This is my favorite music / art gallery / performance art space in this area of LA. The staff who…read morerun the space are very friendly and community-facing! If you're thinking of going to a show or perfromance there, I recommend checking out their instagram page (@waterandpower_life). The variety is awesome, and it's also often very affordable.

Beautiful space for an ambient show, featuring experimental and performance artists as well as…read moresculpture and installation

The William Grant Still Community Arts Center is one of my favorite venues to go to for black…read morehistorical exhibits. One of the few places in LA we have left for the genre. The collection is housed in a old firehouse off of Adams Blvd. It gives an intimate feeling--as if you are in someone's living room. The city has been trying to give this place up for private ownership, but I hope this never happens--the city of Los Angeles needs to retain this space for future generations. Aside from the visiting collections, the staff provides arts and crafts workshops to school children on a variety of subjects, changing from month to month. There are also music lessons--piano, guitar, etc. offered to the youth. All free. Each time I have visited, it was the opening of a new exhibition, first it was the SNCC collection, and the second time it was a Nina Simone tribute, Both events had live music, appetizers, and wine---good times. I look forward to each new installment that debuts here.

Wow oh wow! Had no…read moreidea this little gem was in LA. I came today for the RETURN OF THE MECCA : THE ART OF ISLAM AND HIP-HOP exhibit. It opened Oct. 4th and runs till Nov. 22nd 2014. This exhibition showcases art through old newspaper clippings, tape cassettes, album covers, photography, video & film. It was dope to see the O.G's of Hip-Hop such as Eric B. & Rakim, Kwame, Big Daddy Kane, Public Enemy, X-Clan, Gang Starr, Queen Latifah, Ice Cube, Digable Planets, A Tribe Called Quest, Wu-Tang, Mos Def (Yasiin Bey) and others from the 90's. Malcolm X hand written letter to Alex Haley was on display also. This Saturday Chuck D is supposed to be there from 2-4pm. Next exhibit I believe is on black dolls. Come check it out for yourself. They also have dance, keyboard, beatmaking, poetry, and painting lessons for the youth. For the adults they have line dancing, keyboards & theater/film acting classes. Not only does this center get 5 stars the staff gets 5 *'s too. Everyone was very helpful and knowledgeable. Please come and support this local Art Center.

Such a gem! There are so many great galleries here, and I really appreciated how much range there…read morewas between the exhibits. The jazz music area was one of my favorites. The whole space had such a smooth, vibey atmosphere, and there were places to sit and just take it all in. Honestly, I could have stayed there for a while just listening and looking around. The history exhibits were especially powerful. They don't shy away from difficult or complicated parts of history, and I really appreciated that. There was also a thoughtful exhibit highlighting LGBTQ+ experiences within Black communities and POC communities, which I loved seeing represented. It felt like the museum wasn't just telling one broad version of history, but making space for the different identities, experiences, and stories that exist within it. You can really tell the exhibits were put together with care. There's a lot of context and depth, and it feels like the goal is genuinely to educate and preserve these stories rather than just put objects behind glass. I found myself stopping to read a lot more than I expected. The location is also fantastic, especially since it's so close to the other museums in the area. Easy to make this part of a whole museum day. The staff were wonderful too. They were super kind about explaining the exhibits and even suggested how we might want to walk through them, which was really helpful. Really lovely museum with a lot of substance. Definitely worth visiting, especially if you're already in the museum district.

