Picture courtesy of LA Community Action Network
April through December 2007: UTOPIA/dystopia.
UTOPIA/dystopia, seeks to find out how flesh and blood people
living and working downtown envision the future of downtown and what
kind of downtown they would like to be a part of.
One
person's utopia is another's dystopia. In the past 40 years civic
policy in Los Angeles has generated the twin towers of utopia and
dystopia: Bunker Hill, the redeveloped high rise financial center, and
below it Skid Row. The real estate boom has generated new social
policy, including the desired displacement of the majority population
of poor people living in the area. The other LAPD, in defiance of the
9th Circuit court of appeals ruling barring the criminalization of
homelessness, has engaged in a policy of constant harrassment and daily
arrests of people living on the streets. All to make the area safe for
development.
 
UTOPIA/dystopia:
What
is the vision for downtown Los Angeles? A powerful urban core that
will dominate the city in the future is taking shape. But, what shape?
Will the “new urban lifestyle” be an upscale urban monoculture? Or
is city life at it’s core about embracing and celebrating an
unpredictable, dynamic, socio-economic mescla. City or McCity, that
is the question. “The Future” is being painstakingly crafted, created
and promoted by a coalition of development and civic political
interests: the City Fathers who know best. UTOPIA/dystopia,
project activities will engage long standing and new area residents,
(including homeless and formerly homeless residents of Skid Row, the
working poor, immigrants and their families and the area’s burgeoning
loft-living population) to inform and broaden the public discourse,
through strategic public art actions, and convenings.
Download press PDF about UTOPIA/dystopia:
Therese Ritchie, Australian artist in residence at 18th Street Arts Center, participated in LAPD's changeXchange summer workshop which explored UTOPIA/dystopia. Check out how the project inspired her work.
UTOPIA/dystopia research and community activities started in October 2006, and continues. UTOPIA/dystopia will
engage long standing and new area residents, to challenge the
development interest promoted vision of the “new urban lifestyle” as an
upscale urban monoculture, through strategic public art / conversation
convenings. The project will culminate in the making of the performance
'UTOPIA/dystopia'.
The UTOPIA/dystopia Project involves a number of community partners including, The National Center for the Preservation of Democracy, the Roy and Edna Disney/CalArts Theater (REDCAT), the LA Central Library, the Department of World Arts and Cultures at UCLA, United Coalition East Prevention Program (UCEPP), Central City Community Outreach, LA Community Action Network (LA CAN) and SRO Housing, Inc.
UTOPIA/dystopia events:
 * April 19: ALOUD series at the LA Central Library; a panel discussion
on the subject "Is it a crime to be poor?" Participants included
activist and LAPD (theater group) member Kevin Michael Key and Captain
Andy Smith of the Los Angeles Police Department.
* May 29, 5-7 pm: UTOPIA/dystopia discussion at UCLA's Kerckhoff Art Gallery.
 * Thursday June 21, 7.30 pm: '7 Glimpses of Utopia', a 'Come Together' at the Democracy Forum of the Japanese National American Museum.
Download the 7 Glimpses of Utopia event program
 * July 9 till 27: changeXchange; LAPD's workshop in art and social change for performers and other artists, students, people working for social change.
 * Thursday July 26 at 7.30 pm: 'Glimpses of Utopia: 8 - 15', at the Red Dot Gallery, 500 S. Spring Street, downtown Los Angeles, CA 90013. Glimpses of Utopia 8-15
 * Thursday Sept. 20 at 7.00 pm: Glimpses of Utopia: 16-23, a 'Come Together' at the Historic Fire Station Old 23; located 225 E. 5th Street, downtown LA. Glimpses of Utopia 16-23
 * October 25 at 7:00 pm “Glimpses of Utopia: 24 - 30” at The Red Dot Gallery, 500 S. Spring Street, Los Angeles, CA 90013. Glimpses of Utopia 24-30
 * Nov. 16 from 4 till 4.15 pm: ‘220 Glimpses of Utopia movement-line’ on the sidewalks from the heart of Skid Row to City Hall, followed by a reception at the Red Dot Gallery.
 * Nov.16 at 6 pm: “Glimpses of Utopia: 31 - 37” at the Church of the Nazarene, located at 419 East 6th Street (on the corner of 6th Street & San Pedro Street), Los Angeles, CA 90013. Glimpses of Utopia 31 -37
* December 6, 7, 8, 9: 'UTOPIA/dystopia' performances at the REDCAT theatre in downtown LA at 631 W. 2nd Street.
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