La Noche de las Librerías
DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES — Tim sent me an interesting link yesterday to coverage of a Bookstore Night in Buenos Aires. Four blocks were closed off so that people could wander between bookstores and street performances. Tim asks:
Saw this on an Buenos Aires blog and wondered it downtown LA could do the same thing. The questions are: Is downtown LA ready and if so, on what blocks would the merchants be most receptive.
My answer would be an enthusiastic yes. Immediately my mind went to the Downtown Art Walk. The monthly walk is great, but every six months or so this is what Art Walk should be: a big pedestrian party centered around art.
It's not like I'm the first to have this idea. Russell Brown, president of DLANC, has certainly mentioned it as something he would love to see happen. Someone just needs to take this idea and run with it.
Definitely check out the link above if for nothing else than the picture of people sitting on couches in the street. That seems like fun.
Nic Cha Kim on April 04, 2007, at 10:04AM – #1
Events like those have been happening in Gallery Row for quite some time. Some notable ones:
The LA Conservancy event, Spring on Spring St. That drew a few thousand people. They came to look at the architectre, but the galleries got to show their wares as well.
GRO co-produced the LACMA Art Walk back in April 2006. Party at St. Vibiana's held afterwards.
GRO facilitated the ArtSeen Art Walk with AIDS Reserch Alliance. Party at Union Station held afterwards...
Nobody can claim they're the first person to have this idea since there are a few that have done it. BTW - it was Russell's lobbying that got ARA to throw the ArtSeen Art Walk in Downtown. The first mtg was held in his loft so he's done this before. And GRO co-produced the LACMA event so recognition goes to everybody that participated.
Yeah, these events really do bring a crowd, but it's a lot of work. I used vacation time from my dayjob to give several tours of Gallery Row to LACMA to get them to confirm Downtown as the location before they actually confirmed. They weren't convinced at first, believe me. I won't even get into how many hours GRO spent hand-holding and facilitating the event from beginning to end. Anyways, it was worth it, but it's a lot of work. FYI - I resigned from Gallery Row back in Jan/Feb 2007 to concentrate on my writing so please don't email me about any of this. If you're interested in doing something like this, hit the pavement and start making those calls.
Summer is right around the corner.