I had never been to the CAAM. I am not sure why. I wanted to rectify my negligence with style. So I…read moredecided to make my first visit to this lovely museum on this past Juneteenth. It seemed more than approrppriate, it seemed low key necessary/destined. Visiting this museum on Juneteenth was quiet excellence. I especially enjoyed seeing different folks in celebratory clothes. Please do not imagine a woman dress in festive garb like a woman wearing a blue and white and red cowboy hat on the 4th, and firework earrings, and matching lipstick and nails. I, more saw, Juneteenth tshirts celebrating the value of freedom and reminding us all that freedom was once a luxury not a standard. And I have started to see these type of t-shirts more and more over the last few years. So it was kind of refreshing and cool to see more in a concentrated way. For me it meant that progress had become worthy of it becoming a tshirt emblem. In the past these tshirts would have been possible. So I guess I am happy enough to celebrate them. My favorite part of the day was the Juneteenth Community Quilt. The prompt was "Think of a food that means celebration in your home or neighborhood." My quilt added the following quote since I do not draw well: "True celebration is money eaten." I placed it into another quilt square that had a pineapple, orange and another fruit that is hanging from a branch, maybe peaches. The work was done by adults and children, each holding different artistic capacities and different world views, yet together all those things made a quilt. It is easy to understand that instead of society being a tossed salad or a melting pot it could now be a quilt. Different squares connected, not overlapping, and each have a purpose but still connected to the greater whole. Another quilt reminded that ice cream is a great celebratory food! And I agree with that too! The museum is free. And one floor. So I think most people can spend around 90 minutes to two hours within. On my visit I saw different works of art. I am not sure if they belong to a permanent collection or what but they were neat. For instance, there was a picture of a chef made by charcoal, I think. His face was not filled with pride. His face was full of tired duty. I always equate joy with cooking. But if someone has to cook when they are tired or forced than they probably would not be happy. But then again carrying out duty can also bring about joy. I guess what makes something enjoyable, in relation to a duty, is choice? And another word for choice is freedom. Another great celebration was named, "Celebration as Resistance." It was commentary on the experience of gay and black individuals during the 1970s and 1980s. Black people were being oppressed but black gay people were being oppressed in an extra special way because they were being judged negatively and treated accordingly for embodying an intersection of two minorities groups. Thus, the work celebrated places where a black gay man could celebrate freely. And those places of joy existence as a form of inclusion and resistance. And wow I am super happy that they created, because everyone needs to dance in a place where they are judge for their twirls, and their twirls alone. In the museum there was a quote by Pat Parker, and the person said in 1978, "The Day all the different parts of me can come along, we would have what I would call a revolution." It was a special kind of grand knowing that the work that is so known today was still known back then just not in company mission statements. The wall of resistance had hello kitty, pink bubbles, and blackmen standing against purple walls. It was the freedom of joy expressed with queer coloring. It it is both a happy and grim reminder that the parades we hold today that have become spectacle were ones joyful resistance. This place had a lot to see and view and engage with. I am glad I went to observe Juneteenth in a way that made the day mean something to me, then just a day off.

This is the LA sibling of one of my favorite art galleries in NY. It was a huge space in the…read morefashionable Culver City. The gallery represents among the most exciting new artists- Julie Speed and Josh Dorman- who happened to be showing their latest work. Lovely lovely lovely. Explosive owners- George and Kay are just as lovely and exciting as Nicholas Battis' creation. Very inventive- very Now and very contemporary! I went to the East Coast opening last month but the works in LA are a lot more spicy. Is it because there is more flavor in the LA Art scene than the aging and bland NY? Shhhhh...that's the biggest gossip last Monday- until we heard about the Salma H. turning down the David B. Well..catch the last week of the show- worth the drive but don't mess your Prop 8 rally!

After a long search I found the right piece for my fireplace. I met George and Tressa at a local…read moreart show. They brought the piece to my house so we could see it in place. We loved the piece but needed it reframed. They said no problem and got it done in LA and ready for pickup in just over a week. The piece is hanging and looks super. They were both great to work with and right on with communications. Thanks to you both.

This international gallery group has really transformed this warehouse space into the art mecca…read more(for me) .

I had an incredible time at this extremely inmportant exhibit. The piece in the stage light was one…read moreof my favorites and the collages are breathtaking. A must see if you're in Los Angeles.

Love the art here so historic and meaningful. This gallery is a family of people moving forward!read more

Small cool art gallery. Dropped by for Aaron Rose's Suitcase City. Outside they had drinks and…read morefrenetic dancing by a performer. There is a cluster of other studios and galleries (one is Ed Ruscha's old studio) that you can visit during Open House or if you make appointment. I believe they are all part of Western Ave Collective.

Loved the concert we saw there the other night. My husband is ADA and they were so kind to bring us…read more2 chairs so he could sit during the concert. Also, can't recommend the restaurant more! Everything we had there was top notch h. Definitely coming back here for the food alone!

The atmosphere and collection of art from local artists was outstanding! They support the various…read moremediums and the artists the need good exposure.

One of my favorite LA art galleries: I've been visiting since it was only the smaller space across…read morethe street. I have seen many memorable artist debuts and have encouraged friends to visit. Just recommended a friend who's an incredible artist to connect with Band of Vices for a possible future collaboration. The larger Band of Vices space is great - allows for great flow between various artist work; is a flexible space and I have seen various Music, Film, Political Community partnerships here. Neighborhood street parking - be sure to adhere to posted signs. Grateful for this art space in the heart of West Adams.