Arts & Culture

"Passing Strange" Opens Downtown Film Festival

By Ed Fuentes — August 10, 2009

Downtown Film Festival Announces Line-Up

By Ed Fuentes — August 04, 2009

Ed Fuentes

The Downtown Film Festival returns for its second run August 12 - 22, with a lineup long in dark themes mixed with a bit of comedy.

Along with its features and shorts, this year's festival features a free homage to Paul Newman and a line-up of music documentaries that will culminate with "Jackson 5 in Africa," filmed in Senegal in 1974. — Continued Inside...

Summer Music Rolls On Around Downtown

By Ed Fuentes — July 31, 2009 — 1 Comment

Ed Fuentes

Outstanding Art of Television Costume Design Opens at FIDM Museum

By Cat Brosius and Michelle Smith — July 29, 2009 — 2 Comments

Eric Richardson

|Photo Gallery| Now in its fourth year, FIDM Museum's "The Outstanding Art of Television Costume Design" salutes the work of Emmy-nominated costume designers and costume supervisors. Featuring outfits from shows such as "No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency," "The Tudors," "Grey Gardens" and "Dancing with the Stars," the show provides a rare chance to get up close and personal with the designs.

The show opens to the public today, but on Friday we made the long trek across the street in our high heels to preview the show and speak to a few of the designers featured. — Continued Inside...

Big Lovin' Panda's Anthony Ferrara

By Monk Turner — July 28, 2009

Monk Turner

|Photo Gallery| Downtown is increasingly becoming a breeding ground for a new creative class of folks who aren't into the elitism that plagues much of the L.A. music scene.

One of those residents is Anthony Ferrara, who plays guitar in the funk rock group Big Lovin' Panda. He also organizes multimedia events with Insemillation that have included recreations of Where the Wild Things Are and most recently a rock opera based on Nintendo games.

I was pretty sure living in downtown played a big part in his creative process. After this interview, I knew I had indeed guessed right. — Continued Inside...

Heart of Gallery Row Changing as Galleries in Rosslyn Lofts Look for New Space

By Ed Fuentes with Eric Richardson — July 21, 2009 — 16 Comments

Ed Fuentes

The corner that has served as the heart of Gallery Row will see a major change this fall. Pharmaka, the Los Angeles Center for Digital Art (LACDA) and El Nopal Press, three of the galleries on the corner of 5th and Main, all recently received eviction notices from the Amerland Group.

While the notices were surprises, the move fits with the growth patterns that have characterized gallery districts around the country. Galleries enter a depressed but interesting neighborhood, help make it a safer and more vibrant place, and then are pushed out once rents rise. — Continued Inside...