Hollywood & Central, Downtown, Eastside, South Los Angeles, and the Harbor.
About CRA/LA Art Program:: CRA/LA has had a long-standing commitment to the arts, recognizing that they play a significant role in the revitalization, growth and sustainability of our neighborhoods. Beginning in the late 1960's, CRA/LA became one of the first public agencies to set the groundwork for other cities creating policies that require developers to invest in art and culture. In the 40 years that we have invested in Downtown LA we have helped create over 100 traditional and contemporary pieces of public art and cultural facility projects. Highlights include the development of the Museum of Contemporary Art, rehabilitation of the historic neon on Broadway's theaters, and many engaging site-specific public art installations in private developments, streetscape improvements and parks.