The ‘Festival for All Skid Row Artists’ in Gladys Park is an afternoon of activities that identify artists in all genres who live and work on Skid Row. Neighborhood artists perform and LAPD collects data and digitally captures art, writing, song and performances of neighborhood residents to create an artists’ registry and an archive of their work. All participating artists receive a pair of yellow shades, with the inscription “Skid Row Artist: menacing cool" imprinted on the left temple. The ‘Festival for All Skid Row Artists’ gives a menacing-cool face to the creative community of Skid Row.

Animating Democracy, a program of Americans for the Arts, released “Making a Case for Skid Row Culture: Findings from a Collaborative Inquiry by the Los Angeles Poverty Department and the Urban Institute”. This study by John Malpede (Los Angeles Poverty Department) and Mario Rosario Jackson (Urban Institute) documents the role of arts and culture in Skid Row. The paper is available at www.artsusa.org/animatingdemocracy/pdf/reading_room/LAPD.pdf   This study found that culture comes from the ground up in Skid Row and is often initiated by residents and resident driven initiatives. This festival is undertaken to recognize these people and initiatives and to stimulate a new way of envisioning and talking about this neighborhood.

The ‘Festival for All Skid Row Artists’ moves the case for Skid Row culture forward in practice by creating a unique context that both generates cultural participation and documents it. This project encourages known neighborhood artists and identifys and brings together arts makers who are unknown even in their own Skid Row neighborhood.

3rd ‘Festival for All Skid Row Artists’ October 20 & 21, 2012

We had a wonderful Festival for All Skid Row Artists this weekend in Gladys Park. The atmosphere was wonderful, people had a real sense of sharing and community and they were very generous with their talents. And we sure have some amazing talents in Skid Row!!! I'm sending you some pictures so you can get a taste of the many activities that we had going on in the park. Visual art, creativity stations, chalk drawings, Hip Hop, close harmony, gospel choirs, poetry, theater, drummers, dancers, etc, etc. We documented all the arts and are editing a DVD for all arists. We also expanded our artist registry and now have more than 400 documented artists in Skid Row. We are looking forward to have another Festival next year! Check out your pictures and download them from the album on our facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.4296742429650.167270.1619286214&type=3

Download the pdf of the Festival newspaper here: 3rd Festival for All Skid Row Artists  

2nd ‘Festival for All Skid Row Artists’ Jan. 27 & 28, 2012

The Los Angeles Poverty Department, with partners UCEPP and LAMP Art Project, produced the 2^nd annual Festival for All Skid Row Artists on Friday and Saturday January 27 and 28, from 12 – 4 PM in Gladys Park in Skid Row.  This year’s festival was twice as long as last year’s because there are so many Skid Row artists whose work needs to be heard and seen.  Not only did the festival showcase Skid Row’s brightest stars, the open mic part of the program was used by newbie’s to step up with their first time performances. And Festival #2 included some artists from other parts of LA, to encourage artistic exchange and to bring folks from all over to see and appreciate Skid Row’s artists at work.

download the pdf of the Festvival newspaper here: 2nd Festival for All Skid Row Artists tabloid