Shana Nys DambrotArt Share L.A. has been a fixture in the downtown arts district since 1998, its evolving mission to not only showcase and support emerging artists and “keep the arts district artsy” through years of change, development, and more change. With gallery spaces, classrooms, studios, and a big music and theater performance stage, as well as off-site curatorial projects and mural advocacy, professional development resources and low-cost housing on site, they wear a lot of hats in their ceaseless efforts to engage the public with our creative community.
Like so many of our city’s indispensable nonprofit arts organizations, they have their own challenges to face now — but also like so many, their primary concern is how to remain active as advocates for the communities they serve. In other words, they want to help. So while the public spaces are closed and the staff works remotely, they are navigating the new nutty normal by conceiving of ways to express the activities at the core of their mission by other means.
Starting Monday, March 30, their new Home Share series will feature daily virtual events via Zoom with presentations of new works by their wide network of artists, as well as resource roundtables featuring wellness experts, life-coaches, therapists, financial and employment consultants, and other professionals with expertise suited to provide artists with important support during this fraught time.
Bibi Estrella (via Art Share L.A.)
A Virtual Gallery will showcase visual art made in response to morning artist prompts posted over on Instagram — Surrealism, Dreams, Sacred Spaces, etc. There will also be live-streamed afternoon performances on Zoom showcasing an eclectic roster of artists and musicians.
Cheyanne Sauter, Executive Director of Art Share L.A. says that, “We have always provided a platform for emerging artists to create. My biggest fear from the quarantine and the resulting isolation is that artists will lose hope and their passion for creating. Losing money is one thing,” she says, but she feels that losing our creative spirit would be so much worse.
Starting Monday, March 30th, Home Share’s 2pm “dailies” will stream a live, 20-minute performance, featuring innovative dancers, spoken word artists, and musicians — including at a date to be announced, the one and only Dave Navarro.
The first week of the 2pm daily schedule:
March 30 — Matthew Cuban and Sam | Q&A and Jam Session
March 31 — Rissi | Ours Together
April 1 — Megan Ruble | Theater in the digital atmosphere
April 2 — David Puck | Bedroom Studio Visit
April 3 — Ethan Marks | Unstable Connection
Join live on Zoom at zoom.us/j/9103444651 (password: artshare).
During the quarantine, Art Share LA can best be experienced at artsharela.org, on Instagram @artshare_la, and on Facebook at ArtShareLosAngeles.
Samuel Hernandez (via Art Share L.A.)
Art Share L.A., mural by Mikael B.
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