Getting in and around Downtown Los Angeles has never been easier than on art walk nights. The City of Los Angeles has chartered Dash buses that circle Gallery Row during the art walk that are free to visitors.
Getting around the Downtown Art Walk
And easy transportation doesn't stop with the free Dash buses. The art walk encourages its visitors to take the public transit to avoid the headache of parking and driving around the Downtown area. Gallery Row is within easy walking distance of Metro Red, Gold, and Blue lines each with trains that run past midnight.
If visitors decide to drive into Gallery Row, parking is available in lots in and around the district. Expect to pay anywhere from $6 to $20 for parking on Downtown Art Walk nights. For the early birds out there, meters are available on the streets after 4 PM, and are free after 6 PM.
Make sure to pick up or pre-print a Downtown Art Walk map to use as a guide throughout Gallery Row.
Once you're on the bus...
Once aboard the Dash, passengers are greeted by Los Angeles comics and historians to keep riders entertained. The Dash loops around the Gallery Row bringing passengers from one side of the area to another.
Many walkers appreciate the presence of the Dash bus - that is, if they are aware that it's available.
"I didn't even know there was a shuttle service," said five time art walker Michael Roberts. "I'm going to have to try it."
Many older visitors look at the service as an incentive for checking out the galleries in Downtown.
"I like the bus because it saves me from doing too much walking," 75-year-old Norman Clatcher said.
Whatever the motive might be, the Dash buses in the Downtown Art Walk serve as a useful tool for all art walk patrons.
Monday, October 13, 2008
Monday, October 6, 2008
Downtown Art Walkers Give their Reviews
The Downtown Art Walk is a self- guided tour that attracts more than 5,000 visitors monthly to Gallery Row which is part of Historic Downtown. The art walk features 46 art galleries, museums, and non-profit art venues which are all open to the public for no charge every second Thursday of each month. Participants can also catch a free ride on Dash buses that take visitors from one gallery to another.
Must know art walk info
The Downtown Art Walk is located on Gallery Row which is bound by 2nd and 9th Streets to the north and south, and Main and Spring Streets to the east and west.
From 12-9 PM, participants can enjoy FREE admission into each and every of the 46 participating museums and galleries including Bert Green Fine Art, Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA), and the Los Angeles Center for Digital Art.
According to art walk founder and gallery owner Bert Green, the walk started in September of 2004 and hosted less than 100 walkers. Now, the walk hosts a few hundred walkers between the hours of 12-6 PM and reaches into the thousands by 9 PM.
"Most people work during the day," Green said. "In downtown, there are still far more people that work here than are living here so we see more people at night."
And Gallery Row is not much older than the art walk itself. The Los Anegles City Council gave the area it's name in 2003 on what Green calls a "speculative moved that seems to [have] paid off."
What walkers are saying
The Downtown Art Walk visitors are bringing in good reviews from their experiences as participants in the event, and are pleased with this effort as part of the downtown revitalization project.
"I just moved back to Los Angeles from the Bay Area, and it's coll to see things going on here as part of the rejuvenation of downtown," art walker Francisco Garcia said. "Seeing the vibrancy of people out here is great, and I've seen some impressive things, some impressive work."
And along with the crowd, many walkers are feeling safer about walking around at night in this downtown area which neighbors one of the city's rougher areas, Skid Row.
"It's nice to be downtown and feel safe, and have a good time, " art walker Michael Roberts said. "It's always been worth it the five times I've been down here for art walk nights."
Still, some walkers say that the art is too similar and that they would like to see more variation from gallery to gallery.
"It was good for the most part," says Eddie Flores of Los Angeles. "I'd like to see more art from people of color. I'd like to see something more political and see this spaced [used] to talk about thing that are going on in Los Angeles."
What else can walkers expect?
Many local restaurants and bars welcome the patronage of Downtown Art Walk participants.
Pitfire Pizza, for instance, is offering guests during the month of October a $12.99 meal deal which includes a side salad, pasta/pizza, crazy cake, and a fountain drink.
Siptea will also be offering discounted tea and free tea with meal purchases during the month of October for art walkers.
Other meal deals can be found at the following art walk sponsors:
Make sure to get your Sneak Peak into the Downtown Art Gallery.
Must know art walk info
The Downtown Art Walk is located on Gallery Row which is bound by 2nd and 9th Streets to the north and south, and Main and Spring Streets to the east and west.
From 12-9 PM, participants can enjoy FREE admission into each and every of the 46 participating museums and galleries including Bert Green Fine Art, Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA), and the Los Angeles Center for Digital Art.
According to art walk founder and gallery owner Bert Green, the walk started in September of 2004 and hosted less than 100 walkers. Now, the walk hosts a few hundred walkers between the hours of 12-6 PM and reaches into the thousands by 9 PM.
"Most people work during the day," Green said. "In downtown, there are still far more people that work here than are living here so we see more people at night."
And Gallery Row is not much older than the art walk itself. The Los Anegles City Council gave the area it's name in 2003 on what Green calls a "speculative moved that seems to [have] paid off."
What walkers are saying
The Downtown Art Walk visitors are bringing in good reviews from their experiences as participants in the event, and are pleased with this effort as part of the downtown revitalization project.
"I just moved back to Los Angeles from the Bay Area, and it's coll to see things going on here as part of the rejuvenation of downtown," art walker Francisco Garcia said. "Seeing the vibrancy of people out here is great, and I've seen some impressive things, some impressive work."
And along with the crowd, many walkers are feeling safer about walking around at night in this downtown area which neighbors one of the city's rougher areas, Skid Row.
"It's nice to be downtown and feel safe, and have a good time, " art walker Michael Roberts said. "It's always been worth it the five times I've been down here for art walk nights."
Still, some walkers say that the art is too similar and that they would like to see more variation from gallery to gallery.
"It was good for the most part," says Eddie Flores of Los Angeles. "I'd like to see more art from people of color. I'd like to see something more political and see this spaced [used] to talk about thing that are going on in Los Angeles."
What else can walkers expect?
Many local restaurants and bars welcome the patronage of Downtown Art Walk participants.
Pitfire Pizza, for instance, is offering guests during the month of October a $12.99 meal deal which includes a side salad, pasta/pizza, crazy cake, and a fountain drink.
Siptea will also be offering discounted tea and free tea with meal purchases during the month of October for art walkers.
Other meal deals can be found at the following art walk sponsors:
- Bar 107
- Hoagies and Wings
- LA Cafe
- Pete's Cafe
- Origami Bistro and Bar
- Rocket Pizza
- Seven Grand
- Tranquility Base
- Warung Cafe
- Zucca Ristorante
Make sure to get your Sneak Peak into the Downtown Art Gallery.
Future of Downtown Art Walk
Listen to what Downtown Art Walk founder and gallery owner, Bert Green, has to say about his hopes for the art walk.
Bert Green:
"My hope is that someone steps up and picks another night of the month and does someone different; like a theater festival or a restaurant night or late night retail.
There's actually a Comedy Walk happening that's on the same night as our night but they're talking about going off and doing their own thing.
What I'd like to see is all different things happening literally every night of the week."
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Sneak Peak into Downtown Art Walk
The Downtown Art Walk in Los Angeles' Gallery Row is bringing visitors into the area as part of the Downtown rejuvenation project.
Reasons to visit the Art Walk include:
- Galleries open their doors FREE to the public every second Thursday of the month.
- Many galleries offer beverages and appetizers to art walk participants.
- Street performers and local bars and restaurants help keep walkers entertained.
- Hang out downtown in a safe, fun environment.
- Use the Downtown Art Walk map as a guide to tour around the galleries.
And if these five reasons aren't enough to check out the Downtown Art Walk, see what laist has to say about.
Also, read why walkers are enjoying their time downtown.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
